Author: FoodMakesKatieHappy

Posted in Comfort Food, Fakeaways

Chicken Satay Burgers

Posted on by FoodMakesKatieHappy

For anyone that knows me, you’ll know that I love a burger. Usually, it’s a bacon cheeseburger and I don’t venture any wilder than that – if ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

But whenever we have chicken satay, we’re always left with a bowl full of sauce SO Mike suggested Satay Burgers – and they didn’t disappoint. There are lots of recipes out there for grilled chicken burgers with satay sauce but if there’s one thing we both agree on, it’s that you don’t skimp when it comes to burgers. So, these are crispy chicken burgers, with lashings of satay sauce, pickled cucumber and coriander (well, not for me. I taste soap).

Makes 4 burgers

Ingredients:

2 large chicken breasts

Satay sauce (see chicken satay recipe here)

Half a cucumber

1 tbsp of white wine vinegar

1 tbsp caster sugar

Handful of fresh coriander

100g Panko Bread Crumbs

4 Brioche Buns

1/2 tsp curry powder

s&p

Half an Iceberg lettuce shredded

1 egg

Vegetable Oil for frying

Method:

Before lockdown I’d never deep fried anything – I was always brought up being told that deep fat fryers were too unhealthy and using a pan of oil was far too dangerous. I guess both are true.

During lockdown I’ve experimented a few times and use a wok 1/3 full of vegetable oil. I always use the back ring of the hob so it’s slightly further away so I can avoid the hot splatters, always use tongs to place things AWAY from you & LEAVE THE OIL TO COOL COMPLETELY before transferring into a jar / bottle to dispose / save until next time.

If you don’t have a deep fat fryer / feel comfortable frying at home, I’m sure these would turn out brill in the oven too!

  1. Let’s start with the pickled cucumber – using a peeler remove the skin and then continue peeling the flesh to make ribbons. Pop in a bowl and mix in the vinegar and caster sugar with a pinch of salt. Set aside for 15 minutes and then pat dry with a kitchen towel (you don’t want a puddle of vinegar in your burger!)
  2. Crack an egg into a shallow bowl and whisk – add a pinch of salt to help break the egg up
  3. In a separate bowl mix the panko breadcrumbs with the curry powder and season
  4. At this stage I would add the vegetable oil to the wok and start heating it up
  5. Take your two chicken breasts on a chopping board and cover with a sheet of parchment paper – either using a meat tenderiser or rolling pin flatten the breasts until they’re half a cm thick. Then slice in half to create 4 chicken burgers. (I use any offcuts to make nuggets with the leftover Panko!)
  6. Once your oil is at temperature – (160cish – you could test the temperature of the oil with a nugget to start with*) place a piece of chicken in the egg bowl and coat well before dipping into the breadcrumbs. Make sure the chicken is well coated before using tongs to place (gently!!) into the oil.
  7. Complete the process with all 4 pieces of chicken – I usually fry two pieces at a time. They should take about 6 minutes to fry & turn once during cooking. I keep the first batch warm in the oven whilst the second is cooking (I’m a worrier when it comes to chicken and always use a meat thermometer to make sure they’re at 65c and if not I pop them in the oven to cook through!)
  8. Now to build your burger! I always griddle my burger buns just to toast them slightly (you can do this whilst the chicken is resting) and then spread a thin layer of satay sauce on each side of the bun, layer up with iceberg, chicken, another dollop of sauce and then pickled cucumber and coriander!
  9. Enjoy!!

*you’re testing to see how quickly it cooks – if it goes golden brown within seconds it probably means the oil is too hot and your chicken will burn before cooking through. Equally, too low and the Panko will stay pale and soggy.

Posted in Comfort Food, Quick Eats, Vegetarian

Creamy Mushroom Pasta

Posted on by FoodMakesKatieHappy

Another dish on the table in less than 15 minutes – packed full of flavour and with only a handful of ingredients! Perfect for a stress-free dinner or a speedy lunchtime snack!

