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Peanut Butter Chicken Recipe You'll Love Forever

Jordan Mike
Discover Peanut Butter Chicken perfection: crisp chicken, velvety peanut sauce, and swift meal-prep hacks for a 30-minute dinner that wows every palate.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine inspired Fusion
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

Protein options (choose one):

  • Boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • Boneless chicken thighs
  • A single chicken thigh perfect for a solo serving

Marinade base:

  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1- inch knob fresh ginger grated
  • 1 Tbsp brown sugar
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 3 Tbsp soy sauce
  • ½ cup chicken broth

ingredients for peanut butter sauce essentials:

  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter or natural peanut butter
  • 2 Tbsp additional soy sauce for whisking into the nut butter

Flavor boosters & creamy finish (stir in just before serving):

  • ¼ cup coconut milk — creates a silky creamy peanut butter sauce
  • 1 tsp fish sauce — adds instant thai peanut depth

Optional swaps & add-ins:

  • Almond butter or cashew butter for variety
  • Extra crushed peanuts for garnish or sunflower seeds if there’s a peanut allergy

Instructions
 

Step 1 – Prep the chicken

  • Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes so every surface can grab the marinade. Use skinless chicken breast or skinless chicken thighs for the best caramelization; boneless-skinless thighs stay juiciest if you prefer dark meat.

Step 2 – Season

  • Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of soy sauce over the cubed chicken. Lightly season with salt and pepper.

Step 3 – Coat for crispiness

  • Toss the seasoned chicken in cornstarch until all the pieces are evenly coated. This thin layer ensures tender chicken pieces with a crisp shell.

Step 4 – Heat the oil

  • Film a skillet or wok with oil and heat until it shimmers.

Step 5 – Sear in batches

  • Add half of the chicken (work in batches to prevent steaming) and let it sizzle, undisturbed, for 5–6 minutes.

Step 6 – Flip and brown

  • Turn the chicken cubes and cook the second side until golden.

Step 7 – Deglaze

  • Push the browned chicken to one side of the pan, then pour in a splash of chicken broth to deglaze. Scrape up the browned bits—the fond equals flavor.

Step 8 – Finish the crust

  • When the broth evaporates, each piece of chicken will be coated in a fragile, flavorful crust that’s ready to soak up your peanut sauce.

Notes

Nutrition (per serving)*

Calories Fat Saturated Fat Carbs Fiber Sugars Protein Sodium
480 kcal 24 g 5 g 28 g 3 g 10 g 40 g 980 mg
*Approximate values calculated with boneless-skinless chicken thighs and regular creamy peanut butter.

Categories

  • Course: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Thai-inspired Fusion
  • Diet: Dairy-free, High-protein
  • Method: Skillet / Stovetop
  • Keyword: Peanut Butter Chicken
  • Skill Level: Easy
 
 
Keyword Peanut Butter Chicken