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GRILLED CHICKEN SKEWERS WITH PEANUT SAUCE

Best summer grilled chicken recipe for a dinner party.

Elevate easy and crowd-pleasing grilled chicken by including this crave-worthy peanut sauce for a memorable backyard dinner.

I love how easy chicken is to marinate and grill and it pairs great with any summer salad, but chicken breasts always get too dried out on the grill. The best solution is to marinate the chicken in advance and use chicken tenders which cook fast and evenly.

To keep the small tenders from falling through the grill grates, thread the marinated chicken onto wooden skewers (available at most grocery stores).

I like this recipe best served bowl-style with rice and veggies. Top your bowl with a generous drizzle of peanut sauce and chopped peanuts for crunch, plus cooling sliced avocado or cucumber salad and kimchi for a spicy kick. This bowl is so flavorful and hearty for a satisfying dinner.

Make Elyse’s Chicken Skewers Recipe: Get the FREE printable PDF version of this recipe here.

This recipe is also great for picky eaters since everyone can create their own flavorful combinations. For my kids, I leave off the sauce and I add butter and salt to their rice.

These chicken skewers also make for a great party appetizer. Serve on the skewer with peanut sauce for dipping. For our vegetarian friends, sub tempeh for the chicken.

This is one of my favorite grilled chicken recipes and easy summer dinners.

Time-saver tip: Make a double batch of the peanut sauce and freeze in half pint glass jars.

RECIPE: GRILLED CHICKEN SKEWERS WITH PEANUT SAUCE

2 to 3 pounds chicken tenders (or sub 2 to 3 packages tempeh, cut into cubes)
2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
1⁄4 cup lime juice (1 to 2 limes)
1⁄4 cup soy sauce (shoyu or tamari)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground ginger, optional
2 tablespoons honey
Best Ever Peanut Sauce
bamboo kebab skewers
Optional extras for serving: cooked rice, fresh cilantro, sliced avocado, cucumber-tomato salad, grilled veggies or steamed broccoli or kale, kimchi, chopped peanuts

STEPS:

Combine the oil, lime juice, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and honey in a large glass container or gallon-sized zipper bag (stir or shake). Add the chicken (or tempeh) and make sure each piece is coated in marinade. Marinate overnight in the fridge (or for at least 4 hours).

Make the peanut sauce, recipe below.

Soak the wooden skewers in a bowl of warm water for about 30 minutes. Remove from water and place on a towel.

Remove chicken (or tempeh) from marinade and place one or two pieces on each skewer. For an appetizer for a crowd, use just one piece of chicken per skewer. Stack on a plate for grilling. Discard excess marinade.

If serving as rice bowls, cook the rice and prep the additional toppings

Grill on all sides until lightly charred and cooked through. Transfer to a clean serving platter. Serve warm or at room temp with the peanut sauce (reheat in the pan over very low heat, keep an eye on it!) and additional toppings.

RECIPE: BEST EVER PEANUT SAUCE

1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1⁄2 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (13.5 ounces) unsweetened coconut milk (preferably full-fat)
1⁄2 cup unsalted creamy peanut butter (100% peanuts)
1 tablespoon soy sauce (preferably shoyu or tamari)
1 tablespoon coconut sugar or other granulated sugar
1⁄2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional but recommended if you like spice
1 tablespoon lime juice (about 1⁄2 lime)

Add the onion and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute.

Add the coconut milk, peanut butter, soy sauce, sugar, and pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer and whisk until the peanut butter melts. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the flavors meld, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lime juice.

Using an immersion (stick) blender, if you have one, blend the sauce until smooth. Alternatively, transfer the sauce to the container of a blender and process until the sauce is smooth.