Easy Peanut Butter Chicken Recipe

This easy Peanut Butter Chicken is full of flavor with tender browned chicken pieces tossed in a mouthwatering good ginger peanut sauce with thinly sliced green onions and chopped peanuts. This tasty dish is ideal for meal prep along with jasmine rice and fresh vegetables.

Course main meal chicken

Cuisine Asian American

Keyword chicken with peanut butter, how to make peanut butter chicken, peanut butter chicken recipe, Thai peanut chicken

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Servings servings

Calories 434kcal

Author Beth Pierce

Ingredients

Peanut Sauce

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 ½ tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon sambal oelek

Peanut Butter Chicken

1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breast or boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into thin bite-sized pieces.
1 medium onion chopped
2 cloves garlic pressed
2-3 tablespoons water
Kosher salt to taste
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
2 green onions thinly sliced
¼ cup chopped peanuts
Cooked jasmine rice or any long-grain white rice optional

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, grated ginger, and sambal oelek. Set the sauce aside.
In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and brown on both sides, making sure it is cooked through. Remove the chicken to a plate and reduce the heat to medium-low.
Add a little more vegetable oil if needed. Add the onions and cook for several minutes or until the onions are softened. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, cooking for 1 minute while stirring constantly.
Add the peanut sauce and cook for several minutes, stirring frequently. Add 2-3 tablespoons of water to thin the sauce to your desired consistency.
Add the chicken back to the skillet with the peanut sauce and warm for several minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with green onions and chopped peanuts. Serve over long-grain white rice or Chinese noodles.

Notes

Cut the chicken into thin bite-sized uniform pieces, so they cook quickly and evenly.
Use creamy, crunchy, or all-natural peanut butter.
Try adding a variety of veggies like broccoli, bell peppers, carrots, mushrooms, or snap peas.
Serve over long-grain white or brown rice, Chinese noodles, cauliflower rice, or zoodles.
Thin the sauce with water to desired consistency. You may need to thin it several times if reheating.
Garnish with thinly sliced green onions, red pepper flakes, or cilantro.
For Thai peanut chicken, skip any additional water and add about a cup of coconut milk and a tablespoon of lime juice.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power.
To freeze, first fully cool, then place in a sturdy freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power.

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