Description
Peanut Butter Chicken is a savory and slightly sweet dish featuring crispy fried chicken pieces coated in a rich and creamy peanut sauce, combined with fresh sautéed vegetables. This flavorful recipe balances the earthiness of peanut butter with a hint of heat from hot sauce and the freshness of broccoli, carrots, and bell peppers, served over fluffy white rice for a complete and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Peanut Sauce
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce
Vegetables
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil (can substitute olive oil)
- 2 ½ cups broccoli florets
- ¾ cup baby carrots (julienned)
- 1 red bell pepper (sliced)
Chicken
- 1 ½ lbs boneless chicken breast or thighs
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1/3 cup peanut oil (can substitute olive oil)
To Serve
- 3 cups cooked rice
- Green onions (for garnish)
- Chopped peanuts (for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare the Sauce: Whisk together the peanut butter, chicken broth, low sodium soy sauce, honey, minced garlic, and hot sauce in a medium bowl until smooth and set aside.
- Sauté the Vegetables: Heat 2 tablespoons of peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli florets and julienned baby carrots, cooking for 3 to 4 minutes while stirring frequently until slightly tender. Add sliced red bell peppers and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the skillet and set aside.
- Prepare the Chicken: Cut the boneless chicken breast or thighs into 2-inch pieces. Pat them completely dry using paper towels. Evenly sprinkle with white pepper, salt, and paprika, then toss to coat using kitchen tongs. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the seasoned chicken pieces and toss again to coat thoroughly.
- Heat Oil for Frying: In the same large skillet, heat 1/3 cup peanut oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking.
- Fry the Chicken: Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, carefully place chicken pieces into the hot oil. Fry until the bottom side turns light brown and crispy, about 3 to 4 minutes, then flip and fry the other side for an additional 3 to 4 minutes. Adjust the heat as necessary to prevent burning and ensure even cooking.
- Combine Chicken and Sauce: Using paper towels, wipe away any excess oil from the skillet. Add the fried chicken pieces back to the skillet. Whisk the prepared peanut sauce and pour it over the chicken, then toss gently to coat all pieces evenly with the sauce.
- Simmer to Thicken: Reduce heat to medium and allow the sauce to heat through and thicken. The cornstarch coating on the chicken will naturally thicken the sauce. Stir occasionally and cook until the desired thickness is reached. If the sauce becomes too thick, add small splashes of water to thin it out as needed.
- Add Vegetables and Garnish: Return the sautéed vegetables to the skillet and toss them together with the chicken and sauce or serve the vegetables on the side. Garnish the dish with chopped green onions and roughly chopped peanuts for extra taste and texture.
- Serve: Serve the Peanut Butter Chicken hot alongside 3 cups of cooked white rice, vegetable fried rice, or noodles to complement the flavors.
Notes
- For perfectly cooked white rice, rinse 1 cup of rice under cold water until water runs clear, then combine with 1 ½ cups water in a pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
- You can substitute peanut oil with olive oil if preferred, but peanut oil enhances the peanut flavor in the dish.
- Adjust the amount of hot sauce depending on your preferred spice level.
- For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free soy sauce.
- Leftover peanut sauce can be refrigerated separately for up to 3 days and reheated gently before use.
