Chicken satay with rice noodles recipe

Bring the taste of Thailand to your kitchen with this chicken satay with rice noodles recipe.

When we first dreamed up our delicious PB Chi Spread, we incorporated it into as many recipes as we could think of. This dish, with skewered chunks of flavorful chicken, was one of the winners. It’s perfectly filling but light, creamy but fresh, and spicy but cooling. Serve it chilled on a hot summer day or warm for a deeply satisfying fall or winter meal. Cilantro, sliced and toasted almonds, and sesame seeds make great garnishes.

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

4 boneless chicken breasts or about 8 boneless thighs, without skin

For the marinade

2tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of ½ medium lime (about 1tbsp)
1tbsp apple cider vinegar
1tbsp tamari
2tsp packed brown sugar
½tsp ground turmeric
½tsp ground coriander
⅓tsp cayenne pepper
1tbsp sriracha or other hot sauce (optional)
2tbsp fish sauce (aka nam pla or nuoc mam, optional)
10 to 12 skewers, soaked in water if made of wood
12 ounces flat rice noodles
10 cups water
1½ cups PB chi spread (recipe below)
2tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 to 4tbsp water
3 cups small broccoli florets, steamed or raw (about ½ pound)
¼ cup sliced green onion, including the green tops
⅓ cup diced red bell pepper
1 cup Firefly Kimchi
¼ cup peanuts, chopped, for garnish (optional)
1 cup bean sprouts, for garnish (optional)
¼ cup sliced fresh basil, for garnish (optional)

Method:

Cut the chicken into ½-inch cubes and put them in a medium bowl or sturdy ziplock bag.

To make the marinade, whisk all of the ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. Pour the marinade over the chicken, cover the bowl or seal the plastic bag, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 8 hours.

When you’re ready to cook the chicken, preheat your barbecue or stovetop grill. Remove the chicken cubes from the marinade and skewer them. Grill the skewers, rotating 45 degrees every 2 to 3 minutes, until all sides have grill marks and the chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes total.

Meanwhile, put the noodles in a large heatproof bowl. Bring the water to a boil. Pour the boiling water over the noodles until they’re submerged, and let them sit, stirring every 2 or 3 minutes to keep them from clumping, until they’re soft but not mushy, about 10 minutes. Drain the noodles, rinse them with cold water, and put them in a large mixing bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk the spread with the apple cider vinegar and enough water to thin it just a bit. Add the broccoli, green onions, bell pepper, and kimchi to the noodles. Slide the chicken off the skewers and add it to the noodle mixture. Add the thinned spread and toss until well mixed. Garnish with the peanuts, bean sprouts, and basil, and serve immediately.

PB chi spread recipe

We created this spread one day while we were dreaming about the peanut sauce in Mollie Katzen’s tofu and broccoli dish from The Enchanted Broccoli Forest, which has been a favorite of Julie’s for over twenty-five years. Molly and her timeless classic vegetarian cookbooks are a repeated source of inspiration and ideas for Firefly Kitchens, reminding us that there is never an end to creativity and innovation when it comes to cooking and sharing delicious food with others.

Creamy and zesty, this spread also makes a luscious sauce on top of just about anything— chicken, broccoli, rice, or tofu. Or use it as a dip for cucumber slices or celery sticks (you get the idea!). We love it so much, we even created a dish, Chicken Satay with Rice Noodles, that features it.

Makes about 3 cups

1 cup Firefly Kimchi
1 cup organic peanut butter
½ cup warm water
1tbsp apple cider vinegar
1tbsp tamari
1tbsp molasses
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 to 2 green onions, thinly sliced, including the green tops
1tsp minced fresh ginger
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a food processor, whirl all of the ingredients except the salt and pepper until smooth. Add a splash of water or brine if you want it thinner. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Make it quick and simple

If you’re in a rush, whirl 1 cup peanut butter and 1 cup Firefly Kimchi in a food processor until smooth. Add as much water or brine as you need to thin it to the consistency you want.

Fresh & Fermented: 85 Delicious Ways to Make Fermented Carrots, Kraut, and Kimchi Part of Every Meal by Julie O’Brien and Richard J. Climenhage, published by Sasquatch Books (£16.99, available from www.thegmcgroup.com). Photography by Charity Burggraaf