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Home » Food » By Country or Region » Asia » Indonesia » Thai Peanut Chicken

Thai Peanut Chicken

January 18, 2021 by Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet · 89 Comments

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Thai Peanut Chicken Recipe  This delicious peanut coconut chicken is positively PACKED with flavor, is quick and easy to make, and is thoroughly satisfying!

Thai peanut chicken recipe coconut milk Asian mild sweet cilantro spicy

This tasty Thai-influenced dish comes together in 30 minutes.  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:  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 coconut milk Asian mild sweet cilantro spicy

Thai Peanut Chicken Recipe

Let’s get started!

Chop the onions and mince the garlic and ginger.  Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the onions until soft and translucent, 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and ginger and cook another 2 minutes.  Add the chicken and cook another 3-4 minutes.

cooking vegetables and chicken

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.  Add the coconut milk and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add salt to taste.

adding spices and coconut milk

Serve immediately over steamed rice garnished with cilantro and roasted peanuts.  This dish tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had longer to meld.  If the sauce is a little too thick, simply add a little extra coconut milk.

Enjoy!

Thai peanut chicken recipe coconut milk Asian mild sweet cilantro spicy

Thai peanut chicken recipe coconut milk Asian mild sweet cilantro spicy

 

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Thai peanut chicken recipe coconut milk Asian mild sweet cilantro spicy

Thai peanut chicken recipe coconut milk Asian mild sweet cilantro spicy

Thai Peanut Chicken

Kimberly Killebrew
This delicious Thai Peanut Chicken is positively PACKED with flavor! Quick and easy to make and thoroughly satisfying!
Print Recipe
5 from 26 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 45 minutes mins
Course Entree, Main Course
Cuisine Asian, Thai
Servings 4

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.
Keyword Thai Peanut Chicken
Tried this recipe? Mention @daringgourmet or hashtag #daringgourmet

First published on The Daring Gourmet April 13, 2015

 

 

 

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89 Comments →

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89 Responses

  1. Eileen says

    November 5, 2023 at 3:23 pm

    Can you freeze this?

    Reply
    • Kimberly Killebrew says

      November 5, 2023 at 8:01 pm

      Yes you can, Eileen.

      Reply
      • Anonymous says

        November 13, 2023 at 4:51 am

        Great I love this recipe!

        Reply
        • Kimberly Killebrew says

          November 14, 2023 at 12:14 pm

          Thanks so much! :)

          Reply
      • Derek says

        November 17, 2023 at 8:32 pm

        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.

        Reply
        • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

          November 25, 2023 at 7:17 pm

          I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Derek, thank you very much for the feedback!

          Reply
  2. E says

    July 11, 2023 at 10:49 am

    One of my favourite dishes simple to make and well balanced

    Reply
    • Kimberly Killebrew says

      July 11, 2023 at 11:00 am

      Thank you so much, E!

      Reply
  3. Riley Crabtree says

    June 20, 2023 at 5:44 pm

    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.”

    Reply
    • Jim D says

      September 24, 2023 at 11:49 am

      my, my what a criticism. A rather crabby one, Riley.

      Reply
  4. Erin says

    February 22, 2023 at 4:37 pm

    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.

    Reply
    • Kimberly Killebrew says

      February 22, 2023 at 6:21 pm

      Thanks so much for the feedback, Erin, I’m so glad it was a family hit!

      Reply
  5. Melisende says

    December 5, 2022 at 3:13 pm

    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.

    Reply
    • Kimberly Killebrew says

      December 7, 2022 at 7:00 pm

      Thank you, Melisende, I’m so glad it was a hit!

      Reply
  6. Nicole says

    August 22, 2022 at 3:34 pm

    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?

    Reply
    • Kimberly Killebrew says

      August 24, 2022 at 6:52 pm

      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.

      Reply
  7. Ross says

    May 25, 2022 at 1:40 pm

    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!

    Reply
    • Kimberly Killebrew says

      May 25, 2022 at 6:46 pm

      I’m absolutely thrilled to hear that, Ross, thank you so much for the feedback and compliment!

      Reply
  8. DSL says

    May 15, 2022 at 6:15 pm

    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. 😀

    Reply
    • Kimberly Killebrew says

      May 15, 2022 at 6:56 pm

      Fantastic, DSL, thanks so much for the feedback!

      Reply
  9. Brian says

    March 22, 2022 at 11:12 am

    Where can I find the old version of this recipe? The old one used Heinz chili sauce

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      March 22, 2022 at 4:43 pm

      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.

      Reply
  10. Anonymous says

    March 13, 2022 at 12:24 am

    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!

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      March 13, 2022 at 1:43 pm

      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.

      Reply
  11. K Decker says

    January 3, 2022 at 8:09 pm

    My 13, 11 and 8 year old kids devoured this. Next time I’ll double the recipe!

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      January 4, 2022 at 12:33 pm

      Thank you, K Decker, I’m so happy it was a family hit!

      Reply
  12. Sarah says

    December 19, 2021 at 5:53 pm

    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?

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      December 20, 2021 at 8:36 pm

      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.

      Reply
  13. Anonymous says

    October 6, 2021 at 3:01 pm

    You are amazing !thank you for sharing your creations with the world. I just made this and will do it again

    Reply
  14. Karen Long says

    February 15, 2021 at 12:55 am

    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.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      February 22, 2021 at 8:47 pm

      I’m so happy to hear that, Karen, thank you!

      Reply
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kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

Welcome!  I’m Kimberly and I share delicious originals, revitalized classics and authentic dishes from around the world.  Come travel the world through your taste buds!

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