If you’re looking for something slightly lighter for lunchtime, (or even breakfast!) try the mushroom mixture on toasted sourdough!

Serves 2

Ingredients

Half a pack chestnut mushrooms (sliced)

200ml double cream

Handful of fresh parsley

1 garlic clove (sliced)

Pasta of your choice – I used fusilli

Knob of butter

Parmesan & Parsley to serve

Method

  1. Add pasta to boiling water as per instructions on the packet
  2. Add a dash of oil to a pan and gently fry the garlic for a couple of minutes before adding the mushrooms
  3. Once the mushrooms have softened add in the parsley and knob of butter followed by the cream & a dash of pasta water and season, and leave to reduce for a couple of minutes
  4. Once cooked, drain your pasta (set aside a cup of pasta water) and add to the mushrooms – coat in the sauce adding extra pasta water if needed.
  5. Serve with fresh parsley and sprinkling of parmesan
Posted in Comfort Food, Quick Eats, Vegetarian

Mushroom Chilli Con Carne

Posted on by FoodMakesKatieHappy

Chilli Con Carne – one of the most versatile dishes there is. Have it with rice, on a jacket potato, on chips, in a burrito, with salad…the list goes on. We always batch cook this and have portions in the freezer for a panic lunch prep, or a quick comforting dinner. Chilli cheese chips is a favourite in our house!

Usually, I’d screw my face up at something like this – chilli con carne should ALWAYS be made with beef…or so I thought. Swapping the beef for mushrooms in this was a welcome change – not only making it even cheaper, but also a great way to get some more veggies into your dinner! You dice the mushrooms up finely so I’m sure you’d even be able to trick the veggies haters into loving this!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 onion (finely diced)

2 cloves of garlic (finely diced)

1 tbsp cumin

1tbsp ground coriander

1 tsp chilli powder (if you’re not a fan of spice go for 1/2)

2 tsp paprika

1 packet of mushrooms diced

2 carrots grated

1 tin chopped tomatoes

1 tin of kidney beans

Method:

  1. Start by heating a little oil in a pan and adding the coriander, paprika, cumin and chilli powder and stir through to make a paste with a pinch of salt – leave to cook for 2 minutes
  2. Add in the onion and garlic and cook through until soft (you may want to add in a tbsp of hot water to stop them burning)
  3. Next, add in the mushrooms and carrot and leave for a few minutes before adding in the chopped tomatoes, kidney beans and half a tin of water – leave to simmer for a minimum of 30mins / until reduced. Season to taste.
  4. Serve with rice, guac & soured cream!

This is a dish that tastes even better the following day – I really recommend batch cooking this and mixing it up with how you serve it!

Posted in Quick Eats, Vegetarian

Carrot Top Pesto and Mushroom Pasta

Posted on by FoodMakesKatieHappy

The perfect lazy dinner. Pesto Pasta. So simple, but so satisfying. Pesto pasta is another go to quick meal for us and brilliant for last minute lunch prep. We’ve always got a couple of jars stashed in the cupboard but nothing beats homemade. I’m usually a straight up basil pesto kinda gal and have been lovingly nursing my basil plant throughout lockdown but this carrot top pesto makes a lovely change!

Often with basil pesto I find it a little sharp and am guilty of adding a LOT of cheese, but what I love about the carrot top pesto is that it’s a lot more subtle – offering a brilliant base to add in some veggies! Also a great way to use up the tops that would usually end up in the bin!

I always make a pot of pesto and then leave it in the fridge for as and when – it’s usually okay for about a week!

Ingredients:

Carrot tops from about 7 carrots (I picked up some carrots at the farmers market & you should be able to grab them in some supermarkets, if not check out your local grocers!) #supportlocal

Handful of pine nuts (toasted for a few minutes)

1 clove of garlic

3 tbsp good quality of olive oil

Few fresh basil leaves

Lots of s&p

1 tbsp of grated parmesan

Handful of chopped mushrooms

Pasta – I’ve used fresh tagliatelle but your choice! Fresh is great!

