Peanut Butter Chicken is the perfect combination of sweet and savory, packing in all the flavors you know and love with none of the fuss. The recipe takes only 15 minutes and is made with tender chunks of chicken smothered in a tasty peanut butter sauce.
About Peanut Butter Chicken
Our Peanut Butter Chicken is so easy to make using chicken, a whole host of spices, and cornstarch plus a handful of simple peanut sauce ingredients that perfectly coat each cooked chicken piece.
Rich in protein and healthy fats, chicken with peanut sauce tastes like Chinese takeout, but better because homemade is healthier.
Preparing peanut butter sauce for chicken takes only a few minutes and it creates the most flavorful sweet, slightly spicy, sticky coating for the cooked chunks of chicken.
With the perfect balance of sweet and savory, this recipe for peanut butter chicken can be modified to make a satiating low-carb, gluten-free meal.
Why We Love Asian Peanut Butter Chicken
- Quick and easy to make.
- Uses simple kitchen staple ingredients.
- Tastes like your favorite Chinese peanut butter chicken or Pad Thai takeout.
- Sticky peanut butter chicken sauce pairs perfectly with tender of chicken.
- Delicious dinner option the whole family will devour!
More Asian-Inspired recipes
Peanut Butter Chicken Ingredients
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Onion powder
- Kosher salt
- Smoked paprika
- Ground ginger
- Fresh cracked black pepper
- Cornstarch: You can use almond flour if you follow a low carb diet.
- Vegetable oil
- Chicken broth
- Creamy peanut butter: Use your favorite brand!
- Low-sodium soy sauce: Tamari or gluten free soy sauce work well in this recipe.
- Light brown sugar
- Hoisin sauce
- Minced garlic
- Sriracha sauce
- Pure sesame oil
- Chopped unsalted dry roasted peanuts (optional garnish)
- Green onions
Substitutions and Additions
- Change The Chicken: You can substitute boneless skinless chicken breast for the chicken thighs.
- Add Some Spice: If you want an even spicier version, you can increase the sriracha to 1 tablespoon, or you can substitute the sriracha for Thai chili paste. You can also add some red pepper flakes for some extra spice.
- Prepare Without Peanuts: If you have peanut allergy or prefer not to use peanut butter, you can prepare the sauce with tahini, sunflower seed butter, cashew butter, or almond butter instead.
- Soy Sauce Swap: Feel free to use coconut aminos or tahini instead of the soy sauce.
Recommended Tools
- Mixing bowl
- 10 to 12-inch skillet
- Paper towels
- Whisk
See Full Recipe Card Below
Jump to RecipeHow to Make Peanut Butter Chicken
- Cook The Chicken: Cut the chicken into chunks, sprinkle with onion powder, kosher salt, paprika, ground ginger, and black pepper, and coat with cornstarch. Cook ½ of the coated chicken in heated oil, 4 minutes per each side, and drain it on paper towels. Repeat for the remaining chicken.
- Prepare The Peanut Butter Sauce: Add the chicken broth to a skillet and whisk to remove the crispy bits. Whisk in the peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, hoisin, garlic, sriracha, and sesame oil until smooth. Remove from the heat.
- Combine: Add the cooked chicken to the sauce and toss to coat. Garnish with the sliced green onion and chopped peanuts.
- Serve: Serve immediately over cooked rice.
Tip From Our Recipe Developer
- Coating the chicken in cornstarch gives it a more tender texture and helps the sauce stick to it. Use almond flour for a low carb option.
- You can add 2 teaspoons of lime juice and chopped cilantro to the peanut sauce.
What To Serve With Peanut Butter Chicken
While peanut butter chicken is delicious on its own, it pairs perfectly with your favorite rice, noodles, vegetables, or salads.
Try serving this dish over my Cauliflower Fried Rice and Easy Fried Rice. Veggies, like Zucchini Noodles, Sticky Sesame Cauliflower, or Garlic Green Beans add a healthy dose of vitamins. Broccoli Slaw or KFC Coleslaw will also round out this recipe.
How to Store Peanut Butter Chicken
- To Store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- To Freeze: Place the cooked and cooled chicken in a freezer-safe container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
- To Reheat: Heat in the microwave or skillet until heated through.
More Easy Dinner Recipes
- Crack Chicken Sliders
- Crockpot Queso Chicken Quesadillas
- Frito Pie Casserole
- Homemade Sloppy Joes
- Baked Chicken Chimichanga
- Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
- Sheet Pan Greek Chicken
- Pepper Steak
Peanut Butter Chicken
Serves — 4
Peanut Butter Chicken is quick and easy to prepare and makes a delicious homemade dish that tastes like takeout. Serve with rice or noodles and some stir fry veggies for the perfect pairing.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
Peanut Butter Sauce
- 1¼ cups chicken broth
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter your favorite brand
- 4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar tightly packed
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 3 teaspoons sriracha sauce
- 1 teaspoon pure sesame oil
- 2½-3 tablespoons chopped unsalted dry roasted peanuts optional garnish
- 1 tablespoon sliced green onions optional garnish
Instructions
- Pat the cut chicken pieces dry with paper towels.
- Add the cut pieces of chicken to a large mixing bowl.
- Sprinkle the onion powder, kosher salt, paprika, ground ginger, and black pepper over the chicken. Toss to coat completely.
- Sprinkle the cornstarch over the coated chicken and toss to coat.
- Add 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil to a 10 to 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is heated, add ½ of the coated chicken to the oil. Cook for 4 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the pan and place it on new paper towels to drain. Repeat for the remaining chicken.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the chicken broth to the skillet and whisk to remove the crispy bits.
- Whisk in the peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, hoisin, garlic, sriracha, and sesame oil until smooth. Remove from the heat.
- Add the cooked chicken to the sauce and use tongs to coat. Garnish with the sliced green onion and chopped peanuts. Serve immediately over cooked rice.
Jenn’s Notes
Servings: 4 – 1½ cup servings
Storage:
- To Store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- To Freeze: Place the cooked and cooled chicken in a freezer-safe container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
- To Reheat: Heat in the microwave or skillet until heated through.
- Coating the chicken in cornstarch gives it a more tender texture and helps the sauce stick to it. Use almond flour for a low carb option.
- You can add 2 teaspoons of lime juice and chopped cilantro to the peanut sauce.
Nutrition Info
Calories: 817kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 62g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 22g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 217mg | Sodium: 2148mg | Potassium: 1098mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 324IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 4mg
YUM, 👏🏼👍🏼♥️ YUM👏🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼♥️❗️😱I’m A PEANUT BUTTER Goon 😂😂, And Spicy 🌶️ Food LOL, THIS LOOKS SUPER in Fact I Thought of CAULIFLOWER Recipe I JUST looked At ❗️❗️ thank You For Sharing 😊G-d♥️Bless