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Recipe Detail Page
Indonesian Chicken Kebabs
Early Summer 2017
The chicken in this winning recipe is so moist and tender that you will make it over and over again. The Indonesian-influenced salad is the perfect match for the chicken with its sweet and spicy flavour. Buy crispy noodles, or deep-fry some bean thread or rice noodles for a minute and watch them pop.
Serves 4
¼ cup (60 mL) Sambal (recipe follows)
1 tbsp (15 mL) sweet soy
1 tsp (5 mL) brown sugar
2 lbs (1 kg) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut in 1½ inch (4 cm) cubes
LIME DRESSING
2 tbsp (30 mL) lime juice
1 tsp (5 mL) grated lime zest
1 tsp (5 mL) honey
1 tsp (5 mL) soy sauce
2 tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
RADISH SALAD
1 cup (250 mL) baby lettuce such as arugula, tatsoi or mustard greens
8 radishes, thinly sliced
½ cup (125 mL) thinly sliced red onion
½ cup (125 mL) diced red pepper
½ cup (125 mL) shredded tart apple such as Granny Smith or Cortland
¼ cup (60 mL) crispy noodles
2 tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil for grilling
1. Combine sambal, sweet soy and brown sugar in a bowl. Toss in chicken cubes and coat well. Marinate for 1 hour on the counter or 4 hours in the refrigerator.
2. Whisk together lime juice, lime zest, honey and soy sauce in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in vegetable oil. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve.
3. Combine lettuce, radishes, red onion, red pepper, apple and noodles. Reserve.
4. Heat grill to high. Thread chicken onto skewers. Brush with oil. Grill about 4 minutes a side (about 16 minutes total) or until juices are clear.
5. Toss salad with dressing. Serve chicken kebabs with salad and more sambal on the side.
Serves 4
SAMBAL
Long, slow cooking is the secret for this sambal. We made it twice, once using cherry peppers (a little hotter) and once using long red finger peppers (easier to buy and less hot). Sweet soy or kecap manis is available at Asian grocery stores and some supermarkets. Store leftover sambal in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a month.
¼ cup (60 mL) coarsely chopped lemon-grass bulb
2½ cups (625 mL) seeded and chopped tomato, about 2 tomatoes
1 cup (250 mL) coarsely chopped shallots
⅓ cup (80 mL) coarsely chopped long red peppers, about 3 peppers
2 tsp (10 mL) chopped garlic
¼ cup (60 mL) vegetable oil
1 tbsp (15 mL) sweet soy
1 tsp (5 mL) lemon juice
Salt
Cayenne pepper (optional)
1. Place lemon grass in food processor and process until finely chopped. Add tomatoes, shallots, peppers and garlic. Pulse until chunky. Stir in oil and pulse until combined and slightly pasty.
2. Transfer to skillet over medium-low heat. Add sweet soy and cook gently for 20 to
25 minutes or until vegetables are tender and mixture is a thick mass. Season with lemon, salt and cayenne to taste.
Makes about 1½ cups (375 mL)
