Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

 This is one of my all time favorite appetizers. Well, to be honest, it was only recently that I tasted this specific recipe, but I've had many versions, and this one is right up with the best restaurants I've tried!
 When Reen made it for my family, she used Tyler Florence's recipe, and it was gone in no time. SWOOSH! Gone. Everyone loved it! But if you know me, you know that I couldn't just leave it as it was. Just like I do with all of my favorite recipes, I tweaked it a little to make it my own. So here is the tweaked recipe. Ta Da!  I hope you like it!
Oh, btw, how do YOU spell it? Is it Satay? Or Sate? Guess it doesn't really matter. Either way, I think you should make it for your next get-together. Love it!


Marinade:
1 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips

20 wooden skewers, soaked in water 30 minutes
Vegetable oil, for grilling
Fresh cilantro leaves
Peanut sauce, recipe follows

Combine the yogurt, ginger, garlic, and curry powder in a shallow mixing bowl, stir to combine. Place the chicken strips in the yogurt marinade and gently toss until well coated. Cover and let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at up to 2 hours.

 Thread the chicken pieces onto the soaked skewers working the skewer in and out of the meat, down the middle of the piece, so that it stays in place during grilling. Place a grill pan over medium heat and brush it with oil to prevent the meat from sticking. Grill the chicken satays for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, until nicely seared and cooked through. Serve the satays on a platter topped with cilantro leaves, accompanied by a small bowl of peanut sauce on the side.

Peanut Sauce:
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons red chili powder
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 lime, juiced
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup chopped peanuts, for garnish (optional)

Combine all ingredients using a wire whisk or an electric mixer. Pour the sauce into a nice serving bowl and garnish with the chopped peanuts. Serve with chicken satay.

Tips:
-You can easily substitute chili paste for the chili powder, if that's what you happen to have on hand.
-If the sauce is too thick, simply whisk in a drizzle of hot water until it's the correct consistency.
-If you'd like a little more heat, feel free to add any kind of pepper sauce or even crushed red pepper flakes.
-If you don't have a grill pan, you can also use your electric indoor grill. It works just as well!