Restaurant-Quality Thai Chicken Skewers

These Thai curry chicken skewers are better than takeaway or restaurant-style chicken. They take less than 15 minutes to make and use ingredients you probably already have in the pantry. You can serve these over rice or a bowl of noodles. Use leftovers in a wrap with your favorite salad.

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If there is one thing we love in our family, it is skewered meat!! Who doesn’t love chicken on a stick, right? Grilling meat on a skewer in summer is very common in the Middle East. We have restaurants in Israel that specialize in just skewers because it’s so popular.

Why make these skewers

• Delicious – This tastes better than any restaurant or takeout you will buy.
• Quick – It is the perfect meal in less than 30 minutes with minimal effort.
• Make-ahead – You can also marinate the chicken and prepare the sauce beforehand. Then, grill it just before serving.
• You can serve this over steamed jasmine rice or buttered noodles. In fact, I usually have it with my cauliflower rice and roasted shallots.

Ingredients and substitutes

• Thai curry paste –This is the thing that makes it possible to get the Thai flavor instantly and effortlessly. In the video, I use green curry paste, but I often use red curry paste, too. The difference is a slight flavor variation and color, but it is a great way to make the same dish differently every time.
• Sesame Oil – Adds a nice smoky and Asian flavor, but you can omit it. Sesame oil has a long shelf life, so if you do venture into Asian cooking, it’s a good flavor to have at home.
• Soy sauce  – I like to use the low-sodium soya sauce, but if you use the regular, which has salt added, you may want to reduce the quantity of salt in the dish.
• Brown sugar – Adds flavor and color. If you don’t have brown sugar, just use regular white sugar.
• Ginger/garlic – These are a must when you cook meat dishes. If you don’t have fresh, go ahead and add 1/2 teaspoon of each powdered garlic and ginger. However, Asian cooking is all about fresh ingredients.

Step-by-Step: Thai chicken skewers

• Chicken – Trim the chicken pieces of excess fat and pat them dry. Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces and place them into a large mixing bowl.
• Marinade – In a small bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients.
  Pro tip – This marinade may look like a lot, but it is for both the chicken and the sauce.

• Marinate – Pour half of the marinade over the chicken and save the remainder for the curry sauce. Leave the chicken to marinate on the counter for an hour or in the fridge for up to 8 hours.
  Pro tip – Do not use a metal bowl to marinate, as the acid in the marinade can react with the metal.
• Sauce – Add the remaining marinade to a saucepan or frying pan over medium heat. Add the coconut milk and chicken stock. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until thick. Sprinkle with parsley, then pour into a sauceboat.

• Skewer – Thread the chicken on the skewers. Make sure not to overcrowd them.
  Pro tip – You can also thread the chicken on the skewers and leave them in the fridge until ready to grill.
• Grill – Heat a grill pan on medium-high heat. Place a few skewers at a time – do not overcrowd the grill. Brush each skewer with cooking oil.
  Pro tip – The char marks on the chicken can be controlled by raising and lowering the heat under the grill.

• Cook – Let it cook for at least 3 minutes before you try to move it. When it’s done on one side, it will release from the pan. Turn to the other side and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes.
  Pro tip – As a guide, each skewer with chicken breast takes 5 to 6 minutes to cook on all sides. Skewer with chicken thigh meat will take about 8 to 10 minutes on all sides.
• Serve immediately.

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