Denise says:

I wrote this recipe for one of my Thai cookery classes and it has become one my favourite canapés. Quick and easy to prepare, these little chicken cubes have an amazing oriental flavour as a result of the fragrant kaffir lime leaves. They are delicious hot, cold or warm.

Lime leaves are widely used in Thai and Asian cuisine and used in a similar way as bay leaves are in the West. Their lemony flavour gives a distinctive citrus scent without ‘heat’. They are delicious in soups, curries and marinades. I bought them in the spice section of the supermarket but substitute lemon grass sticks if you can not find them.

The dressing can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 day ahead.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes plus 1 hour to marinate
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 8 - 10

Ingredients:

For the Marinade
2 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons honey
3 spring onions – finely chopped
4 lime leaves – shredded
A little vegetable oil
2 chicken breasts – cut into cubes

Sweet chilli & Peanut Dressing
150ml rice vinegar
175g golden caster sugar
1 tablespoon coriander- roughly chopped
1 red chilli – finely chopped
1 tablespoon peanuts – roughly chopped

Garnish
Sprigs of coriander

Method

1) Whizz the marinade ingredients together in a food processor.

2) Pour over chicken cubes and leave to marinate for 1 hour.

3) For the sauce, heat the rice vinegar and golden caster sugar. After it boils, simmer for 3 minutes.

4) Cool then add chopped coriander, chopped chilli and roasted peanuts.

5) Fry the chicken until cooked through.

6) Skewer 2 cubes onto cocktail sticks with a sprig of coriander in between.

To serve the stylish way: Line the chicken sticks in rows with the dressing on the side or in the middle of the plate.
Tagged in: Chicken, Dinner Party, Family Dining, Limes, Low Fat, Meat, Thai