Planning a party? For something delicious, sure to impress guests but simple to make, try these gorgeous bite-sized pieces of chicken wrapped in pandan leaves. These long, blade-like leaves lend a delicate fragrance to a dish… and deliver the wow-factor, too!
Thai Pandan Chicken
500g (1 lb) chicken thigh or breast fillets, cut into 20 bite-sized pieces
20 pandan leaves*
20 toothpicks
vegetable oil for deep frying
Marinade:
6 garlic cloves
1 tsp whole white peppercorns
3 tbsp oyster sauce
½ tsp white sugar
Dipping sauce:
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sweet dark soy sauce
¼ cup white sugar
¼ cup water
- To make the marinade, use a mortar and pestle to pound the garlic and peppercorns to a rough paste. Mix the paste with the oyster sauce and sugar. Add the marinade to the chicken and mix until well combined. Wrap each piece of chicken with a pandan leaf. Secure with a toothpick. Chicken can be marinated and wrapped up to a day in advance.
- To make the dipping sauce, combine the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer for 4-5 minutes or until thickened slightly. Pour into a small serving bowl (sauce will thicken more as it cools).
- Fill a saucepan or wok to about 1/3 capacity with the vegetable oil. Heat over high heat. The oil is hot enough at 165°C/325°F or when a wooden spoon dipped into the oil forms small little bubbles.
- Fry the chicken pieces in batches in the hot oil for 4-5 minutes or until dark golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towel and serve with the dipping sauce.
- Notes: – Pick up fresh pandan leaves from your Asian supermarket
