Peanut Butter Chicken Recipe

Your family is going to love this delicious Peanut Butter Chicken recipe that comes together in less than 30 minutes. Serve this flavorful dish over steamed white rice or sautéed cauliflower rice.

If you’ve never had Peanut Butter Chicken, then you are in for a delicious surprise. This Asian-inspired chicken thigh dish with red peppers is full of creamy, tangy flavor, satisfying chicken. Even kids love this healthy dish and will ask for seconds.

Best of all, this easy meal comes together in 30 minutes or less, making this the perfect easy chicken dinner for busy weeknights.

See my full index of healthy 30 Minute Meals.

Key Ingredients

There are no exotic ingredients in this recipe which means you don’t have to make a special shopping trip. I bet you have most or all of them in your kitchen right now.

Chicken breasts or thighs – Although chicken thighs will be more moist and flavorful, chicken breasts work great in this recipe too.

Red bell peppers & onions – Red bell peppers are naturally sweeter than green but any color will work here. For sweeter varieties stick to yellow, orange, or red.

Coconut aminos is the soy-free version of soy sauce. It’s also gluten-free and vegan. You can use regular soy sauce if you prefer.

Natural peanut butter is what gives the sauce it’s peanut butter flavor. Natural peanut butter is not only better for you without added sugars or hydrogenated oils but it also has a nuttier flavor. But, don’t worry if you only have regular peanut butter, it will work great too.

Recipe Steps

Step One

The first step is to gather up all of your ingredients and make the peanut butter sauce.

Step Two

The next step is to prepare the chicken and veggies to be cooked in a large skillet on the stovetop. After the chicken and vegetables are almost done cooking, stir in the peanut butter sauce.

Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.

Step Three

Let the chicken finish cooking and serve hot. The peanut butter sauce will thicken a little bit as the dish cools.

I like to serve the Peanut Butter Chicken over steamed Instant Pot Basmati Rice (recipe coming soon), but it would also be great with brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice.

Recipe Tips & Substitutions

• Feel free to get creative with the vegetables you use. You can even use a bag of frozen chopped vegetables if you like.
• If you’re on a paleo or Whole30 diet, you can substitute almond butter for the peanut butter and leave out the coconut sugar.
• You can even use cubed firm tofu instead of chicken if you want a plant-based meal.
• If you want an extra kick of flavor, feel free to serve this dish with a squeeze of lime juice and a sprinkling of red pepper flakes.
• Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat before serving.

FAQs

30 Minute Meals

I don’t know about you, but it can be hard to find recipes that are easy to make on a weeknight, but also taste great. I think you’ll agree that this easy recipe fits the bill. Even my husband asked for seconds of this healthy chicken dish.

Here are some other 30-minute meal favorites:

• Meatloaf Muffins
• Instant Pot Salmon & Vegetables
• Ground Chicken Lettuce Tacos with Mango Salsa
• Keto Canned Salmon Salad
• Hibachi Shrimp with Yum Yum Sauce
• Simple Chicken Curry

I hope you make this recipe! If you do, please leave a comment and a starred review below.

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Peanut Butter Chicken Recipe

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Your family is going to love this delicious Peanut Butter Chicken recipe that comes together in less than 30 minutes. Serve this flavorful dish over steamed white rice or sautéed cauliflower rice. 

• Total Time: 27 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1/4 cup coconut aminos
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/3 cup natural creamy peanut butter, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons coconut sugar or white sugar (leave out for sugar-free diets)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, cored, de-seeded, and sliced into thin strips
• 1.25 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

Instructions

1. In a small mixing bowl, combine the aminos, rice vinegar, peanut butter, sesame oil, coconut sugar, and ground ginger. Use a spoon or whisk to stir together. Set the bowl aside while you cook the chicken.
2. In a large non-stick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper strips and sauté for 2 minutes, or until the vegetables start to soften. 
3. Add the chicken, stir, and reduce the heat slightly to medium-low. Cover the skillet and let the chicken cook for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. When the chicken is almost done cooking, stir in the peanut butter sauce. Keep the lid off and let the mixture cook for an additional 2 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
5. Serve hot.

Notes

1. Feel free to get creative with the vegetables you use. You can even use a bag of frozen chopped vegetables if you like.
2. If you’re on a paleo or Whole30 diet, you can substitute almond butter for the peanut butter and leave out the coconut sugar.
3. You can even use cubed firm tofu instead of chicken if you want a plant-based meal.
4. If you want an extra kick of flavor, feel free to serve this dish with a squeeze of lime juice and a sprinkling of red pepper flakes.
5. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat before serving.

• Author: Carrie Forrest, MPH in Nutrition
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Category: Main dish
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Gluten Free

Keywords: easy chicken dinner, chicken thigh recipe, gluten free chicken recipe

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