Can I use regular sugar instead of coconut sugar?

Yes, if you don't have coconut sugar you can use regular or brown sugar in it's place. Honey or light agave will work too!

What if I don't have sesame oil?

If you don't have sesame oil you can use a neutral flavored oil in it's place like avocado or canola oil. You will lose some of the nutty flavor that the sesame oil adds to the peanut sauce though.

Peanut Butter Chicken (Healthy Recipe)

Name: Peanut Butter Chicken (30-Minute Meal)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Healthy
Ingredients: ¼ cup coconut aminos; ¼ 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); ¼ 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

Ingredients

Units Scale

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

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.
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.
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.
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.
Serve hot.

Notes

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.

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