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This Peanut Butter Chicken is creamy, savory and rich with a hint of sweetness. Cooked up in one skillet and ready in under 40 minutes for a takeout-style meal made right at home!
A Quick Chicken Stir-Fry Packed with Flavor
I often have most of the ingredients for this peanut butter chicken already in my pantry, so this is a go-to when I want something easy to make for dinner. The rich, creamy sauce takes just a few minutes to mix up and has the perfect balance of salty, sweet and tangy flavors.
Keep it simple with just the chicken or use it as an opportunity to clear out the fridge by stirring in a few handfuls of mixed veggies. I sometimes even swap the chicken for tofu and use veggie stock in the sauce for meat-free guests.
Just a few simple steps and one pan is all that’s needed, and you’ll have a nutritious, crowd-pleasing dinner ready in under 40 minutes.
Recipe Overview
A Few Key Ingredients
Below are the key ingredients you’ll need to make Peanut Butter Chicken. The full quantities can be found in the recipe card further down the post.
Chicken: I used a mix of chicken thighs and breast. Chicken thighs have more flavor than breast and stay juicier when cooked, but chicken breasts are much leaner. So a mix of both will be perfect.
Creamy peanut butter: I like to use natural peanut butter (one made with just peanuts and salt) as it has a deep, nutty flavor that works perfectly for the sauce. Other creamy peanut butter works too but you may need to reduce or omit the added honey in the sauce if the nut butter is already sweetened.
Soy sauce: Used for seasoning the chicken and sauce. I like low-sodium soy sauce since the peanut butter is already salty but regular soy sauce (or gluten-free tamari) can also be used.
Cornstarch: Coats the chicken, helping it to brown while keeping it moist. It also helps to thicken the peanut butter sauce. Can be substituted for tapioca starch.
Spices: A mixture of cumin, coriander and black pepper seasons the meat here. If you don’t have these to hand, try using 1-2 tbsp of Thai red curry paste or a sprinkle of Chinese 5 spice instead.
Quick tip!
A squeeze of fresh lime and sprinkle of cilantro over the finished dish helps to balance the richness of the sauce.
How to Make Peanut Butter Chicken
Step 1. Place the cubed chicken in a bowl and add soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar or
honey, cornstarch, cumin, coriander and ground pepper. Mix thoroughly to combine. Allow it to sit for 15 minutes.
Step 2. Meanwhile, whisk all sauce ingredients until smooth. Adjust thickness with a
bit more liquid if needed. You may also blend to easily get it super smooth.
Step 3. Heat the neutral oil in a large pan over medium-high. Add chicken in a single
layer (work in batches if needed). Cook 5-6 minutes, turning, until mostly cooked through and lightly browned.
Step 4. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in the peanut sauce. Stir gently to coat. Cook 3 to 5 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through.
Step 5. Garnish with cilantro and chopped peanuts, if desired and serve over cooked
jasmine rice.
Recipe Notes
Marinating the chicken: Giving the chicken a quick 15 minute marination and some seasonings helps build layers of flavor to the finished dish. You can also cover the bowl and let the chicken marinate for up to 24 hours in the fridge.
The peanut sauce: This can always be stirred together and stored in a lidded jar in the fridge for up to 1 week. Doubling up the sauce is a great idea since you can keep extra in the fridge for last-minute meals.
Quick tip!
If the sauce seems too thick when the dish has finished cooking, stir in a splash of water or stock to thin it to your liking.
Add some veggies: To make a complete meal, stir-fry some veggies like sliced bell peppers, snap peas or bean sprouts before cooking the chicken then stir them back in at the end.
Storage: Allow the chicken to cool then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Alternatively, freeze for up to 3 months (thawing overnight in the fridge before reheating). Reheat in a skillet with a splash of water, stirring occasionally, until piping hot throughout.
Questions I Get Asked a Lot
Yes! Tofu works really well as a substitute for the chicken in this recipe. Choose firm or extra-firm tofu, press it, then cube and use as usual in place of the chicken.
This Peanut Butter Chicken is not very spicy, with just a touch of heat coming from the red pepper flakes. If you want a milder version just omit the pepper flakes!
This dish is great served over cooked jasmine rice as it soaks up all the tasty sauce. For a lower-carb option, steamed cauliflower rice is also delicious. I sometimes serve it with herbed couscous.
Yes! You can use Chinese sesame paste (not tahini) which has a similar deep, roasted flavor to peanut butter.
More Quick Dinners
- Ground Beef Tacos
- Marry Me Chicken
- Chicken Fajita Bowl
- Sheet Pan Tilapia
- Philly Cheesesteak Pasta
- Mahi Mahi Tacos
- Chicken Caesar Wraps
- Gnocchi Carbonara
- Chicken Asparagus Stir-Fry
Made these? Please consider leaving me a ⭐️ review and a comment below and let me know how it went. And tag me on Instagram so I can see your creations!
High-Protein Peanut Butter Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 pound chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar , or honey
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ tablespoons avocado oil, or any neutral oil
- ¼ cup chopped peanuts
- Lime wedges and freshly chopped cilantro, optional, to serve
Peanut Butter Sauce:
- ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1½ cups chicken stock , or water
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
- Place the 1 pound chicken thighs and 1 pound chicken breasts (diced) in a bowl and add 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, 3 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 teaspoons brown sugar , ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon ground coriander and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Mix thoroughly to combine. Allow it to sit for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter, 1½ cups chicken stock , 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 tablespoon honey, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil until smooth. Adjust thickness with a bit more liquid if needed. You may also blend to easily get it super smooth.
- Heat the 1 ½ tablespoons avocado oil in a large pan over medium-high. Add chicken in a single layer (work in batches if needed). Cook 5-6 minutes, turning, until mostly cooked through and lightly browned.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in the peanut sauce. Stir gently to coat.
- Cook 3–5 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through.
- Garnish with cilantro and ¼ cup chopped peanuts, if desired and serve over cooked jasmine rice with lLime wedges and freshly chopped cilantro if using.
Notes
- Storage: Allow the chicken to cool then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Alternatively, freeze for up to 3 months (thawing overnight in the fridge before reheating).
- Reheating: Reheat in a skillet with a splash of water, stirring occasionally, until piping hot throughout.
- The Chicken can be swapped with shrimp or tofu.
- If the sauce seems too thin, let it cook a little longer so it can thicken up.
- If the sauce seems too thick, stir in a splash more water or stock.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
