Chicken Satay Skewers

Chicken thigh is the right cut for skewers over breast, it has enough fat running through it to stay juicy over the high, direct heat a barbecue needs for good char, where breast tends to dry out and turn stringy in the same time.

The marinade here is short on purpose. Thirty minutes is enough to get flavour into the surface of the meat, there's no need to leave it overnight unless it suits your schedule better, an hour or two in the fridge won't hurt it either.

The satay sauce is simmered rather than just stirred together cold, which thickens it slightly and lets the peanut butter, coconut milk and spices combine properly instead of tasting like separate ingredients sitting next to each other. It will keep thickening as it cools, so loosen it with a splash of water or extra coconut milk just before serving if it's gone stiff.

Cut the chicken into pieces of a similar size so they cook through at the same rate, and don't crowd the skewers, a few millimetres of gap between pieces lets the heat get around each one and gives you proper char instead of steamed, pale chicken.