Method:

  1. Let’s start with the pesto – remove the larger stems and keep the leafy top section, roughly chop & add to a food processor
  2. Blitz slightly before adding in the pine nuts, parmesan and crushed garlic clove and blend. Slowly add in the olive oil until you have your desired consistency and season to taste
  3. Cook pasta as per instructions on the packet and dry fry some mushrooms (dry frying allows them to release their flavour!)
  4. Once the pasta is cooked – use tongs to add the pasta to the mushroom pan (this will help also transfer some of the pasta water) and add a spoonful of pesto (2 tsp per serving) along with another dash of pasta water & combine! You can add more / less pesto depending on your preference!
  5. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkling of parmesan!
Posted in Comfort Food, Quick Eats, Vegetarian

Spinach and Mascarpone Pasta

Posted on by FoodMakesKatieHappy

For those of you London foodies who have been to Flour and Grape in Bermondsey, it is likely you will relate when I say their Spinach & Mascarpone pasta dish is out of this world. It’s proof that the best dishes are the simplest. And whilst we’re in lockdown and unable to get our hands on it – I thought I’d share the recipe for my version. Ever since we visited their restaurant at the beginning of the year I’ve been desperately trying to recreate the dish and whilst it will never quite live up to their standards, it really does hit the spot.

Before lockdown, this became a weekday evening staple for us – it can be ready in less than 10 minutes with very little effort, limited washing up and usually leftovers for lunch the next day. That to me, is perfect in itself. Using frozen spinach also means it’s a great one to make last minute – it’s our go to when one of us is unexpectedly stuck at work late.

Serves 2 with leftovers

Ingredients:

500g fresh pappardelle

12 cubes of frozen chopped spinach

2 cloves of garlic (peeled & finely sliced)

1/2 tsp nutmeg

500g mascarpone

Squeeze of lemon juice

Lots of s&p

Garlic bread – not essential but highly recommended, preferably with cheese

Method:

  1. To start put the spinach in a microwaveable bowl and give a quick zap in the microwave for 2 minutes.
  2. Then, heat a little olive oil in a pan and fry the garlic for a couple of minutes and then add the spinach to the pan
  3. Add in the nutmeg and season with s&p
  4. Boil your pasta in salted boiling water as per instructions on the pack
  5. Add the mascarpone to the spinach and leave to simmer on a low heat
  6. Drain your pasta and add to the spinach (set aside some pasta water in case you need it later – it’ll help the sauce combine with the pasta) and stir through some parmesan and squeeze of lemon!
  7. Serve with another sprinkling of parmesan and touch of nutmeg!

How quick & easy was that?!

Posted in Fish, Quick Eats

Roasted Chorizo Cod with Crispy Potatoes

Posted on by FoodMakesKatieHappy

My favourite way to cook fish is by wrapping it in parchment paper with some veg and letting it work its magic! For this, I used frozen cod pieces which I love. They’re great to have in the freezer for a last minute dinner and also to save a few pennies! A great dinner to have on the table in less than 40mins & super tasty!

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 cod fillets (if using frozen you may want to use 3 as they tend to be smaller & shrink more!

100g chorizo (peeled and sliced)

300gish white potatoes (peeled and cubed)

2 cloves of garlic

1 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp chilli flakes (more if you like it spicy!)

