Peanut Butter... Chicken?

Ok, I know what you are thinking guys. You are envisioning a Chicken Breast on a Peanut Butter sandwich... Am, I right.\? and if you weren't, you are now. OK so what the heck is PB Chicken? It's a Thai Style Dish. Thai STYLE you say? Yes, style, because I am not Thai nor can I verify if this dish is from anywhere NEAR Thailand. It's Thai style because its Sweet, Sour, and Spicy. For more info on Thai seasonings, Thai Cooking, and/or Thailand the links attached to the words will take you to their Wikipedia pages. (I cannot verify that statements made on Wikipedia are 100% accurate)

SO Now we are past that. My Peanut Butter Chicken is fairly simple and can be done under the broiler or, as the recipe calls, on the grill. The Palate starts with the robust meaty flavor of the peanuts in PB, we add the sweet flavor with brown sugar (dark is best), we jump to the sour with lemon juice and garlic, Lastly the spice, this is where you get to play, make yours as mild or spicy as you please with red pepper flakes and ground or fresh ginger. OKOK Get on with it, I know!

Here it is!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup soy sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 cups shredded red cabbage
Sliced green onion tops

Directions:
Before cooking Chicken: preheat grill or broiler. 
Combine PB, Water, Soy Sauce, Minced Garlic, Lemon Juice, Brown Sugar, Ginger, and Pepper Flakes in a saucepan. head over medium heat until all ingredients are combined, reduce heat to lowest setting and cover. (stir often)
Cut raw Chicken into cubes or 1 inch pieces. reserve 1/2 of the Sauce, and marinate the chicken in the other half. Allow to set in fridge for AT LEAST 30min, but overnight would be better. IF you marinated overnight and refrigerated your sauce bring back to 165F. Skewer your chicken appropriately, and place on grill. 2-5 minutes on each side basting with reserved sauce rotating until fully cooked.

NOW as to the cabbage, this is basically a plate dressing along with the Onion tops as a meat garnish. I found that a boxed side dish of Garlic, Herb, and Olive oil Couscous made a fine garnish. As for you Cabbage, Rice, Ramen, or whatever... I was just given this recipe with the cabbage included with pretty much the same "disclaimer."

So, enjoy and remember guys (and gals) it's not hard to cook. Weather on a budget, or wanting to rid yourself of high sodium high fat boxed meals, or just trying to impress the chicks, you can do it. P.S. Don't forget to let yourself taste throughout the process. you don't want a nasty surprise at the end.

Bry

An Introduction:

Hi Everyone,

I'm Bryant! I am what some call a "foodie". I love to cook, eat, and talk about food. In this blog I hope to inspire, those who "cannot" cook or remind those who have fallen into the fast food and box restaurant rut, how easy and fun it can be to enjoy home cooked favorites.  I've put together a small collection, that is growing with time, of tips, tricks, and recipes. Some of my creations are cooked from scratch and some may be shortcuts to popular favorites.

No matter your skill level in the kitchen, I hope you will enjoy the things to be be posted. AND not only do I love to share my knowledge but I love to hear your polite feedback, and your own kitchen tips. Some things to keep in mind as you follow my blog are these:
I don't eat pork
I am very sparing with the salt and sodium
I may give you options (be prepared to make decisions)

I think that is it. So lets start our voyage into the world of cooking with a simple pizza sauce you can make from canned tomato products. This recipe will make enough sauce to create two 18" pizzas.

Simple Pizza Sauce:
1 can condensed tomato soup
1 small can tomato paste
1 12.5oz can tomato sauce
1 Tbs Oregano
1/2 tsp Garlic powder
1/2 tsp Onion powder
1 tsp Parsley

Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Ladle sauce onto pizza crust to desired thickness and add toppings.

I hope you enjoy this sauce, remember you can tweak it with your own ingredients or use fresh garlic and onions. If you wish to share your polite responses please do so below.