Easy Peanut Butter Chicken Recipe
This Easy Peanut Butter Chicken Recipe turns simple pantry ingredients into a bold, crave-worthy meal your whole family will actually get excited about.
The creamy peanut butter sauce is rich, savory, slightly sweet, and perfectly comforting for busy weeknights when you want something different from your usual chicken dishes.
It coats the chicken in a smooth, mild Thai-inspired sauce that’s flavorful without being spicy. You can keep it kid-friendly or add chili flakes or sriracha for extra heat.
This quick, family-friendly dinner tastes like takeout but comes together easily right at home with minimal effort.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you when you make a purchase through my links. Thank you for supporting my kitchen!
Why You’ll Love This Creamy Peanut Butter Chicken Recipe
- Made with simple pantry ingredients you probably already have
- Ready fast for busy weeknights
- Family-friendly flavor (easy to adjust spice level)
- Budget-friendly and high in protein
- Delicious served with rice, noodles, or vegetables
How to Make Peanut Butter Chicken
Dice the chicken into equal sized pieces and sauté in a skillet until it’s cooked through and lightly golden, remove it from the pan while you whisk together the sauce.
The sauce is what makes this recipe so irresistible.
- Whisk peanut butter with soy sauce, garlic, and broth
- Add a touch of sweetness if desired (brown sugar or honey)
- Simmer until smooth and creamy
- Adjust thickness with extra broth if needed
If your sauce becomes too thick, simply stir in a splash of warm broth or water until it reaches your preferred consistency.
For extra flavor, you can also add:
- fresh ginger
- lime juice
- chili flakes
- sesame oil
After adding the chicken back into the sauce, let it simmer for several minutes to absorb all the delicious peanut flavors.
Garnish with fresh cilantro, lime wedges, or chopped peanuts to bring brightness and texture to your dish.
Don’t Forget To…
- Scroll down to print the full recipe with step-by-step instructions and exact measurements.
- Check out my Kitchen Essentials for the pans, mixing bowls, and baking tools I use to make this recipe a breeze.
- Save or share this recipe on Pinterest!
Yes! Chicken thighs work perfectly in this recipe and often stay even more tender and juicy during cooking. Boneless skinless thighs are the easiest option and cook in about the same time as chicken breast pieces.
Yes! This recipe is great for meal prep and reheats easily. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth if the sauce thickens too much.
Yes. Allow the chicken to cool completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop until warmed through. Stir in a little broth if needed to restore the sauce’s creamy texture.
If your sauce seems thin, let it simmer a few extra minutes. You can also stir in a small amount of cornstarch slurry if needed.
This easy peanut butter chicken recipe is mild as written, but you can easily add spice with chili flakes or hot sauce.
What to Serve with Peanut Butter Chicken
You want side dish recipes that soak up the creamy sauce and balance the flavors of the dish. Try serving it with:
- jasmine rice, coconut rice or brown rice
- rice noodles
- steamed broccoli
- roasted green beans
- snap peas
- cucumber salad
If you loved how simple and flavorful this dish is, be sure to explore these helpful ideas to make planning easy, delicious meals even easier:
- Looking for more creative recipes with peanut butter? From savory dinners to sweet treats, peanut butter adds rich flavor and pantry-friendly convenience to so many family favorites.
- Need more inspiration for easy weeknight meals? These quick, comforting dinner ideas help you get a satisfying homemade meal on the table fast—even on your busiest nights.
Peanut Butter Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breasts
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 4 tbsp creamy peanut butter
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 3 tbsp white vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1-2 garlic cloves chopped
Instructions
- Dice chicken.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a sauté pan. Brown chicken.
- While the chicken is cooking, make your peanut sauce: whisk together soy sauce, creamy peanut butter, brown sugar, remaining olive oil, ground ginger and white vinegar.
- When chicken is browned, stir in sauce and cook until chicken is cooked through and sauce is warm.
- Serve Peanut Butter Chicken over white rice.
going to have to try this out one day
Always looking for new ways to serve chicken. Also going to try this with my tofu. Yummy sounding. Stopped by from SITS Girls.
I am definitely trying this recipe. My family loves chicken no matter how I make it.
I didn’t have white vinegar, so I used apple cider vinegar instead. Still amazing and so easy! I loved it.
Made sauce with veg oil didn’t see olive oil in above story before putting sauce together. Still good. Will try olive oil next time!
@Emmie, in the ingredient list it says oil and then the instructions it says olive oil
My family and I don’t like chicken breast I wonder if it would be good with chicken thighs, I may have to try it
Yes absolutely! I make it with thighs all the time!
I did make the recipe & used coconut oil. We liked it a lot & will definitely make it again. Thank you
yes! I used to do that when I first started making this recipe years ago.
This is quite yummy, but the amount of ginger is a little too much for me. I also strongly recommend using low sodium soy sauce, or it gets to be wayyy too salty. Great with broccoli and white rice (I make my rice with chicken stock and butter for extra flavor)
make this chicken but bake it on shish kabob sticks and serve with a plum sauce …we call it pb&j chicken
What kind of oil do you need for this meal?! Olive oil or Vegetable oil?! Thank you so much for your help!!
I use olive.
Just wanted to say this was awesome. I have a toddler who only wants peanut butter and jelly, so this was my way of parlaying that into a more nutritious dinner. Thanks!
This makes me so happy!
What if I have everything but the ginger. Will it still be good?
Absolutely! Many times I forgo the ginger and it’s just as delicious!
This was absolutely delicious and so easy to make. Thank you!!
Can I use chunky peanut butter and teriyaki sauce instead of soy?
Yes, the only probably with chunky is that it will be harder to whisk into a smooth sauce.
Delicious! Easy! I made with skinless, boneless thighs and had so much yummy sauce for the rice- Thank you!
I went thru these comments and didn’t see my question, but you state in one area to saute the garlic with the peanut butter, but there’s no garlic in the ingredients–did you mean the ginger? or does this recipe also include garlic?
I updated the recipe to include 1-2 cloves of garlic.