Thai Peanut Chicken RecipeĀ 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. Ā 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.Ā I wanted to have a hot meal ready for them but being pressed for time it needed to be quick and fuss-free.Ā 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.Ā Thirty minutes later the meal was ready and our family commented on the delicious smell as they walked into our home.Ā 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:Ā 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. Ā Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the onions until soft and translucent, 5 minutes. Ā Add the garlic and ginger and cook another 2 minutes. Ā 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. Ā Add the coconut milk and bring to a boil. Ā Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Ā Add salt to taste.
Serve immediately over steamed rice garnished with cilantro and roasted peanuts. Ā This dish tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had longer to meld. Ā 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
Sandy says
Any chance you could get the calorie allotment for a serving?
Jean Moore says
Sounds fabulous! Do you think it would work with tofu instead of chicken?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Jean, absolutely!
Heather says
Such a great recipe! Couldn’t stop eating it! Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you so much, Heather, I’m thrilled that you enjoyed it! :)
Natasha says
This is the first time that I tried this recipe and I do not regret trying it! It was so delicious, tasty, and will definitely be one of our favorite Thai dishes. We loved the flavor of sweet and spicy, it was so good!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Natasha, thank you! :)
Jen says
This was exactly what we needed to change up our normal chicken dinner routine. So delicious and easy to make. Loved it!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Jen, thank you!
katerina says
YUM! This sounds incredibly delicious! I can’t wait to try it!
Germaine says
Iām going to be making this next week-wanted something different, other than Indian (which we love). Have never made Thai, and as you quoted itās an easy dish to put together- will be serving it over rice – can I add more veggies to the sauce and also I will be using dark chicken meat as I find white a bit on the dry side.. Looking forward to trying out a new cuisine š¼š»
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Germaine, absolutely, add all the veggies you want. It may dilute the primary flavors so you may want to add a little more of the other ingredients – but you can taste it first and then adjust accordingly. Happy cooking!
Joy says
This was delicious! Iām always on the look for fast, easy and
Indo. This s it, the sauce is fantastic, you could definitely change it up if you wanted. Shrimp, veggies, eggs.
I stuck with the recipe as is. Husband was born in Holland his dad was born in Indonesia. They added a little Sambal Bajak perfect. I sliced cucumbers and poured sauce over those too…. so good! I will be making this again!!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Joy, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you!
Cliff Oakley says
Loved it. Our third one. We are in the UK so I bought ‘Heinz Fiery Chilli Ketchup’ (it may be the same product but with a different name).
We really enjoyed it. Thank you.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Cliff, I’m so happy you both enjoyed it – thank you!
Jess says
Does this recipe call for sweetened peanut butter or unsweetened/all natural? It’s not clear whether I need something like Jif, or something like Adam’s.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Jess, you can use either but I personally prefer and recommend unsweetened.
Carolyn Sullivan says
I looked online yesterday for a different spicy chicken breast & peanut butter recipe and found yours. I made it this afternoon, which hubby and I have just eaten, and it was perfect! I added some chopped red chillies and double cream and we loved it! Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Carolyn, I’m so glad to hear it, thank you!
Toni Moore says
I never comment on recipes I find online but I just have to say this is fantastic. My husband said it’s one of the best dinners I’ve ever made. I found a Korean chili sauce in the Asian food section of my grocery store since we like spicier dishes and it was perfect if you like more heat than the Heinz chili sauce (brand name is Chung Jung One.) Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Toni, I’m thrilled to hear that, thanks so much for the feedback!
Chuck Anziulewicz says
Hold the cilantro, please
GREG L says
If you do not have or like cilantro, I have used Thai Basil or Parley fresh from my herb garden.
Chuck Anziulewicz says
I’m just one of those people who apparently has a genetic aversion to cilantro. If it is used VERY sparingly, it can provide a certain je ne sais quoi to certain dishes, but most people go overboard on it.
Sly says
Thank you so much for this recipe Kimberley! I am making my way through all your goodies here and I appreciate both your writing & the pictures you do on each dish.
This one was Fantastic. I just got done with day 2 of leftovers of it and I just had to comment! :3 My own 2 cents…English muffins are great with this 2nd day and in making mine, I added tomatoes, carrots, red bell pepper and finally something I felt really melded the taste together: chicken hearts! They give off a nice liver-ish taste and it really seals your mouth with a smile! Thanks again and keep up the good work!
Happy holidays!! :D
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s fantastic, Sly! Thanks so much for the feedback and tips!
Chris Corbin says
I am going to make this tonight, but I plan to substitute the 1lb of chick breast with 1lb thigh meat. Cheers!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s a great call, Chris, dark meat always yields the most flavor. Just picked up a bunch of thighs at the store myself :) Happy cooking!