Time for Thai: Marinated Chicken/Beef with Thai Peanut Dipping Sauce, Coconut Basmati Rice and Ginger Snap Peas

A dear friend of mine made a meal similar to the one below when I was visiting her in Texas last month.  It was Y.U.M. and a true crowd pleaser.  The marinade works great on chicken and beef, but it would also be quite tasty with shrimp or even marinate tofu for you vegetarians out there.  You can put on skewers and use as a great appetizer as well.  I make the marinade and dipping sauce side by side since both require many of the same ingredients.  Who doesn't love peanut butter?  And if you don't have time to marinate the meat, just making the peanut dipping sauce will turn a regular dinner into a recipe you will be sending your friends.


Thai Chicken Marinade
Ingredients
1 package of boneless, skinless chicken breast (you can use this recipe with flank steak, shrimp or even tofu)
3 tbs. of fresh lime juice
zest of 1 lime
3 garlic gloves, minced
1 tbs minced ginger (remove skin with the back of a spoon and use a micro-plane if you have one, to grate)
1/4 cup of low sodium soy sauce
1-2 tsp. of red pepper flakes (depending on the heat level you prefer)
1 tbs. of brown sugar


Instructions
Place all of the ingredients in a freezer bag and marinade for a few hours or overnight is even better.  Take chicken out of marinade and grill on skewers, on a grill pan, or simply in the broiler.


Thai Peanut Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
1/2 cup of peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
1-2 tbs. of brown sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)
1-2 tsp. of red pepper flakes (again, depending on the heat level you prefer)
juice and zest of 1 lime
1/2 cup of coconut milk
chopped cilantro or scallions (optional)


Instructions
Whisk all of the ingredients together.  This is where you can "be your own chef" and adjust the sauce to your liking.  If you want more of a peanut flavor, simply add a little more peanut butter.  If it needs to mellow out, add more coconut milk.  You don't want the sauce too thick, but you also don't want it watery.  You won't mess it up.  Believe me.


I serve this meal with coconut basmati rice.  This simply means that instead of cooking your rice with water, use coconut milk.  Jasmine rice or white long grain rice work great here as well.  Using the coconut milk creates such a creamy side dish.  I try to find light coconut milk when I can.  Add scallions, toasted coconut and sesame seeds to the rice if you wish.  I also saute sugar snap peas in a little minced garlic, minced ginger and some red pepper flakes.  If you don't like snap peas, apply the same method to sauteed spinach, broccoli, asparagus, carrots, or bok choy.


Thank you Kelli for feeding me this wonderful meal!