Quick and easy peanut butter chicken is the perfect weeknight recipe. It pairs juicy chicken thighs with a creamy peanut butter sauce – serve it over rice, in lettuce wraps, or with rice noodles.
Peanut Butter Chicken
It’s always fun to try new things out and give your taste buds a treat, and this recipe definitely does that. Plus, it’s made with pantry staples and is such a family friendly recipe. If you like Pad Thai, then I think you’ll love the flavors in this peanut butter chicken!
The star here is the nice creamy sauce. Smooth peanut butter pairs perfectly with tomatoes and chicken broth. Then you get hints of ginger and garlic in each bite, some freshness from the cilantro, and a little crunch from the peanuts.
It’s a wonderful, quick, easy, and very delicious meal. It really is just the definition of good food.
Ingredients
For this recipe you’ll need chicken thighs, soy sauce, olive oil, onion, garlic, ginger, fine sea salt, crushed tomatoes, peanut butter, chicken broth, light brown sugar, ground coriander, ground cumin, and crushed red pepper flakes. If you happen to have any peanuts or fresh cilantro or basil around, I highly recommend topping the chicken with it!
How To Make Peanut Butter Chicken
Start by cutting the boneless chicken thighs into pieces. Marinate the chicken in soy sauce before sauteing it in an oiled skillet. (See the recipe card below for the full printable recipe.)
Add in the onion and saute that for a few minutes, then add in the garlic and ginger and saute until they’re aromatic.
Mix together the crushed tomatoes, peanut butter, chicken broth, and spices to make the creamy peanut sauce.
Mix the peanut sauce with the chicken. Simmer it for a few minutes, or until it thickens a bit. See the recipe card below for the full written instructions, including ingredient amounts, cooking times, and helpful tips, etc.
Does Peanut Sauce Taste Like Peanut Butter?
You can taste the peanuts in peanut sauce, but since it has lots of other flavors, it’s really more of a balanced flavor profile. The flavors of sweet and spicy, mixed with some acid from the tomatoes, and salty from the chicken broth mix together to make a really delicious savory sauce.
What To Serve It With
I love serving it with some white rice and some steamed broccoli (like it’s shown in the pictures). It’s also heavenly when you squeeze a little fresh lime juice on top. You could also serve it with cauliflower rice, rice noodles, inside lettuce wraps, or with fried rice.
Optional Adaptations
I prefer this recipe with chicken thighs, but feel free to use boneless skinless chicken breasts if you’d rather!
This is a great place to use up your leftover chicken. Just saute it in the skillet to heat it up, then toss it in the delicious peanut sauce.
This recipe is plenty creamy from the peanut butter, but if you want to make it really creamy, try adding some coconut milk in.
You could also add more crushed red pepper flakes or some Asian chili sauce if you want to make it spicier.
If you want to use a nut butter other than peanut butter, go for it! It’s super adaptable and should work with most nut butters.
Something I love playing with is adding some vegetables in. I’m always looking for ways to add vegetables into family dinners, and this recipe tastes delicious with sautéed bell peppers or with some fresh baby spinach stirred in at the end.
Keep In Touch
I’d love to hear what you thought of this recipe in the comments or on Instagram! @KeyToMyLime #KeyToMyLime
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Chicken Recipes
If you like this recipe, be sure to check out our entire chicken recipe section! Some reader favorites are:
BEST Peanut Butter Chicken Recipe
Quick and easy peanut butter chicken is the perfect weeknight recipe. It pairs juicy chicken thighs with a creamy peanut butter sauce.
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 8 pieces)
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion (finely diced)
- 2 medium cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 Tablespoon ginger paste
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Peanut Butter Sauce:
- 1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup peanut butter (I used all natural smooth peanut butter)
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 Tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Garnish:
- Freshly chopped cilantro
- Chopped peanuts
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Cut the chicken thighs into 1 inch pieces and put into a medium mixing bowl, add in the soy sauce and mix thoroughly. Let this sit to marinate while you prep the other steps.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the crushed tomatoes, peanut butter, chicken broth, brown sugar, coriander, cumin, and red pepper flakes.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the oil and swirl to coat the pan. Spread the marinated chicken evenly across the pan and let cook for 3 minutes. Flip the chicken pieces over and let cook for another 3 minutes. Turn heat down to medium.
- Add in the diced onion and cook until translucent (around 2 - 3 minutes). Add in the minced garlic and ginger paste, and cook until aromatic (about 2 minutes).
- Mix the peanut butter sauce with the chicken, and until the sauce begins to thicken (about 3 minutes).Â
- Serve and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro, chopped peanuts, and sesame seeds. I love serving this with long grain white rice and some cooked broccoli.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1/4Amount Per Serving: Calories: 425Total Fat: 27.6gCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 4gSugar: 12.1gProtein: 28.5g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate. This was calculated without garnishes.
If you’re looking for a quick and easy dinner that will be ready in only 20 minutes, this peanut butter chicken is the perfect weeknight dinner recipe for you!
