Recipe: Tangy Thai Chicken

TANGY THAI CHICKEN
Source: Good Times, Good Grilling: Surefire Recipes for Great Grill Parties by Cheryl & Bill Jamison
Servings: 4

1 tablespoon store-bought red or green Thai curry paste, or more to taste
2 teaspoons peanut oil or vegetable oil
1 (15-ounce) can coconut milk
Salt or Asian fish sauce, optional
4 medium to large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded 1/2 -inch thick
Store-bought sweet Thai red chile sauce
Chopped peanuts and chopped fresh mint, basil, or cilantro or a combination

MAKE THE MARINADE:
First combining the curry paste and oil in a bowl and stirring until the paste is softened.

Mix in three quarters of the coconut milk and taste the mixture. If it tastes bland now, it will taste even blander on the chicken, so add more curry paste, and salt if needed, until the mixture is pleasantly pungent. If the mixture becomes too spicy, add a little more coconut milk.

Place the chicken in a zippered plastic bag, pour the marinade over it, and seal the bag. Toss back and forth to coat the chicken evenly. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes while you prepare the grill. For a more intense flavor, marinate for up to several hours, refrigerated.

Fire up the grill, bringing the heat to medium (4 to 5 seconds with the hand test).

Drain the chicken, discarding the marinade.

Grill the chicken for 10 to 12 minutes total. Turn onto each side twice, rotating the breasts a half-turn each time for crisscross grill marks.