You might be surprised to see coconut listed here, but despite its name, the coconut is not actually a tree nut but rather a fruit. There is no general recommendation that those with a tree or ground nut allergy should avoid coconut – but it’s imperative to check with the individual in case they have a rare intolerance.
Great care must be taken when cooking for those needing to follow a nut-free diet, which constitutes avoiding tree nuts and/or peanuts, as they are among the foods ranking highest with associated serious allergic reaction. Peanuts (also known as ground nuts, as they grow underground and are part of the legume family) are the source of the most widespread nut allergy. Check packaging as nuts sneak their way into a lot of foods.
Step 1Toast the coconut and sunflower seeds in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until lightly golden. Add to the small bowl of a food processor with the ground coriander, chilli, garlic, spring onions and 2tbsp water. Whizz to a rough paste. Return to the frying pan and cook over medium heat for 2min, until fragrant.
Step 2Whisk in soy, lime juice, Marmite, honey and coconut milk. Bubble for 2min, or until slightly reduced. Remove from heat and whizz in a high-speed blender until smooth. Pour 1/2 the mixture into a large bowl and mix in the chicken. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for 30min (up to 6hr). Cover the remaining sauce; chill until needed.
Step 3Meanwhile, make the pickled cucumber. Peel cucumber into ribbons using a Y-shaped vegetable peeler (discard the seedy core). Add to a bowl with the sugar and vinegar. Set aside until needed.
Step 4Preheat the grill to high. Line a large baking tray with foil. Thread the chicken on to the skewers. Grill for 10min, turning halfway, until the chicken is cooked through.
Step 5Gently reheat remaining sauce in a pan and serve with the grilled chicken, pickled cucumber and rice.
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
