RecipeTin Eats and Food & Wine: Paleo Chicken Satay

I feel like everyone around me is either doing the Paleo diet or some form of Whole30.  Am I the only person who is still indulging in the horrors of wheat flour?  Apparently so.  But in an effort to see what I might be missing out on, I converted a recipe for chicken satay, which is delicious, into a Paleo diet-friendly dinner, and I was actually pleasantly surprised by how delicious the whole thing actually was.  I wouldn't mind doing some nice jasmine rice in a future incarnation (let's be honest - cauliflower rice doesn't soak up sauce the way a good scoop of regular rice does), but overall, this is a good start to some Paleo explorations.

Note: I used New Mexican ground chili powder and Madras curry powder in my seasoning mix.

Paleo Chicken Satay
Adapted from RecipeTin Eats and Bryant Ng, Food and Wine magazine, April 2012

Seasoning:
1¼ teaspoon ground coriander
1¼ teaspoon ground cumin
1¼ teaspoon ground tumeric
1¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
1¼ teaspoon chili powder
3 teaspoons curry powder
1½ teaspoons sea salt

1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into cubes

2 tablespoons canola or peanut oil

Satay:

2 tablespoons canola or peanut oil

4 medium shallots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

Pinch of crushed red pepper
¾ cup natural peanut butter (no added sugar)
1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce

3 to 4 tablespoons honey

Sliced green onions, for garnish

Chopped cilantro, for garnish

Crushed roasted peanuts, for garnish

Combine seasoning ingredients in a medium bowl.  Add chicken and oil and stir to ensure all chicken cubes are coated well.  Cover with cling wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

Soak four 12-inch bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes.  Set oven to broil.  Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto the skewers and lay them on a rack set over a sheet pan that is lined with aluminum foil.  Broil the skewers for 8 to 10 minutes (until you start to see some charred bits), then turn the skewers over and broil for another 8 to 10 minutes.  Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat the canola oil. Add the shallots and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the shallots are softened and slightly browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, but do not let the garlic brown.  Add all of the remaining ingredients and stir well until a smooth sauce forms, adding a little water if necessary.  Taste for seasoning: Thai food requires a balance of sour, sweet, salty, and funky, so add additional seasoning until the balance is achieved.

Using tongs, pull the cooked chicken off of the skewers and drop it into the peanut sauce.  Fold the chicken into the sauce and allow to warm through.  Serve over cauliflower rice topped with green onions, cilantro, and peanuts.

Makes 4 to 6 servings