These Thai Grilled Chicken Skewers make for a delectable dinner treat for both family and friends. They're made with chunks of juicy chicken, purple onion, red pepper, and fresh mango for a tasty Thai treat that goes well with rice or any other side dishes you may want to serve. The addition of mango (pineapple may be substituted) provides a sweet note among the other ingredients, and marries well with the chicken. As a bonus, you can also cook these skewers in your oven if grilling weather eludes you - it's easy to do, and comes out tastes very similar to those done over the grill. ENJOY!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes
Total Time: 28 minutes
Yield: SERVES 4-5
Ingredients:
- 3/4 to 1 lb.(.46 kg) boneless, skinless chicken thigh/breast cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 red pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 semi-ripe mango (see recipe)
- 1/2 purple onion, cut into square pieces
- 1 package wooden satay sticks for skewering (available in your supermarket)
- MARINADE:
- 2-3 Tbsp. minced fresh lemongrass, OR bottled/frozen lemongrass (available at Asian stores)
- 4-5 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp. fresh grated galangal OR ginger
- 1 fresh red chili, minced, OR 1/3 to 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander/cilantro
- 2 tsp. ground coriander
- 2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp. turmeric
- 1/4 tsp. ground white pepper (in your supermarket aisle)
- 3+1/2 Tbsp. fish sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 2 rounded tsp. brown sugar OR 3 tsp. palm sugar
- 1 Tbsp. lime juice
- 2 Tbsp. liquid honey
- 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
Preparation:
- Place all 'Marinade' ingredients in a food processor or chopper, and process well to create a tasty Thai marinade/paste. Pour over prepared chicken and stir.
- The mango should be quite firm (mostly orange-yellow, with some green on the skin). Peel the mango, then slice it lengthwise on either side of the central stone (see this picture: How to Cut a Mango). Once you have two thick slices of mango, cut it into thick cubes or bite-size pieces.
- Add mango plus red pepper and onion to the chicken and stir everything together. Set in the refrigerator to marinate at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours. If using wooden satay sticks, place sticks in your sink and cover with water to soak (prevents burning).
- Skewer marinated chicken, mango, red pepper and onion onto satay sticks, alternating ingredients. Place ingredients at ends of the stick, and not too much per stick (see photo) so the cook has a 'handle' for turning. Save marinade in bowl.
- To Grill: Place skewers on a hot, lightly oiled grill. Baste with leftover marinade after turning them the first time. Cook until meat, vegetables and fruit are nicely browned with charred edges, and opaque inside (about 15 minutes).
- Oven Method: Place prepared skewers on a foil or parchment-paper lined cookie sheet or broiling pan, and set oven to BROIL. Set pan under the heating element and broil 5 to 8 minutes before turning. After turning the first time, baste with leftover marinade. Continue turning every 5 minutes until satays are nicely browned and charred at edges, and meat is firm and opage when sliced through.
- Serve with with plenty of Thai jasmine rice, and ENJOY!
