These Thai inspired chicken skewers are marinated with aromatic lemongrass and fresh garlic, then grilled for big, gutsy flavors. Serve with peanut sauce for a mouthwatering appetizer or healthy weeknight dinner.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time15 minutesmins
Marinade30 minutesmins
Total Time55 minutesmins
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Thai
Keyword: asian chicken, chicken, gluten free, grilled, satay, skewers
Soak 4 bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes or soak 4 stocks thin lemongrass to use those as the skewers.
Cut the chicken breast lengthwise into strips 2" thick. Turn the chicken and cut strips into cubes 2" thick. Place chicken in a medium bowl or plastic bag.
Add marinade ingredients (mirin, garlic, lemongrass, coconut sugar, black pepper, salt, Worcestershire, soy sauce, sesame oil, and vegetable oil) directly to the chicken. Massage and marinade for 30 minutes at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.
Preheat the grill to medium high heat. Skewer the chicken.
Scrape the grill grates clean then place the chicken skewers on the grates and close the lid. Rotate with tongs after 5 minutes or until you see a deep black char. You can even use a crushed stock of lemongrass to brush the chicken with extra marinade as it cooks.
Remove the cooked chicken and garnish with chopped cilantro and peanut sauce. Serve hot.
Video
Notes
mirin -
This is Japanese cooking wine. A good substitute is Chinese Xiaosheng cooking wine or sherry cooking wine (not sherry vinegar).
coconut or palm sugar -
This is a wholesome, minimally process sweetener that has a savory flavor profile. A good substitute would be brown sugar or unprocessed cane sugar.
worcestershire -
This has a tangy, umami flavor. You can also substitute fish sauce for a gluten free diet. The fish sauce will add a funky flavor that is frequently used in Thai food.
lemongrass -
If you've never worked with lemongrass, there's a hard outer layer that you can't cut through. Peel away that layer and then remove the tough ends. It should be easy to mince with a sharp knife.