Handful of fresh parsley

Squeeze of lemon

Drizzle of good quality olive oil

Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 190C
  2. Parboil the potatoes in salted water for 8-10 minutes, meanwhile fry the chorizo in a large pan with a little oil.
  3. When the chorizo starts to crisp up, add in your garlic. Cook for a few minutes before draining and adding in the potatoes. At this stage, you want to crisp up the potatoes slightly and coat them in oil released from the chorizo!
  4. Place a large sheet of parchment paper in a baking tray and add in the potato & chorizo mix, then placing the cod pieces on top and topping with fresh parsley, paprika, chilli flakes and a drizzle of oil. Fold the parchment paper over the top to make a parcel and place in the oven (15 mins for fresh fish, 20-25 for frozen), until the fish is cooked through and flakey!
  5. Serve with a squeeze of lemon, salad and vine roasted tomatoes!
Posted in Sweet Treats

The Best Ever Chocolate Brownies

Posted on by FoodMakesKatieHappy

Where do I start with these. These are my favourite thing to bake. If you ask anyone I know what their favourite thing that I bake, they’ll say these. And I agree. Again, I might be bias – but they’re bloody good brownies. And there’s a story behind them.

As a child, I loved baking – I used to bake butterfly cakes and chocolate fork biscuits from my Mum’s Mary Berry cookbook. Absolute classics. And then I got my first ‘Children’s Cookbook’ and I’m pretty sure, I only ever used it for one recipe – brownies.

It got to the point where I didn’t need the recipe and I didn’t need the scales – I could just chuck everything in and they’d turn out rich, gooey, fudgy delights.

Paul Hollywood used to live in the village where I grew up & the village church were hosting a fundraiser for a new roof – he got stuck in and helped raise some money; giving a talk about his career and the secrets of GBBO (v.interesting!) and holding a bake off in the village hall with the one and only, Mary Berry. Obviously I had to enter.

I grew up in a small village – everyone knew everyone, but nothing really ever happened. Having Paul Hollywood as a resident, was as exciting as it got. So our expectations of the bake off were low – maybe a handful of people would enter? But then they announced the prize was a Kitchen Aid. Then it stepped up a notch. My sister became my competition with her famous carrot cake (a recipe for another day) and I got going with my brownies.

It turned out being a lot more popular than we’d expected – and my little cake tin of brownies looked very out of place next to a table full of beautifully decorated tiered cakes – someone had recreated Will & Kate’s wedding cake with a picture of them drawn on the top tier….. I was way out of my league..

They’d only been able to get a 1st & 2nd place prize donated so there was no 3rd place – but I was awarded a signed certificate from Mary Berry & Paul Hollywood to say that if there had of been a 3rd place, my brownies would have had it! When 1st place went to Will & Kate’s wedding cake….I’ll take that.

I want it framed and given centre stage in our kitchen, but Mike’s not so sure….

I guess I should stop rambling and give you all the recipe, right? There’s been a few changes over the years and I’m pretty sure I’d get at least 2nd place now… Enjoy!

Ingredients:

200g Dark Choc (Ideally above 70% cocoa)

150g unsalted butter

2 eggs + 1 egg yolk

300g light brown sugar (If you have – a mix of dark & light works a dream!)

100g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp cornflour

2 tbsp of cocoa powder

Pinch salt

100g white chocolate / nuts / whatever your preference!

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 170C and line a square tin
  2. Melt the butter and chocolate together in a bowl and leave to cool slightly
  3. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs together and add the sugar & vanilla extract – whisk for a couple of minutes until fluffy and lighter in colour
  4. Then, fold in the chocolate mix and gently fold until well combined.
  5. Next, sift in the dry ingredients and add the chocolate chunks (adding the chocolate with the dry ingredients prevents them from sinking to the bottom) and fold until all the flour is incorporated
  6. Pour into the tin and pop in the oven for 22minutes
  7. When the time is up – they should still wobble in the middle, so don’t be afraid to take them out. Trust me! You don’t want to overcook them
  8. Now for the patience – I know, it’s hard when it comes to brownies. Leave them in the tin until they’re completely cool and then pop them in the fridge overnight – DO NOT TAKE THEM OUT THE TIN. This is the secret to the fudgy middle without them loosing their shape.
  9. The following day – remove from tin & slice into squares!

ps. No normal person can wait until the next day for their brownies – I’m guilty of taking a spoonful of the gooey mix straight from the oven and having it with ice cream and then if I still can’t wait I’ll pop them in the freezer!

