Peanut Butter Chicken
This saucy Peanut Butter Chicken is so tasty! Seared pieces of chicken are coated in a rich peanut (or almond or cashew!) butter sauce loaded with ginger and garlic. This easy meal takes just 30 minutes to make, so it’s perfect for a weeknight dinner for the whole family. Leftovers reheat well, too! 
Peanut butter chicken is a delicious meal full of savory and nutty flavors that’s sure to please the entire family and make them ask for seconds. This dish combines tender chicken pieces with a rich and creamy peanut butter sauce, creating a unique and satisfying meal that’s easy to prepare and is reminiscent of Thai Peanut Chicken. Whether you’re serving this easy peanut butter chicken recipe over cauliflower rice, steamed white rice, or a bed of rice noodles, you’re sure to love it! This is a must-try if you’re new to the peanut butter chicken world and want to try something new! With its creamy sauce and bold flavors, this is sure to impress your family and friends.
Why You Will Love This Peanut Butter Chicken
- Have I mentioned the rich peanut sauce?! The creamy peanut butter sauce is ridiculously tasty, you will find yourself licking the plate! It’s the perfect blend of nut butter (almond, peanut, or cashew) plus creamy coconut milk, fragrant ginger, garlic, chili for a bit of heat, coconut aminos which gives it a nice umami flavor, and vinegar.
- It’s a one-pan meal: Everything can be made in just one pan, which means less cleanup!
- All you need is 30 minutes: It’s a quick and easy meal to prepare and takes less than 30 minutes to make! This is ideal for weeknight dinner with minimal chopping required.
- It’s healthy: Swap the peanut butter for almond butter or cashew butter to make this dish Paleo and Whole30. It’s also naturally grain-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free!
Ingredients You Need To Make This Peanut Butter Chicken
- Chicken Thighs: Fresh from the butcher or frozen will work. If you prefer white meat, you could also use skinless chicken breast instead.
- Olive Oil: I like using olive oil, but avocado oil or refined coconut oil would also work. All have a high-smoke point.
- Fresh Ginger: I prefer fresh ginger grated with a fine grater, but ground ginger would also work.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is so delicious, but if you don’t have any on hand, minced garlic will do fine. You could also use ground garlic, but you’ll want to modify the amount.
- Onion: Yellow onion is a great option here, but you can definitely use a sweet onion too.
- Red Bell Pepper: Red peppers are a delicious option for this recipe, but you could also use orange or yellow bell peppers.
- Fresno Chili Pepper: Jalapeno peppers are a perfect substitute for a Fresno because they taste very similar. If you’re looking for a similar smokiness, I would recommend Chipotle peppers. Cayenne peppers will also work and give you a similar flavor.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: White wine vinegar or distilled white vinegar would also work. If you’re not SCD, you could also use rice vinegar.
- Coconut Aminos: Feel free to substitute for tamari or soy sauce, depending on your dietary restrictions or what you have on hand.
- Peanut Butter: Almond Butter and Cashew Butter would be delicious options if you have a peanut allergy or just prefer the others.
- Coconut Milk: Full-fat coconut milk or light coconut milk would work fine.
- Tomato Paste: The tomato paste is going to contribute to the thickness of the sauce. I would not recommend tomato sauce as a substitute. If you don’t want to open an entire can of paste, you can buy tomato paste in a tube and then use it accordingly.
- Chicken Stock: You could also use vegetable stock for this recipe. If you don’t have stock, you could use chicken broth or vegetable broth.
You can find a full list of ingredients in the recipe card below
How To Make This Peanut Butter Chicken
- In a large skillet, on medium-high heat, cook cubed and seasoned chicken thighs or chicken breasts for approximately 5 minutes until it is golden in color. Once it is seared, remove from pan and set aside.
- Lower to medium heat and add the ginger, garlic, onion, bell pepper, and chili pepper to the pan. Saute until the bell pepper begins to soften and the ginger is fragrant.
- Stir in the vinegar and coconut aminos to deglaze the pan and remove any bits stuck to it. Next, add the nut butter, coconut milk, tomato paste, and chicken stock and simmer.
- Once the sauce is simmering, add the chicken and simmer for 10-12 minutes. Don’t let the sauce get too thick; add more broth if necessary.
- Garnish and serve with desired rice or noodles.
