Chicken Satay with Cilantro Almond Butter Sauce

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I’m not much of a TV person, but when my mom was visiting last week, we started watching cooking shows together.  I have to admit that it was super fun to watch people get creative, and I even learned a few things.  The chef who I found the most inspirational was Jamie Oliver, a British chef who not only gets super crafty in the kitchen but also has a passion for REAL food and getting people to ditch the processed crap.  This dish was inspired by one of his recipes.  Honey-Baked Chicken Satay with Cilantro Almond Butter Sauce.

Now I know that chicken satay is traditionally served with a peanut sauce, but it is my opinion that peanut butter is not a health food.  Read more HERE about that.  But don’t worry about that because the zesty cilantro sauce for this recipe will totally knock your socks off.  I promise.  My sweetie was licking the plate after this meal.

This is an easy dinner that will serve 4 generously.  If you want to really impress your family or your dinner guests, serve this honey-baked chicken satay with a delicious salad, some side veggies, and fermented ginger carrots.  They will suggest that you start your own cooking show.

Chicken Satay with Cilantro Almond Butter Sauce

• Author: Katja from the Savory Lotus
• Yield: 4

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts (or a mix of white and dark chicken meat)
• 2 TBS coconut oil, butter, or ghee
• celtic sea salt (I use this one)
• 3 TBS honey for drizzle
• 4 wooden skewers (like these)

FOR SAUCE:

• 1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
• 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 clove of fresh garlic
• 4 TBS almond butter
• 2 TBS coconut aminos (like this)
• juice of 1-2 limes
• 2 tsp RAW honey (like this)
• 1 TBS filtered water

Instructions

1. Soak 4 wooden skewers in water for 5-10 minutes (to prevent burning). Preheat oven to 450’F
2. Combine all sauce ingredients in a food processor (start with juice from one lime) and process until smooth and creamy. Taste and add more lime if desired.
3. Arrange chicken breast next to each other on a cutting board very close together. Carefully push the skewers through the breasts and then cut between the skewers to make 4 separate skewers. You can trim ends of chicken to make more uniform pieces. If using light and dark meat, you may want to cut chicken up first and arrange individual pieces onto skewers.
4. Take half of the prepared sauce and pour into large baking dish. Place chicken skewers on top and massage the sauce into the meat. Pick up skewers and line them up vertically along sides of baking dish so meat is off of the bottom of the pan and suspended by the wooden skewers (see photo below.) Drizzle with coconut oil, butter or ghee and a pinch of sea salt (Use less fat if using lots of dark meat)
5. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until chicken starts to brown and is cooked almost all the way through. (time depends on size of chicken pieces and white versus dark meat)
6. Remove from oven, place skewers back down into pan, coating with any juices in pan. Drizzle honey over each skewer. Put back in oven and bake 8-10 minutes more, until cooked all the way through and stating to get crispy.) Watch carefully so it doesn’t burn.
7. Serve immediately with the other half of the cilantro almond butter sauce and fermented ginger carrots.

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