Posted in Comfort Food, Pork, Sunday roasts

Roast Pork Belly

Posted on by FoodMakesKatieHappy

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Pork Belly is underrated. If you go out for a Sunday roast, it’s usually the cheapest option on the menu but I personally think it makes THE BEST Sunday roast. I mean, look at that crackling.

You’ll need a few hours of patience, but the end result; pork that falls apart, crispy crackling and gravy that is out of this world.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

500gish Pork Belly Joint

400ml chicken stock

1 onion halved

3 celery sticks chopped into large chunks

Bunch of fresh herbs – I use sage, thyme & rosemary

Generous serving of salt & pepper

Drizzle of olive oil

Method:

1) Start with the pork – ideally you want to leave it uncovered in the fridge overnight to help dry out the skin. Too much moisture & you won’t get the crispy crackling you’re dreaming of!

2) About an hour before you’re ready to cook it, remove from the fridge and let it come to room temperature. Give the skin a generous coating of salt & if your butcher hasn’t already score the pork skin (be careful not to slice down into the meat). At this stage, the salt should help draw out any remaining moisture.

3) Pre-heat the oven to 230 degrees C & then get the pork ready. Using a piece of kitchen towel pat the pork skin to try and remove any moisture and excess salt & add some pepper.

4) Lay the pork in a baking tray (it’ll need to be able to withstand a HIGH heat in the oven – I’ve done this before with a very cheap tray and non-stick completely peeled off!), on top of the onions, celery and herbs. Give the skin a small (I mean small!) drizzle of oil and pop in the oven for 45 minutes.

5) Then, lower the oven to 160 degrees & pour in the stock around the pork (be careful to not get any on the pork skin – it needs to sit just below) and leave to tenderise for 2 1/2 hours!

6) When the times up – remove the meat from the pan and leave to rest. Depending on your hob, place the tray on the hob and add water (if not, you can try and scrap as much out into a separate pan) – the flavour is in all those sticky bits of the pan so make sure you try and get all of it! Leave to reduce for 10 mins – if still watery you can add a tsp of flour / gravy granules. Drain and you’re ready!

7) To serve the pork, I simply cut it half (maybe we’re greedy having half the pork joint each but it’s too good not to be greedy…), serve with crispy roasties, Yorkshire puddings and veg!

Posted in Comfort Food, Fakeaways, Pork

Sticky Crispy Pork Belly

Posted on by FoodMakesKatieHappy

Pork belly is one of the most underrated cuts of meat. It’s cheap. It’s versatile. And it’s super tasty. What’s not to love? When cooked right, pork belly is INSANE! And in my opinion, this is one of the best ways to cook it. I serve it with egg fried rice and stir fried greens, but we’ve also had it in bao buns and with noodles. I might be bias, but this is brilliant.

This one needs a little bit of love and time – but honestly it’s worth it! Once you’ve bought all the ingredients for the sauce you’re good to go again, and again and again. And I assure you, you’ll be back for seconds.

Ingredients:

500g pork belly strips

3 cloves of garlic

2 inches of ginger (peeled)

5 spring onions

1 red chilli

1 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp fish sauce

1 tsp rice vinegar

1 tsp Chinese five spice

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tsp of sesame seeds

Method:

