Peanut butter chicken is a delicious and super simple one pan dinner idea – ready for the oven in only 15 minutes!
Peanut butter chicken made with creamy peanut butter, chicken thighs, and peppers all on one baking sheet is the perfect dinner recipe. Easy to make and fantastic complex flavors.
Peanut Butter Chicken
Peanut Butter Chicken
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Peanut Butter Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken – Chicken thighs with bone and skin work best for this recipe, you can also use drumsticks.
- Peanut butter – We like creamy peanut butter for our peanut butter chicken recipe. Choose whatever brand you love!
- Garlic – If possible, use freshly minced garlic, we really want the flavor to come through. In a pinch you can use pre-minced garlic from a jar. You may want to add a little extra if you do this as the flavor will not be quite as strong.
- Brown sugar – Just a touch of sweetness to balance things out. You can substitute granulated sugar if you don’t have brown sugar.
- Ginger – I never seem to have fresh ginger on hand, so we used ginger from a squeeze bottle. Obviously fresh is going to be more impactful, but I find ginger holds it’s own well even if it is pre-minced.
- Water – We only use a little water because I like the peanut butter sauce to be thick, but if you prefer it thinner, feel free to whisk in additional water.
- Soy sauce – Soy sauce adds a delicious salty umami.
- Sriracha – We don’t include enough to make the dish spicy, but if you want a spicy peanut butter chicken, then by all means, add more!
- Bell peppers – It will look like you’re using a ridiculous amount of peppers, but remember they will cook down significantly in the oven. I like to use a mix of red and green because it makes for a gorgeous dish.
- Onion – Sweet yellow or white onion works nicely in this recipe.
- Salt and pepper – Add to taste, I like a generous sprinkle right before it goes in the oven, and another when it comes out.
- Garnishes – I’m a firm believer in garnishes that add flavor and aren’t just for show. I strongly encourage you to top this peanut butter chicken liberally with cilantro and chopped peanuts. It really does elevate the dish.
How Do You Make Peanut Butter Chicken
⭐ First, whisk together peanut butter, garlic, brown sugar, ginger, water, soy sauce, and sriracha.
⭐ Next, add chicken to bowl and mix until chicken is coated with peanut butter sauce on all sides.
⭐ Then, spread peppers and onions evenly on baking sheet, and place chicken thighs on top. Top thighs with remaining peanut butter sauce.
⭐ Finally, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and bake uncovered. Garnish with copious amounts of cilantro and chopped peanuts.
Preparation
Can Peanut Butter Chicken Be Made Ahead of Time?
This recipe is best when enjoyed immediately after cooking as the peanut butter creates a delicious crust over the chicken when roasted. You will lose that yummy texture if making the dish ahead of time.
While, I would not recommend making the full dish ahead of time, you could cut the peppers and onions, as well as put together the peanut butter paste in advance to cut down prep time!
Do I Have To Use Peppers and Onions?
No! Alternatives (or additions!) could include fresh green beans, sugar snap peas, and water chestnuts.
That said, this dish can be made without the veggies entirely. Just skip that step and place the chicken directly onto the sheet pan.
Storage and Leftovers
How to Store Leftover Peanut Butter Chicken
Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for best results. I like to portion our leftovers in individual sized containers so we can grab one to enjoy for lunch at work. Make sure to add a scoop of rice or noodles!
How Long Does Peanut Butter Chicken Last in the Refrigerator
Chicken leftovers will typically last in the fridge for 3 – 4 days when properly stored. If the dish sat out in excess of two hours, do not save the leftovers.
Can You Freeze Peanut Butter Chicken
Peanut butter chicken can be frozen, but it is best if enjoyed immediately after preparation. The vegetables may become watery and less appetizing if frozen.
How to Reheat Leftover Peanut Butter Chicken
Peanut butter chicken is easily reheated in the microwave for 1 – 2 minutes, depending on your microwave’s strength. You may want to put a microwave safe dish cover or paper towel over the leftovers before reheating to reduce splatter.
Nutrition
Is Peanut Butter Chicken Healthy?
This will depend on the particular diet you subscribe to, but objectively speaking a chicken thigh contains 28 grams of protein per serving while peanut butter has eight grams of protein, two grams of fiber and 12 grams of unsaturated fat in each two-tablespoon serving.
Also, peppers and onions are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Are Peanut Butter Chicken Thighs Keto?
The ketogenic (keto) diet is a high-fat, adequate-protein, low-carbohydrate diet. This dish qualifies as keto-friendly. Please calculate nutrition facts independently to see how this recipe fits into your personal diet plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Peanut Butter Chicken?
Peanut butter chicken is a simple and delicious chicken dish prepared with a savory Asian inspired peanut sauce. Ours is made on one sheet pan with chicken thighs, sliced sweet peppers, and onions.
We love this as a simple weeknight dinner because it can be on the table start to finish in one hour!
