Put a zing in your step

“STICK food” is an all-time favourite at many a gathering, and plump grilled chicken basted in spicy satay is a surefire winner.

Creamy, coconutty and rich, this peanut-based sauce is balanced by the freshness of tomato and spinach with a zingy lime dressing.

Chicken skewers with satay sauce and tomato salad Ingredients

6 chicken thighs, skin on, diced then skewered 100g roasted peanuts, crushed to a powder SATAY SAUCE: 50ml grapeseed oil 5 garlic cloves, crushed 1 white onion, chopped 1 red chilli, seeds removed 1 tsp sugar

130g peanut butter TOMATO SALAD:

10g palm sugar

Juice of 2 limes

25ml peanut oil 300g heirloom tomatoes, diced

100g spinach

Method

1. To make the satay sauce, in a food processor blitz the ingredients along with 350ml water. Pour the mixture into a large frying pan and slowly cook over a low heat until it’s fragrant and the onion flavour tastes cooked. The sauce shouldn’t be too thick.

2. Prepare the salad dressing by heating 30ml water in a small saucepan and adding in the palm sugar until it dissolves. Whisk in the lime juice and peanut oil and set aside.

3. Heat up your barbecue, or if you’re using an oven, preheat it to 200C. Brush the skewers heavily with the satay sauce. Barbecue the skewers over a high heat for 8 minutes, or roast them on a baking tray in the oven for about 12 minutes.

4. Pile the salad on the plate, pour over the dressing, sprinkle over the crushed peanuts and place the hot skewers on top. Serve any extra satay sauce on the side.

This is an edited extract from The Atlas Cookbook by Charlie Carrington, published by Hardie Grant Books, $39.99, available where all good books are sold. Photographer: Bec Hudson