  1. Start by slicing the pork into 1 inch chunks. Crush the garlic cloves with a knife and add to a pan of boiling water, roughly chop the ginger and two spring onions into large chunks and also add in, along with the chilli, whole. Once boiling, add in the pork and leave to poach for 10 minutes.
  2. Drain the pork, keeping the poaching liquid, ginger, garlic, spring onions and chilli and set aside. Leave the pork for a few minutes to dry whilst heating up some oil in a pan (go easy on the oil, the pork will release fat as it cooks and using too much will give your sauce an oily layer later on).
  3. Fry the pork chunks until crispy all over – at this stage, you want to render down all the fat. Keep turning the pork to ensure all of it goes crispy! Be careful at this stage – it’ll splatter a LOT.
  4. Once crispy turn down the heat slightly, add in the sugar and stir through ensuring it coats all the pork and leave to caramelise for a couple of minutes
  5. Mix together the soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, five spice & sesame oil and then add to the pork. Add back in the chilli, garlic, ginger and spring onions and ladle in 1-2 spoons of the poaching liquid. The pork needs to be just covered.
  6. Leave to simmer for 1 1/2 – 2 hours, until reduced
  7. When almost ready – remove the chilli, garlic, spring onion and ginger and slice up the remaining spring onion – add half in now
  8. When ready, serve topped with spring onion and sesame seeds!
Posted in Sweet Treats

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Posted on by FoodMakesKatieHappy

It’s all about the crunchy edge and soft chewy centre for me with a cookie. Growing up, I used to go to Bluewater shopping centre on the National Express with friends and the highlight would always be that my mum wasn’t there to stop me buying the biggest box of Millies Cookies. I LOVED them. And however many recipes I tried, nothing compared. Until now.

Trust me. These are everything you want in a cookie.

For these I’ve used a mix of white & milk chocolate chunks and all butter fudge chunks from M&S – they’re to die for, and make a great addition to these cookies! You can add in your favourite sweet treats, or even some dried fruits (although I’ll judge anyone who skips on the chocolate)! If you want to make triple chocolate cookies – try substituting 40g of flour for cocoa powder!

These cookies taste better and better the longer the dough has to set – ideally they need overnight in the fridge, but come on, who wants to wait that long for cookies?! I tend to put enough dough for a few cookies in the freezer for half an hour and the rest in the fridge. That way we can have some the day you make the dough, and the rest the next! It also freezes really well so you can roll the dough into the balls and freeze and have cookies whenever you want them!

Ingredients:

280g plain flour

1 heaped tsp cornflour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

250g sugar (100g granulated sugar + 150g soft brown sugar)

1 egg + 1 yolk

180g butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

250g chocolate chunks (or whatever you prefer!)

Pinch of salt

Method:

  1. Start by melting the butter in a bowl and leaving to cool slightly before beating in the sugar and vanilla extract
  2. Then mix in the egg & extra yolk and ensure it’s well combined
  3. Fold in all the dry ingredients along with the chocolate chunks
  4. Then – the hard bit. Leave your cookie dough in the fridge for as long as possible.
  5. When ready to bake – preheat your oven to 175C and line a flat tray with parchment paper. I always do it one batch at a time (6 cookies) just so I can watch them carefully to make sure they don’t overcook.
  6. Roll your dough into balls – I use an ice cream scoop and position them on the tray – DO NOT FLATTEN THEM DOWN and pop them in the oven!
  7. They’ll need anywhere from 8-11 minutes depending on how cold the dough is – I go more on the colour. Take them out when they’ve gone slightly golden on the edges – you want them to to look undercooked in the middle. Then leave them to cool on the tray before taking them off.
Posted in Beef, Comfort Food, Fakeaways

Beef Massaman Curry

Posted on by FoodMakesKatieHappy

Another takeaway favourite. I LOVE Massaman curry & for me it always has to be slow cooked beef. I love the way the the meat ends up falling apart and the potatoes absorb all that yummy flavour. Lovely and creamy, you can control the spice depending on your taste and even if you’re not a fan of chilli, it’s still packed with flavour!

This is a perfect Friday night dinner for us – super simple to make; all it needs is a nice low slow cook and a little patience and then BAM. Who needs a takeaway when you can cook something this great at home?

Ingredients:

4 tbsp Massaman Curry Paste – (you can find a pretty tasty paste in the supermarket which will work a treat but it’s also quick to make your own!)

