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Thai Peanut Chicken

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This delicious Thai Peanut Chicken recipe is positively PACKED with flavor!ย  It’s 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. ย 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.ย  I wanted to have a hot meal ready for them but being pressed for time it needed to be quick and fuss-free.ย  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.ย  Thirty minutes later the meal was ready and our family commented on the delicious smell as they walked into our home.ย  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:ย  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. ย Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the onions until soft and translucent, 5 minutes. ย Add the garlic and ginger and cook another 2 minutes. ย 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. ย Add the coconut milk and bring to a boil. ย Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. ย Add salt to taste.

adding spices and coconut milk

Serve immediately over steamed rice garnished with cilantro and roasted peanuts. ย This dish tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had longer to meld. ย 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

 

Thai peanut chicken recipe coconut milk Asian mild sweet cilantro spicy

Thai Peanut Chicken

This delicious Thai Peanut Chicken is positively PACKED with flavor! Quick and easy to make and thoroughly satisfying!
5 from 30 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
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 skillet 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?Let us know how it was!

First published on The Daring Gourmet April 13, 2015

 

 

 

kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

Hi, Iโ€™m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!

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Recipe Rating




5 from 30 votes (9 ratings without comment)

97 Comments

  1. Iโ€™ve made this recipe many times, both as is and with small substitutions such as adding curry paste and lime juice. It is always delicious and definitely one of my husbands favorites. It also tastes better than many dishes you might order at a Thai restaurant!
    Thank you so much for this recipe! Ignore the naysayer!

      1. 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.

  2. 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.”

    1. Read the fine print she doesn’t claim this is a regional dish just something she put together on the fly and it’s excellent.ive traveled Thailand and everyone makes the same dish differently.

  3. My family loves this recipe. Iโ€™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.

  4. 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.

  5. Love this recipe! Iโ€™ve made it 3 times now and my bf says itโ€™s his favorite thing Iโ€™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?

    1. 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.

  6. 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!

  7. 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. ๐Ÿ˜€

      1. My husband and I like this. My kids don’t like peanuts. So I’m going to try using almond butter instead. Wish us luck

  8. 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!

  9. This recipe is delicious! Iโ€™ve made this multiple times and itโ€™s always a winner. My husband said it should regularly be on our meal rotation! Iโ€™m wondering if you think the recipe would translate well to a slow cooker? Iโ€™m thinking mix all of the sauce components and add the chicken and cook on low?

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

  11. 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.