Thai-inspired recipes for summer grilling

When I think of summer foods, two things come to mind: grilling and summer salads. The Thai-inspired recipes I am about to share with you check both boxes.

There is something nostalgic and calming about grilling outdoors with a cold drink in your hand, enjoying the warm weather and chatting with friends. On the other hand, there is also something to be said about cooking indoors with air conditioning. Since I am a fickle woman, I often like to combine two opposites and have the best of both worlds.

We are going to make a summer staple: Thai-inspired grilled chicken skewers.

The dish will be combined with a super fresh, vibrant herb salad. What I love about these skewers is that you can do them with chicken, pork, shrimp, steak or even tofu, and it will still pair perfectly with the salty, sweet, spicy and tangy peanut sauce. Serve it with rice, rice noodles, cauliflower rice or even put it over the salad.

Join Military Families June 25th at 2 pm Central for a Facebook Live cooking demonstration with Chef Amy. Looking to recreate her recipe? Tag us in your final creation. One lucky winner will receive a prize!

For the skewers and marinade:

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 yellow onion

½ a pineapple (cubed into 1 ½” pieces)

½ a bag on mini tri color bell peppers (or sliced red, orange, yellow bell peppers)

6 cloves of crushed garlic

3 limes, squeezed/juiced

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup fish sauce

¼ cup tamarind paste (you can substitute an extra lime or two and another tbsp of brown sugar if you cannot find tamarind paste)

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 tbsp red pepper flakes (or more to taste)

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix the garlic, lime juice, sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, etc . . . to make the marinade. Stir ingredients together in a large mixing bowl (large enough to fit the peppers, chicken, onions and pineapple).
2. Cut the chicken thighs into cubes that are 1 ½” – 2” in size and toss the chicken gently in the marinade.
3. After the chicken is well coated, add the cubed pineapple, sliced yellow onion and peppers to the marinade. Allow this to sit covered and refrigerated two to four hours.
4. Transfer the ingredients from a bowl to skewers and grill until chicken is cooked through and all ingredients begin to char/blacken in places ever so slightly. Remove from the grill once done.

For the peanut sauce:

(This sauce can be made ahead of time and set aside in a lidded container.)

5 cloves of garlic

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

¼ cup soy sauce

2 tbsp tamarind paste (you can substitute a lime or two and a tbsp of brown sugar if you cannot find tamarind paste)

½ cup peanut butter

3 tbsp honey

1 tsp micro-planed ginger

1-3 tsp red pepper flakes (depending on spice preference)

½ cup cilantro leaves

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients, except for the cilantro leaves, in the food processor. Puree until smooth.
2. Add the cilantro and pulse until they’re in small flakes.
3. Empty the sauce from your food processor and store in a lidded container until ready to serve.

For the herb salad and dressing:

1 head of lettuce (I use butter lettuce, but Romaine, Red Leaf Lettuce or other “light leafed” greens would work)

1- ¾ oz package mint

1- ¾ oz package Thai basil (regular basil will do)

¼ – ½ cup cilantro leaves

½ cup julienne (preferred) or thinly sliced cucumbers

½ cup julienne (preferred) or thinly sliced radishes

½ cup julienne (preferred) or thinly sliced carrots

Dressing:

1 cup full fat canned Thai coconut milk (shake vigorously before opening)

1 ½ tsp micro-planed ginger

3 tsp fish sauce

2 tsp honey

2-3 tsp chili garlic sauce (I used 3)

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients in a Mason jar or another lidded container and shake until well blended.
2. Dress the salad when you’re ready to serve.

Join Military Families June 25th at 2 pm Central for a Facebook Live cooking demonstration with Chef Amy. Looking to recreate her recipe? Tag us in your final creation. One lucky winner will receive a prize!

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