1kg Beef Shin diced

500g white potatoes (sliced into big chunks, skin left on)

3 Kaffir Lime leaves

400ml beef stock 

1 piece of Cinnamon Bark 

1 tin of coconut milk 

1tsp of brown sugar 

2 tbsp of tamarind paste 

2 carrots (peeled and sliced)

Juice of 1 lime 

2 tbsp Cornflour

Method:

  1. Start by coating the beef shin in cornflour and fry in a little oil until browned 

2. Coat the beef in the curry paste and add in the sugar, cinnamon, tamarind and bay leaves. Cook for a couple of minutes and then add in the coconut milk & beef stock

3. Bring up to the boil and then turn down to simmer for a minimum of 2 hours, but the longer you can leave it for, the better!

4. 45 mins before you’re ready to eat, add in the potatoes, carrots and lime juice and leave on a steady heat until the potatoes are cooked through & you’re done! 

5. Serve with rice / noodles and enjoy!!

Simple. As. That.

Posted in Chicken, Comfort Food, Fakeaways

Chicken Satay

Posted on by FoodMakesKatieHappy

Looking for a weekend treat without reaching for the takeout menus? This will hit the spot! Whenever we get a Thai or Chinese takeaway, Mike ALWAYS insists on getting the sharing platter as a starter – just for the satay. And being truthful, I’ve never been big fan – don’t kill me for admitting this, but I actually HATE peanut butter. I’m pretty strange, right?

So it’s strange that this has become on of my favourite dishes! If that’s not proof that it’s bloody tasty, then I don’t know what is!

The best bit? It’s super easy! The marinade takes 5 minutes and then it’s in the fridge overnight to suck up all those flavours, then when you’re ready, it’s under the grill for 20mins whilst you whip up the sauce and that’s it! So why not give it a go instead of reaching for that takeaway menu?

Serves 2 (3 if you’re not greedy like us!)

Ingredients:

For the marinade:

1/2 tin of coconut milk

2 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tsp curry powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp ginger paste

1 1.2 tsp garlic

1 tsp fish sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

500g mini chicken fillets / sliced chicken breasts

For the dipping sauce:

3 tbsp crunchy peanut butter

1 clove of garlic

1 inch chunk of ginger (peeled)

2 tbsp light soy sauce

Juice of a lime

2 tsp brown sugar

1 tsp ground coriander

1 small red chilli

1 tsp honey

1 tsp sesame oil

1/3 – 1/2 tin coconut milk depending on preference

To serve:

Sliced red chilli, cucumber, crushed peanuts, fresh coriander

Method:

  1. Start by making the marinade – mix together all the ingredients in one bowl before adding the chicken and covering well. Clingfilm and pop in the fridge to marinade. (Ideally overnight for maximum flavour, but for as long as you can spare!)
  2. When you’re ready to cook the chicken, get your skewers at the ready (if you’re using wooden skewers you’ll need to soak them in water for 20ish minutes to stop them burning!), pre-heat the grill to 200C and get your grill try at the ready; I’m a sucker for anything that minimises the clearing up time so always cover mine in tin foil. Then, pop the chicken on the skewers. I go for two on each and thread them through, trying to keep the skewer centred in the middle of the fillet to help them cook evenly.
  3. Then, pop them under the grill for 20-25mins – turning occasionally. Make sure they’re fully cooked through, and juices run clear! (My favourite cooking utensil is my meat thermometer!)
  4. Whilst they’re cooking you can put together the sauce – start by making a paste with the chilli, garlic & ginger – I use a pestle and mortar but you can use a blender or chop finely!
  5. Then mix in the remaining ingredients & you’re done! I usually start with 1/3 tin of coconut milk and then add more depending on flavour – it really depends how strong you like the peanut flavour!
  6. Pop the sauce in a bowl, take the chicken off the grill and top with fresh coriander, chilli and crushed peanuts and a side of cucumber!

This is great as a side or starter – but also great with stir fried noodles or egg fried rice!

We always have lots of sauce left over and tend to use it for Crispy Chicken Satay Burgers – YUM!! Recipe coming soon!!

ENJOY!! xoxox