Chicken satay sandwich

Crispy, juicy pieces of chicken coated in spicy peanut sauce and stuffed in a bread roll or hunk of baguette, this chicken-satay sandwich makes a very satisfying dinner served with a heap of Asian slaw.

With meals like this, I always bring the elements to the table so each person can assemble their sandwich the way they like it.

I use chicken thighs, which I find more flavoursome, but chicken breasts would work fine too. The original recipe is from Nigel Slater’s Real Food.

Chicken satay sandwich
(serves 4)

• 8 boneless, skinless chicken thigh fillets
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 Tb sesame oil
• 2 Tb sugar
• 2 Tb rice wine

For the peanut sauce:

• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• a thumb of ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 stalk lemongrass, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 Tb sunflower oil
• 1-3 small chillies, minced
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 cup (125ml) natural, crunchy peanut butter
• 1 cup (250 ml) water
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 3 Tb fresh coriander, chopped
• salt

To serve:

• 4 large bread rolls, or chunks of baguette, sliced
• cucumber slices
• coriander leaves

1. Cut the chicken fillets crosswise into thin strips and toss with the garlic, sesame oil, sugar and rice wine. Marinate for an hour while you make the peanut sauce.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, sauté the shallot, garlic, ginger and lemongrass in oil.
3. Add the chillies and curry powder and fry for a couple of minutes more.
4. Stir in the peanut butter and water and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat.
5. Stir in the coriander and season to taste.
6. Heat a griddle pan over medium high and cook the chicken strips.
7. Fill four bread rolls with chicken slices, cucumber, coriander and a dollop of peanut sauce.

Tags: Asian food, chicken, dairy-free, Nigel Slater, peanuts