Thai Peanut Chicken Recipe This delicious peanut coconut chicken is positively PACKED with flavor, is quick and easy to make, and is thoroughly satisfying!
This tasty Thai-influenced dish comes together in 30 minutes. Â The flavors of peanuts, coconut, chili, garlic, and ginger beautifully meld to create a sauce that is rich, comforting, and satisfying!
This is a dish I created several years ago when I got word that family was coming over from out of town at the last minute. I wanted to have a hot meal ready for them but being pressed for time it needed to be quick and fuss-free. One of the family members in particular loved everything Asian/Thai/Indonesian and so I looked in my freezer and in my pantry for inspiration. Some chicken and a big jar of peanut butter stood out to me and so I grabbed them and went to work, gathering other ingredients along the way like coconut milk and chili sauce. Thirty minutes later the meal was ready and our family commented on the delicious smell as they walked into our home. A few bites into the meal the compliments came pouring in.
This dish is a nice blend of sweet and spicy but you can adjust it according to your personal preference:Â Use either hot or mild chili powder and chili sauce according to your desired heat level.
This Thai Peanut Chicken has remained a favorite in our home and we’re confident you’re going to love it too!
Thai Peanut Chicken Recipe
Let’s get started!
Chop the onions and mince the garlic and ginger. Â Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the onions until soft and translucent, 5 minutes. Â Add the garlic and ginger and cook another 2 minutes. Â Add the chicken and cook another 3-4 minutes.
Add the sweet chili sauce, tomato sauce or ketchup, chili powder, brown sugar (for paleo Thai peanut chicken omit the sugar), salt and peanut butter and stir to combine. Â Add the coconut milk and bring to a boil. Â Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Â Add salt to taste.
Serve immediately over steamed rice garnished with cilantro and roasted peanuts. Â This dish tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had longer to meld. Â If the sauce is a little too thick, simply add a little extra coconut milk.
Enjoy!
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Thai Peanut Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 yellow onion , chopped
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 inch piece ginger root , minced
- 1 pound chicken breast , cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce (click link for homemade chili sauce recipe)
- 2 tablespoons tomato sauce or ketchup
- 3 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter
- 1 tablespoons chili powder
- OR homemade chili powder (highly recommended!)
- 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar (optional; paleo: omit)
- 14 ounce unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
- Chopped roasted peanuts for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a sauce pan over medium-high heat and cook the onions until soft and translucent, 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the sweet chili sauce, tomato sauce or ketchup, chili powder, peanut butter, and sugar and stir to combine. Add the coconut milk and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt to taste.
- Serve over steamed rice garnished with cilantro and chopped roasted peanuts.
First published on The Daring Gourmet April 13, 2015
Eileen says
Can you freeze this?
Kimberly Killebrew says
Yes you can, Eileen.
Anonymous says
Great I love this recipe!
Kimberly Killebrew says
Thanks so much! :)
Derek says
I stumbled across this recipe when I was searching for Thai food recipes. So I whipped it up for dinner today and I can honestly say it was even better than I expected. Thanks for the recipe.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Derek, thank you very much for the feedback!
E says
One of my favourite dishes simple to make and well balanced
Kimberly Killebrew says
Thank you so much, E!
Riley Crabtree says
I made it as written, and it’s okay. The dish tasted good enough. The ketchup and the chili powder are strange inclusions. Many of the aromatics found in Thai curry paste like galangal, coriander root, and lime leaf are sorely missed, as are soy and fish sauce. The substitutions, especially the ginger, make for a very round, mellow dish. Most of the rich umami, bright acidity, sharp aromatics, and heat of Thai food has been dialed back. This version of the dish has its edges sanded off into a generally palatable experience.
This recipe reads as if an American Midwesterner recalled having eaten chicken satay at a restaurant and tried to recreate it from memory from their current pantry without doing any research into Thai ingredients or techniques. There is nothing wrong with that, but it is a problem when that recipe is later published and titled “THAI peanut chicken.”
Jim D says
my, my what a criticism. A rather crabby one, Riley.
Erin says
My family loves this recipe. I’m not sure when I started doing it but I always use red curry paste instead of the ketchup and we really like it. The peanut flavor is so comforting and hearty. Thanks for the recipe.
Kimberly Killebrew says
Thanks so much for the feedback, Erin, I’m so glad it was a family hit!
Melisende says
Made this for a dinner party for 12. I used 3 1/2 pounds chicken breast and added a little more ketchup and chili sauce while adjusting the seasonings. This is like a stew with lots of liquid so I served it in bowls over rice. The guests loved it and wanted the recipe. It’s very delicious, easy to make, and a winner. Thanks for sharing this great dish.
Kimberly Killebrew says
Thank you, Melisende, I’m so glad it was a hit!
Nicole says
Love this recipe! I’ve made it 3 times now and my bf says it’s his favorite thing I’ve ever made for him. I like to add frozen veggies into the pot. Any ideas on how to thicken this up a bit? Tom paste?
Kimberly Killebrew says
Fantastic, Nicole, I’m so glad it’s become a favorite, thank you! The simplest way to thicken it is to dissolve some cornstarch in a little water and stir it in at the end and let it simmer for a minute until thickened.
Ross says
Searching for something today and came across this, a quick trip to my small supermarket in the UK and away we went.. 45 minutes later I had one of the best chicken dishes I’ve tasted! My other half commented she would have complimented the chef if it were served in a restaurant! Thank you!
Kimberly Killebrew says
I’m absolutely thrilled to hear that, Ross, thank you so much for the feedback and compliment!
DSL says
This was an easy yet delicious dinner recipe. I substituted the chicken with tofu, added 1 tbsp tamari, and the juice from one lime at the end of cooking. Thank you for the recipe. 😀
Kimberly Killebrew says
Fantastic, DSL, thanks so much for the feedback!
Brian says
Where can I find the old version of this recipe? The old one used Heinz chili sauce
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Brian, it’s the same version I simply linked to my homemade chili sauce instead for those wanting to make it from scratch. You’re more than welcome to use Heinz instead – same amount, 2 tablespoons.
Anonymous says
Hi, I tried this today, and while the sauce came out great, the chicken was slightly dry. Any idea how to prevent that?
Thanks again for the great recipe!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m glad you enjoyed it, thank you! Chicken becomes dry when it’s overcooked. The smaller the pieces the more quickly it will cook. Alternatively you can use boneless chicken thighs; dark meat is more moist.
K Decker says
My 13, 11 and 8 year old kids devoured this. Next time I’ll double the recipe!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, K Decker, I’m so happy it was a family hit!
Sarah says
This recipe is delicious! I’ve made this multiple times and it’s always a winner. My husband said it should regularly be on our meal rotation! I’m wondering if you think the recipe would translate well to a slow cooker? I’m thinking mix all of the sauce components and add the chicken and cook on low?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Sarah, I’m so glad it’s become a regular, thank you! Yes, you could do that in the slow cooker but the texture likely won’t be quite the same, things have a tendency to be more watery in the slow cooker.
Anonymous says
You are amazing !thank you for sharing your creations with the world. I just made this and will do it again
Karen Long says
This is a great recipe. I was looking for a simple to prepare chicken recipe that was flavorful. I will be making this over and over.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so happy to hear that, Karen, thank you!