Peanut Butter Chicken Recipe (Easy Healthy Meal)

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. This recipe is gluten-free and can be made Whole30 as well.

Peanut Butter Chicken Benefits

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.

Why You Need This Recipe

• Tired of boring chicken? Try this great recipe using simple ingredients. It has the flavors of chicken satay but is a very easy recipe.
• I’ve written this recipe to be gluten-free. It is also Whole30 friendly as well.

Recommended 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. You can also use veggies like green beans if you like.
• 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 its 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. To make this recipe Whole30, use almond butter instead of peanut butter.

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

Recipe Steps

Step One

The first step is to gather up all of your ingredients and make the peanut butter sauce. Stir the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

Step Two

The next step is to prepare the chicken pieces and veggies to be cooked in a large skillet on the stovetop.

After the chicken and vegetables are almost done cooking over medium heat, 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.

Feel free to top with chopped green onions, fresh cilantro, or sesame seeds.

Step Four

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

I hope you agree that this easy peanut butter chicken recipe is your new favorite weeknight meal. It’s a delicious meal and a healthy dinner.

Recipe Tips

• Feel free to get creative with the vegetables you use. You can even use a bag of frozen chopped vegetables if you like.
• Many recipe for peanut sauce chicken include ingredients like coconut milk, fish sauce, or red curry paste. In the interest of keeping this recipe simple, I left them out. But, you can feel free to add more ingredients if you like. Experiment to find the best flavors.
• 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.

Recipe FAQs

More 30 Minute Meals You Might Like

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

What to Serve with Peanut Butter Chicken

Instant Pot Coconut Rice

Pumpkin Rice

Instant Pot Yellow Rice

Instant Pot Basmati Rice

Peanut Butter Chicken (30-Minute Meal)

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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

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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: Healthy
• Diet: Gluten Free

Nutrition

• Serving Size:
• Calories: 298
• Sugar: 7.2 g
• Sodium: 395.7 mg
• Fat: 16.8 g
• Saturated Fat: 2.9 g
• Carbohydrates: 11.2 g
• Fiber: 1.2 g
• Protein: 25.5 g
• Cholesterol: 68.9 mg

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About the Author: Carrie Forrest has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition. She is a top wellness and food blogger with nearly 10 million annual visitors to her site. Carrie has an incredible story of recovery from chronic illness and is passionate about helping other women transform their health. Send Carrie a message through her contact form.