Tips For Making This Peanut Butter Chicken
- Natural peanut butter and other nut butter tend to be quite oily and often separate in the jar with the creamy nut butter at the bottom and oil rising to the top. Before measuring out the nut butter to add to the sauce be sure to stir it otherwise the dish will end up being quite oily.
- The sauce will thicken as it cooks, so don’t hesitate to leave it to simmer for a while to help it thicken even more. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash more chicken stock and stir it through to thin it out.
- I like to give the chicken crispy browned edges, which I find adds flavor and a bit more texture to the dish. When searing the chicken, be sure to leave the pieces to cook for a few extra minutes until they develop a nice golden color.
- You can add more or less chili depending on your tolerance for spice. I find that adding a full chili is just the right amount of heat that helps to cut through the richness of the sauce.
- Not on a soy-free or gluten-free diet? Feel free to swap the coconut aminos for soy sauce or tamari (gluten-free soy sauce).
Can I Make This Peanut Butter Chicken In The Slow Cooker?
This is a great recipe that can be made in the slow cooker. Place diced chicken, seasoned with salt and black pepper, in the bottom of the slow cooker and top with the onion and peppers. Mix the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and pour on top of everything. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours. If sauce gets too thick, add more stock or water to thin it to the desired consistency. Yum!
Can I Make This Peanut Butter Chicken in an Instant Pot?
Absolutely! This delicious dinner recipe will come together beautifully in an instant pot. Place diced chicken, seasoned with salt and black pepper, in the bottom of the slow cooker and top with the onion and peppers. Mix the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and pour on top of everything. Cover and seal lid, and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes. Allow the pressure cooker to release pressure for 10 minutes. Remove lid and stir. If sauce gets too thick, add more stock or water to thin it to the desired consistency. Enjoy!
How To Serve This Peanut Butter Chicken
- I love serving this peanut chicken over sauteed cauliflower rice, which does an amazing job of soaking up all of that delicious sauce. For a more carb-heavy alternative, serve it over steamed white rice (jasmine rice is a great white rice option) or brown rice, or with a delicious coconut rice. Add a wedge of lime to the side of the bowl as a garnish or give it a squeeze of lime juice, which really helps give the perfect balance to make the flavors of the sauce pop.
- Garnish this peanut chicken with cilantro, chopped scallions/green onions, or slices of chilis and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
What About Leftovers
This entire dish can be prepared up to a day in advance. Reheat the chicken and sauce in a skillet on low-medium heat until warmed through. Add a splash of chicken stock to the sauce and stir it through if it appears to be too thick. Leftovers will last for up to 4 days in the fridge in an airtight container or it can be frozen for 3 months for the next time you need something quick for one of those busy weeknights.
Here are a few more one pan chicken recipes that you might enjoy…
- Chicken Chop Suey
- Mexican Chicken & Rice Skillet
- Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
- Sheet Pan Greek Chicken
- Garlic Mushroom & Bacon Chicken Thighs
If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Peanut Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken thighs cut into cubes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 onion finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper chopped into small pieces
- 1 fresno chili pepper finely diced
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or rice vinegar if not following SCD)
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos (or tamari/soy sauce)
- 1/2 cup almond or peanut butter
- 1 can (400ml) coconut milk
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2/3 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 lime for garnish
- 2 tbsp cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Add the oil to a large skillet on high heat. Season the cubed chicken with salt and pepper and once the oil is hot, add the chicken to the pan. Cook the chicken for approximately 5 minutes until it is golden in colour.
- Once the chicken is seared, remove it from the pan (leaving any remaining oil in the skillet) and set it aside on a plate.
- Add the ginger, garlic, onion, bell pepper and fresno chili to the pan. reduce the heat to medium and saute for 3 minutes until the bell pepper begins to soften and the ginger is fragrant.
- Add the vinegar and coconut aminos to deglaze the pan. Use a wooden spoon to remove any bits stuck to the pan. Next add in the nut butter, coconut milk, tomato paste and chicken stock, lower the heat to medium and bring to a simmer.
- Once the sauce is simmering, return the chicken to the sauce and leave it to simmer for 10-12 minutes. If the sauce becomes too thick, stir in more chicken stock to thin it out.
- Serve the chicken with lots of sauce over cauliflower rice. Garnish with cilantro and wedges of lime.
This post was originally published on September 28, 2021 and updated with new copy on August 6, 2024.
This recipe is DELICIOUS! Thank you
Yum!!! So simple and satisfying
Holy wow! This is so darn delicious 🤤
Definitely a winner, will be making again and again.