What Does Peanut Butter Chicken Taste Like?
Peanut butter chicken tastes much like it sounds – loads of amazing peanut flavor with notes of garlic, soy sauce, ginger, and a hint of sriracha.
The creamy peanut paste creates a crust around the chicken as it cooks, making the chicken thighs incredibly moist and flavorful. Use the pan drippings as a sauce over rice or noodles.
Is Peanut Butter Chicken Thai or Chinese?
Our peanut butter chicken thighs are loosely inspired by a dish from our local Thai restaurant, but I wouldn’t call them strictly Thai or Chinese in flavor.
There is definitely an Asian feel and I used our popular peanut sauce recipe as a starting point for the recipe.
What to Serve with Peanut Butter Chicken
We typically serve this dish over white rice, but it’s also delicious with cauliflower rice, rice noodles, zucchini noodles, or even cooked spaghetti squash.
The great thing is you don’t even need a side dish, as the peppers and onions are delicious on their own. If you want a bigger portion of veggies, try adding a couple more sliced peppers, some fresh green beans, sugar snap peas, or water chestnuts to the baking sheet!
Peanut Butter Chicken
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More Savory Recipes with Peanut Butter
Sweet Recipes with Peanut Butter
- Peanut Butter Granola with Chocolate Chips
- Three Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
- Peanut Butter “Candied” Apples
- Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peanut Butter Fruit Dip
More Chicken Thigh Recipes
- Pan seared chicken thighs
- Teriyaki chicken thighs
- Crockpot honey garlic chicken thighs
- Italian Dressing Marinated Chicken
- Honey mustard chicken thighs
- See all our easy chicken thigh recipes!
Recommended Tools
- Bakers half sheet – It’s cool, we only have about six of these bakers half sheets because they’re good for absolutely everything. Cookies? Yes! Steak? Yes! Cake? Oh yeh! Roasted veggies? Uhhhh huh!
- Electric mixer – I love love love love love (x’s 100) my stand mixer. Really and truly. But my daily work horse is this handheld electric mixer. It even comes in allll the colors. Which, yay!
- Garlic press – Need fresh minced or sliced garlic, but don’t want to peel or chop your garlic? A garlic press is the bessssssst. We’ve had ours for as long as I can remember (maybe a wedding present?), and I use it several times a week!
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How to Make Peanut Butter Chicken
Peanut Butter Chicken
Ingredients
- 8 - 10 chicken thighs with skin and bone
- 1 cup peanut butter creamy
- 4 tablespoons minced garlic about 5 - 6 cloves
- 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon minced ginger
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 5 large bell peppers cut in strips
- 1 large yellow onion thin sliced
- Salt and pepper
- Garnish: cilantro chopped peanuts
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together peanut butter, garlic, brown sugar, ginger, water, soy sauce, and sriracha.
- Add chicken to bowl and mix until chicken is coated with peanut butter sauce on all sides.
- Spread peppers and onions evenly on baking sheet, then place chicken thighs on top. Use a spatula to spread remaining peanut butter sauce from bowl over top of thighs.
- Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. and bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
If you love Asian inspired dishes, try our Quick Egg Roll in a Bowl or summer rolls recipe next, and if you love chicken dishes try our recipe for BBQ Chicken Pizza!
Peanut Butter Chicken
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This post was originally sponsored by the National Peanut Board. I received compensation, but all opinions and content are my own.
We Love Peanut Butter!
• From breakfast to dessert and everything in between, peanut butter is a versatile, affordable ingredient that can be added to meals and snacks for a tasty, nutritious boost.
• No matter how you partake in peanut butter, you’ll get eight powerful grams of protein, two grams of filling fiber and 12 grams of unsaturated fat in each two-tablespoon serving!
Rachael Yerkes says
So good! I love it!
Trang says
I don’t know why but I never thought of peanut butter with chicken until now! So good!
Mallory Lanz says
I was skeptical at first, but it absolutely delicious!
Valerie says
I’ve never seen peanut butter chicken before. It sounds super easy to make and I bet it’s super flavorful!
Becky Hardin says
Peanut Butter Chicken sounds amazing. Adding this to my must make list!! YUM!
MARGARET A REILLY says
This looks so good. Definately going to make, always looking for ‘new’ ways with chicken, instead of same old, same old. Was wondering though, do you think this recipe would work well with boneless pork chops? Has anybody tried that?
April Woods says
I definitely think it would work! Sounds great!
Cheryl M Godwin says
Do you think this recipe would work with boneless skinless breasts? Even though I like dark meat they all like the breasts and I’m so tired of cooking chicken the same way! I have a bag of frozen breasts just mocking me in the freezer!
April Woods says
I do think it will work with boneless skinless chicken breasts š
Kelly says
Made this tonight but just served it with noodles. Made the chicken and cooked in the oven in my cast iron. It was fantastic! I split the sauce and used half for the noodles. Definitely going to be a favorite around here!