Calling all peanut butter lovers! Cook up a fun, take-out dinner in your own home with Peanut Butter Chicken.
This Asian-inspired recipe starts with tender chicken that’s seared and simmered in a salty-sweet peanut butter sauce. Serve this sticky, rich chicken over rice or noodles—then top with crushed peanuts.
And there you have it. A satisfying, flavor-packed dinner that’s quick and easy to make. You may even be able to get this homemade recipe on the table faster than take-out!
Why KJ Loves
Peanut Butter Chicken
Make this fun, classic take-out recipe in your own kitchen! If you’re looking for a yummy way to switch up your chicken dinner routine, this recipe is for you! I love how tasty and easy this chicken recipe comes together.
Why You’ll Love This Peanut Butter Chicken Recipe
Flavor explosion
This chicken recipe is packed full of Asian-inspired flavors like soy sauce and garlic…with a touch of honey for sweetness!
Cozy cuisine
What’s better than a pile of warm rice or noodles smothered in a rich peanut-y sauce? Serve up a bowl and enjoy a meal with family or friends…or with your favorite TV show on the couch.
Express meal
This take-out-inspired recipe is super quick. Simply sear chicken, mix up some sauce, and simmer it all together.
Peanut Butter Chicken Ingredients
Chicken
Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs for this recipe (whichever you prefer!).
Peanut butter
The star of the show! Use creamy peanut butter for this recipe. You can go with whatever brand you like, whether that’s Jif or your favorite natural peanut butter.
Soy sauce
The salty soy sauce pairs perfectly with the nutty peanut butter.
Sesame oil
A dash of sesame oil adds to the naturally nutty flavor of this dish.
Chicken stock
Chicken stock helps to thin out the sauce a bit. If you don’t have chicken stock on hand, you can use water (it just won’t be as flavorful).
Honey
The perfect touch of sweetness in the peanut butter sauce.
Garlic
Bright and flavorful!
How to Make Easy Peanut Butter Chicken:
1
Prepare the chicken.
Dice the chicken into 1-inch cubes and then sear the chicken in a skillet.
2
Mix up the peanut butter sauce.
While the chicken is cooking, mix up the peanut butter, soy sauce, garlic, chicken stock, and honey. You may need to melt the peanut butter in the microwave for a couple of seconds to stir it effectively.
3
Add the sauce and simmer.
Add the peanut butter sauce to the skillet with the chicken and simmer until heated through and at the consistency you prefer (you can cook it longer for thicker sauce).
Serving Easy Peanut Butter Chicken
I love to serve this chicken over a bed of white rice. Try out my coconut cilantro rice for a fun twist! You can also serve it over rice noodles or soba noodles.
Fun Toppings:
Tangy Twist
Add some veggies.
After you have seared the chicken, transfer it to a side plate. Then, add in your vegetables for a quick sear. Bell peppers or broccoli would work great! Add the chicken back in, stir, and serve hot!
Try a different nut butter.
If you’re allergic to peanut butter or prefer other kinds of nut butter, you can always substitute almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or cashew butter. You may need to adjust the amount of liquid in the recipe, as each butter has a different consistency.
Peanut Butter Chicken FAQs:
What does peanut butter chicken taste like?
Imagine your favorite sesame chicken with a nutty twist! Peanut butter chicken is slightly savory and slightly sweet. The sauce is rich and creamy, with a deep flavor from garlic, soy sauce, and a touch of honey.
What is peanut butter chicken made of?
Peanut butter chicken is made of cubes of chicken seared and covered in a sauce with peanut butter, soy sauce, garlic, chicken stock, and honey.
How do you reheat peanut butter chicken?
This recipe makes delicious leftovers. Simply heat in the microwave until warm, or add to a skillet with a touch of oil and heat until warm all the way through.
Want more peanut butter recipes?
Try these sweet peanut butter desserts:
- Salted Peanut Butter Scotcheroos
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Peanut Butter Chicken
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 5 servings 1x
Description
Calling all peanut butter lovers! Cook up a fun, take-out dinner in your own home with Peanut Butter Chicken.
This Asian-inspired recipe starts with tender chicken that’s seared and simmered in a salty-sweet peanut butter sauce. Serve this sticky, rich chicken over rice or noodles—then top with crushed peanuts.
And there you have it. A satisfying, flavor-packed dinner that’s quick and easy to make. You may even be able to get this homemade recipe on the table faster than take-out!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken, cut into 1 inch cubes – boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs can be used for this recipe depending on white or dark meat preference.
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil or avocado oil
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter (regular or natural)
- 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Optional ingredient for heat: 1-2 teaspoons chili flakes
Instructions
- Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add in the chicken and sear until golden brown on all sides.
- While the chicken is cooking, make the sauce. In a bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, chicken stock and honey until smooth and combined.
- Once the chicken is seared on all sides and cooked all the way through, pour the sauce into the pan and toss to coat. Reduce the heat to low and allow the sauce to simmer and thicken. If the sauce needs to be thinned out, more chicken stock can be added.
- Serve over white rice or ramen noodles topped with crushed peanuts and green onions. Enjoy!
Notes
- Nutritional information for this recipe is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Sauté
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 466
- Sugar: 4.2g
- Fat: 29.2g
- Carbohydrates: 7.2g
- Fiber: 0.4g
- Protein: 41.7g
Keywords: Peanut Butter Chicken
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Hi, I’m KJ!
Here you’ll find simple, delicious recipes for the home cook. I strive to make wholesome meals with easy-to-find ingredients that you feel comfortable making in your own kitchen—but I won’t shy away from a few indulgences! (I see you: butter, bacon, cookies!)
