Grilled chicken with satay sauce

SERVES 4

Ingredients:

1 x 14oz (400ml) can unsweetened coconut milk

1 tsp Thai red curry paste

1¼ cups hot vegetable stock

2 tbsp demerara (raw) or light brown sugar

4 tbsp crunchy peanut butter

juice of 1 lime, or as needed

4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (preferably free-range), about 7oz (200g) each

splash of olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve:(optional)

cucumber, thinly sliced

white wine vinegar

granulated sugar

chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Method:

1 First, make the satay sauce. Pour the coconut milk into a heavy saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat slightly, and simmer until it releases its sweet fragrance. Now stir in the curry paste until blended; then stir in the stock and sugar, and simmer for 5 minutes.

2 Add the peanut butter and stir until well blended. Remove from the heat and season with salt and the lime juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Set aside to keep warm.

3 Slash each chicken breast diagonally several times, making sure that you don’t slice all the way through. Rub them all over with a little olive oil, and season well with salt and pepper. Heat a ridged cast-iron grill pan until hot, and cook the chicken for 10–12 minutes, turning once, until cooked through and nicely charred.

4 Meanwhile, prepare the cucumber salad. Sprinkle the cucumber with vinegar and a pinch of sugar; scatter the cilantro on top. Serve the chicken breasts drizzled with the satay sauce, and the cucumber salad on the side.

Grilled chicken with satay sauce