This recipe was inspired by my time growing up in Harlem, where I remember the incredible aromas wafting out of restaurants along 125th Street. While I couldn’t afford to dine out much as a young girl, those experiences stayed with me. My most adventurous meals back then were Jamaican beef patties with coco bread and whole fried red snapper, introduced to me by friends. Since my teenage years, I have significantly expanded my palate and grown to love the delicious flavors all of the world has to offer. I recently enjoyed some delicious Nigerian beef and shrimp suya with jollof rice and sweet plantains. With those flavors in mind, I have been workshopping a homemade marinade and managed to capture that same taste profile. These chicken skewers — blending flavors of coconut, peanut, garlic, ginger, paprika, and more — are a tribute to those memories and the vibrant food culture I grew up around.
Chicken skewers with African flavors
Yields 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 13.5 fl oz can of coconut milk
½ cup smooth creamy peanut butter
1 ½ tbsp chicken bouillon powder
1 tbsp dried minced onion
1 tbsp ground ginger
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
8 large wooden skewers
Instructions:
To make the marinade, place the coconut milk, peanut butter, chicken bouillon powder, dried minced onion, ground ginger, garlic powder, red chili powder, paprika, and salt in a food processor and process until fully mixed together.
Cut the chicken thighs in half lengthwise.
Marinate the chicken thighs in the marinade mixture and keep in the fridge overnight.
Soak the wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Thread two pieces of the halved chicken thighs lengthwise onto the wooden skewers.
Place the skewers on a rack over a sheet tray and let sit for a few minutes to allow excess marinade to drip onto the sheet tray.
On a pre-heated iron grill pan, sear the chicken skewers to create grill marks on both sides. Transfer the skewers back to the rack.
Finish cooking the chicken skewers in the oven for 20 minutes, or until a thermometer reads 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest part of the meat. Enjoy!