Peanut Crusted Chicken

If you are a regular reader you should know by now that I am always reading the cooking magazines looking for new ideas.  When I was glancing (is it still glancing the third and fourth time you look at a magazine for inspiration?) at the current edition of Super Food Ideas I came across a recipe for Peanut Crusted Chicken. The photo looked great, it was basically a "new version" of satay chicken.  "The Darlings" love peanut butter - what could be better?


Here is the recipe as it appears in the magazine

Peanut Crusted Chicken


Serves 4


1 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
1 tsp sea salt
2 tsp mild curry powder
600g chicken tenderloins
2 tbs peanut oil
1 medium brown onion, finely diced
1 clove crushed garlic
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
270ml lite coconut milk
1 tbs ketchap manis
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tbs lime juice


Steamed rice and asian greens to serve


Process the nuts, salt and curry powder together until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Press the chicken into the peanut mixture.

Heat half the oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat.  Cook the chicken in batches for 5 minutes each side, or until browned and cooked through.  Transfer to a plate.  Cover to keep warm.


Meanwhile heat the remaining oil in a saucepan overmedium heat.  Add onion and garlic.  Cook, stirring for 3 minutes, or until softened.


Add peanut butter, coconut milk, ketchap manis, sugar and lime juice.  Stir until smooth.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until the mixture simmers.


Serve chicken with rice, steamed green vegetables and sauce.

Now here is what I did - I used around 1 kg of tenderloins - it served 5 people - with a little leftover (into the freezer for the next pizza night!) - saying that though "The Darlings" didn't eat very much, one was sick, the other claimed not to like it.  What I am trying to say is that 1kg gives you 5 generous serves.

Due to the fact that I had almost doubled the amount of chicken I doubled the amount of peanuts and curry powder.  All the rest of the ingredients I left the same.

I also didn't want to "fry" the chicken, so what I did was spray the chicken with garlic olive oil spray and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes (on pretty high - around 200C - with an occasional burst of "grill"), turning once, until they were lovely and golden.  This saved on the amount of oil that I used, and and was also heaps easier.  I am sorry,  but you cannot tell me that it only takes 1 tbs of oil to pan fry 600g of chicken tenderloins!!!

So what was the verdict?  Well, I was not feeling great that night - (still having tooth issues) - but Mr. CCC thought it was good.  When I make it next time I think I will add a splash (say 1tbs) of sweet chilli sauce to the peanut sauce, just to give it a little bit of a kick.  I guess if the kids are not keen on the "curry flavour" with the nuts you could make two batches - one with curry and one without.  I also think that using salted roasted peanuts would be better next time - just a little more flavour.

Try it Dear Readers, tell me what you think.  Let me know if you pan fry it, or bake it like me.  Which do you think is better?