Chicken Satay with a Peanut Dipping Sauce

Have a told you guys about the yummy wonder that is Thai food. While at Quinnipiac, my mentor took me to a Thai restaurant because I had never been to one. Since those first bites, I have been hooked. Thai is great and a lot of it is gluten free! Pad Thai rice noodles…MMMM! One of the first Thai things I tried was chicken satay. Marinated chicken with a peanut dipping sauce. Nice, simple and delicious. Now you can great your own chicken satay for a different dinner option or dazzle guests at any party.

Chicken Satay with Peanut Dipping Sauce 

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cut into 1 inch strips

For the Peanut Sauce

• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3/4 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon gluten free soy sauce
• Salt to taste
• 10 (6 inch) wooden skewers, or as needed, soaked in water for 30 minutes

1. Stir together 1/2 cup coconut milk, garlic, 1 teaspoon curry powder, brown sugar, salt, and pepper until the sugar has dissolved. Toss marinade with the chicken, cover, and marinate for at least 2 hours.
2. Bring 1 cup coconut milk, 1 tablespoon curry powder, peanut butter, chicken stock, and 1/4 cup brown sugar to a simmer in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until smooth and thickened. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice and soy sauce; season to taste with salt.
3. Preheat a grill for medium-high heat.
4. Thread marinated chicken onto skewers, then grill 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Serve with warm peanut sauce.

Seriously there are days I crave chicken satay. It’s so simple but so yummy! The flavors will keep you coming back for more!

ENJOY!

Coconut Banana Fritters

I know it’s almost 2 pm here on Long Island but that doesn’t mean you can’t think about breakfast! I am a breakfast and dessert gal. Any kind of cake like recipe is perfect for breakfast and can be delicious for dinner too! (Have breakfast for dinner as a treat!) These coconut banana fritters are perfect for just such occasion!

Coconut Banana Fritters

The coconut and banana flavors play wonderfully with each other for a delectable taste. Not a huge fan of coconuts? No problem! You can make these into regular banana fritters and use rice or almond milk in place of coconut milk. 

Ingredients

• Clean peanut or canola oil, for frying
• 1 cup chopped, packed ripe bananas (approximately 2 medium)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose gluten free flour (such as Better Batter or Bob’s Red Mill – both great)
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup coconut milk, plus more as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Confectioners’ sugar, for serving

1. Fill a Dutch oven or cast iron pot with a few inches of peanut or canola oil and heat on medium-high until it reaches 375°F.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the bananas, flour, cornstarch, coconut, sugar, baking powder, and salt, followed by the egg yolks, coconut milk, and vanilla. Combine the mixture using a potato masher until it becomes a thick yet viscous batter, adding more milk—tablespoon by tablespoon—if necessary.
3. Using a spring-form ice cream scoop to form the fritters, carefully lower 4 – 5 dollops of batter into the hot fry oil at a time. Cook, flipping once, until the fritters are a nice golden brown, approximately 2 – 3 minutes. Remove the fritters with a slotted spoon, shaking off excess oil back into the pot, and place on a paper-towel lined sheet pan to cool.
4. Continue with the remaining batches, making sure to return the oil to 375° in between batches. Let fritters cool for 5 – 10 minutes. Sprinkle generously with confectioners’ sugar and serve warm.

Oh how I love breakfast for dinner. And breakfast for…well breakfast! Whip these up for your breakfast fanatics!
ENJOY!

Kwegyirba Croffie is a freelance Associate Producer at News 12 Connecticut and a Special Events/Event Planning and Social Media Intern at College Lifestyles (TM). She is a Quinnipiac University alumni and a sister of Alpha Delta Pi. She enjoy cupcakes,Broadway musicals, Forever 21 ,giraffes, peacock feathers, orchids, lillies and anything Disney.