Who doesn't love chicken on a stick? Even friends who typically opt out of eating chicken with the bone love this scrumptious GRILLED CHICKEN SATAY WITH RED CURRY PEANUT SAUCE. There are several things that make this dish special, including the direct versus indirect heat that yields a stylized “CHAR” look, texture, and flavor making it reminiscent of Thai or Korean street food.

It’s a great main dish when served with jasmine rice; but it’s equally impressive all by itself at a cocktail party. The other unmistakable virtue of the dish is the slightly sweet, red curry peanut sauce given it’s heat and body from BLUE ELEPHANT RED CURRY PASTE. The sauce is simple to make, giving marinated chicken thighs an added boost of flavor…but can also serve as a wonderful condiment to grilled beef and even vegetable crudite.

It’s July in the High South…so stay tuned for a month of grilling recipes and techniques that are sure to please even the most finicky friends and family members - thump thump!

CHICKEN SATAY WITH RED CURRY PEANUT SAUCE

SERVES - 4 TO 6 | PREP AND COOK TIME - 1 HOUR

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CHICKEN

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/3 cup mirin

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs

Vegetable oil (for grill)

Salt and pepper

Banana leaves for plating

FOR THE PEANUT CURRY SAUCE

1 cup vegetable oil, divided, plus more for brushing

1/2 cup Blue Elephant Premium Thai Red Curry Paste

1 13.5-oz. can unsweetened coconut milk

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

Salt

TECHNIQUE

LETS ROCK THE PEANUT SAUCE

Heat ¼ cup oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in Blue Elephant red curry paste, combine until simmering. Now, whisk in coconut milk until simmering resumes, then introduce heavy cream, peanut butter, sugar, and remaining oil. Be sure to continue whisking until all ingredients are dissolved and combined. Continue to cook and whisk until sauce coats the spoon. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar; season with salt.

LETS PREPARE THE CHICKEN

Combine brown sugar, mirin, soy sauce, and vinegar in a small saucepan. Transfer 1/2 cup mixture to a large mixing bowl. Slice chicken thighs lengthwise, about 1 inch thick, then add to the marinade in the bowl. Chill for 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.

Add remaining marinade to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook until reduced by half and thick like syrup.

Prepare a grill for medium-high direct heat on one side, indirect on the other. Skewer chicken onto 6–8 skewers, folding and bunching the meat together to make one continuous shape on each skewer. Grill chicken first over direct heat, rotating after two minutes until browned and slightly charred.

Move chicken to cooler side of grill and continue to cook, slathering the chicken skewers with the glaze until cooked through. Serve on a platter with a banana leaf and the red curry peanut sauce.