Chicken Satay with Cucumber Mango Rice

Chugging through my Cuisine at Home magazine, I came across this chicken satay recipe and let me say, it was my favorite meal from this magazine yet!

So many flavors are in the chicken paste and all flavors I love - lime, ginger, coconut! Mmm!

This recipe uses cashews and cashew butter instead of the traditional peanuts. I assume you could also use peanuts and peanut butter and have the same results. According to Cuisine at Home, cashews are "richer" and have a "lighter flavor" for the sauce.

For the Paste:
1/3 cup coconut milk
3 cloves garlic
2 shallots
2 Tablespoons canola oil
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon chili garlic sauce
1 Tablespoon minced lime zest
1 piece fresh ginger, peeled (2-inch)
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground tumeric

12 chicken breast tenders, cut in half lengthwise, seasoned with salt and pepper (1 1/4 lb)

For the dipping sauce:
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1/4 cup chopped cashews
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1/2 cup cold water
1/3 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup cashew butter
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon chili garlic sauce
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice

Preheat grill to medium-high. Brush grill grate with oil.

For the paste, puree all of the paste ingredients listed above in a mini food processor until smooth.

Toss chicken with paste and thread onto 12 pre-soaked wooden skewers; set aside (Can be made and refrigerated up to a day ahead).

For the dipping sauce (use amounts as listed above), head oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add cashews, garlic and ginger, cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Whisk in water, coconut milk, cashew butter, brown sugar, chili garllic sauce and soy sauce, simmer 5 minutes, stirring often. Stir in lime juice. Divide into little bowls for each person dining.

Grill satay, covered, until chicken is browned, 2-3 minutes per side.

Serve with a side of the cashew dipping sauce and cucumber mango rice.

We loved this rice so much! We even took some to work the next day for lunch and it was just as good then!

3 cups coconut water (I used 1 1/2 cups coconut milk and 1 1/2 cups water - either works)

1 1/2 cups dry jasmine rice

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 cups half-moon sliced cucumbers

1 mango, pitted, peeled and diced

chopped cashews

Boil coconut water in a large saucepan.

Stir in rice, butter and salt. Return mixture to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook rice until tender, 15 minutes.

Add cucumber and mango, season with additional salt if needed and garnish with chopped cashews.