Broccoli and Chicken Stir Fry with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Disclaimer: this recipe sounds strange. The first time I stumbled across this dish I was so confused - broccoli and peanut butter... together?? Ew. But alas, it is a delicious combination! The peanut sauce is salty, spicy, and slightly sweet and paired with the broccoli and chicken it makes a (surprisingly) delicious dish. Trust me! Oh, and you can easily make this vegetarian by leaving out the chicken and using vegetable stock, so that's always a bonus.

After making chicken satay the other night we found ourselves with some extra peanut sauce (never a bad thing) and I figured I would give it a try as a stir fry sauce and it ended up working perfectly! I think I will always meal plan to have these two dishes in the same week so I can make the sauce once and use it for two recipes... hooray for laziness. Give this recipe a try. It might sound a little weird at first, but it's truly delicious, not to mention very healthy! Enjoy :o)

Broccoli and Chicken Stir Fry with Spicy Peanut Sauce

serves 2

Ingredients

1 tsp. vegetable oil

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes

3 cups broccoli florets

1/2 red or orange bell pepper, cut into 1 inch strips

1/4 cup stock (chicken, beef, or vegetable all work fine)

1/2 cup peanut sauce

red pepper flakes to taste (about 1/4-1/2 tsp)

salt and pepper to taste 

cooked rice for serving (optional)

In a large wok or non-stick skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the chicken and season with a little salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned on all sides and cooked through. Remove to a plate. Add the broccoli, bell pepper and stock to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the broccoli is crisp-tender. Return the chicken to the pan and add the peanut sauce and red pepper flakes, stirring to coat everything evenly. Cook until everything is heated through, 2 minutes. Serve the stir fry on its own or over rice. Enjoy while hot. Yum!

Chicken with Peanut Satay Sauce

Ok ok before all you know-it-alls get antsy, I realize this isn't a "traditional" satay sauce. I didn't grind my own peanuts, I omitted the ginger, and I'm fresh out of lemongrass, but this is still a delicious peanut satay inspired dish. For those of you unfamiliar with satay, it is basically meat that has been marinated and grilled, then dipped in a sweet and salty peanut butter sauce. It's divine. This version is no exception. 

After researching a variety of satay recipes, I found some common ingredients and decided to venture off on my own to make a simplified, yet tasty version using what I had on hand (gosh that seems like a problem of mine). I am happy to report that the experimenting paid off! I wasn't planning to blog this dish, but halfway through dinner I forced Andy to stop eating so I could snap a few photos to add to the blog. He got a little grumpy, but I succeeded. The flavors of this dish are appealing to both adults and kids alike, and this could easily be served as a main dish protein along side a veggie and some rice (edamame in our case), or it could be served room temperature as an appetizer. Whatever floats your boat. Enjoy!

Chicken with Peanut Satay Sauce

Serves 2 main dish portion

Ingredients

Marinade

1/4 cup coconut milk

1 clove of garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. curry powder

1 tsp. brown sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch strips

Peanut sauce

1/2 cup coconut milk

2 tsp. curry powder

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter (the "natural" peanut butter is better than a Jif or Skippy type of peanut butter, but use what you have on hand)

1/3 cup chicken or beef stock

2 tbsp. brown sugar

1 tbsp. lemon or lime juice

1 tsp. fish sauce

1 tsp. soy sauce
dash of cayenne pepper to taste (optional)

Other

wooden skewers (1 per chicken strip) soaked in water for 30 minutes

non-stick cooking spray

Directions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients for the marinade except the chicken. Add the chicken strips and toss to coat the marinade evenly over each. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

After 2 hours, skewer the chicken strips onto the soaked wooden skewers. Discard any remaining marinade.

In the meantime, make the peanut sauce. In a small saucepan over medium low heat, whisk together all ingredients for the peanut sauce. Once it begins to simmer, cook for 5 minutes until smooth and slightly thickened. Remove from heat and transfer to a small serving bowl.

Heat a grill pan over medium high heat. Spray with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Grill the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side or until cooked through. 

Serve the chicken skewers along with the peanut sauce. Yum!

Coconut Curry with Shrimp

When we first started dating, Andy introduced me to the world of Thai food, and more specifically to Brown Sugar. Brown Sugar is a glorious Thai restaurant on Comm Ave in Boston, and I seriously wish we lived closer to it now! When we first started going, I played it safe and ordered my go-to meal of Pad Thai. On one date night I decided I would get a little adventurous and try a curry dish - best decision ever! I have never turned back since. Brown Sugar makes a delicious coconut curry dish with shrimp that I adore, so I decided that I would try to reinvent it at home for those days when I had a craving, but couldn't venture to the restaurant. After several trials, I think I got pretty close to the restaurant version and I am very pleased with the taste.... plus, it's so easy! The trick is to use a red curry paste that you like. I have tried 4 or 5, and found a really great one at Whole Foods, however the next time I went to re-stock I couldn't find the same brand. Now I use one by "Amoy" that I found at Super 88 that is just as good, if not better, than the Whole Foods one that I loved. Red curry paste can be a little spicy, so start off on the cautious side because you can always add more as it cooks. Enjoy :o)

Thai Coconut Curry with Shrimp

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 onion, cut into 1 inch slices

3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices

2 tbsp. red curry paste (or to taste)

2 cans coconut milk

1 cup pineapple chunks - canned or fresh

2 green onions cut into 1 inch pieces

1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

cooked jasmine rice, for serving

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots and sautee until slightly softened, 5 minutes. Add the curry paste and stir to coat the vegetables. Add the coconut milk and pineapple and bring to a gentle boil. Simmer the coconut curry mixture until thickened and slightly reduced, approximately 15 minutes - stir frequently to prevent burning and sticking. Add the green onion and shrimp and simmer until the shrimp are cooked through, being careful not to overcook. Serve over jasmine rice. Yum!