So, just trying to find more quick dinners that are great. Here’s one that I found in Jamie Oliver’s Meals in Minutes, though I only used the skewers from the full menu outlined there. But they are good and easy and fast, and I love that he doesn’t ask that the chicken be marinated, because I’m never on the ball enough to do that! I paired this chicken with sticky rice and peanut sauce and lemon-cucumber salad, soaking the rice first, then putting it on, then salting the cucumbers, then cooking the chicken, and finally the peanut sauce and some cut fruit. The recipe, of course, is Oliver’s language, not mine, but I love it.

Chicken Satay Skewers

Satay
½ a small bunch of fresh cilantro
1 fresh red chili
½ a clove of garlic
3 heaped tablespoons good-quality crunchy peanut butter
soy sauce
a 2″ piece of fresh ginger
2 limes

Chicken
4  skinless chicken breasts
runny honey, for drizzling

1.Turn the grill on to full whack. Lay 4 wooden skewers in a tray of cold water to soak (if they float, use a plate to weight them down). Put the standard blade attachment into the food processor.

2. Put the cilantro (stalks and all) into the food processor with the chili (stalk removed), peeled garlic, 3 heaped tablespoons of peanut butter and a lug of soy sauce. Peel and roughly chop the ginger and add. Finely grate in the zest of both limes, then squeeze in the juice from 1 of them. Add a couple of splashes of water and whiz to a spoonable paste. Season to taste. Spoon half into a nice bowl and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, put the rest aside.

3. Line the chicken breasts up on a plastic board, alternating ends, and close together. Gently and carefully push the skewers through the breasts. Slice between the skewers to give you 4 kebabs. Thread any stray pieces on the ends of the skewers. To make the chicken crispier you can score it lightly on both sides. Scoop the rest of the satay mix from the processor into a roasting tray, add the chicken skewers and toss with your hands to coat, rubbing the flavor into the meat. Clear away the board and wash the knife and your hands. Drizzle the chicken with olive oil and season with salt. Put on the top shelf of the oven, under the grill, for about 8 to 10 minutes on each side, or until golden and cooked through.

4. Turn the skewers over, drizzle with a little runny honey and put back under the grill for 8 to 10 minutes.

5. Take the chicken to the table with a bottle of soy sauce and a few wedges of lime for squeezing over.