Tender pieces of marinated chicken breast are stir-fried, then coated in a luxuriously rich and creamy peanut sauce. Make this easy Thai Peanut Chicken in a snap; even on your busiest weeknights!
Thai Peanut Chicken was a dish that I regularly ordered at a nearby Thai restaurant when I worked at a bank many years ago. After I left the bank, I didn't a chance to enjoy this dish as frequently so I learned to make this at home.
Bite-sized pieces of chicken breast are marinated in a simple but aromatic mixture of sesame oil and soy sauce. This marinade is kept very simple so that it does not overpower the flavors of the creamy peanut sauce.
The chicken is stir-fried, then coated in the peanut sauce separately to preserve the creaminess of the sauce. Serve it over steamed rice and you have yourself a bowl of Thai comfort food. Perfect with a tall cup of Thai Iced Tea.
This recipe is so easy to make that it is perfect for weeknights yet elegant enough for company. You probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry already!
How to Make Thai Peanut Chicken
Marinate 1 ½ lbs of chicken breast (cut into bite-sized pieces) in 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, and ½ teaspoon of salt.
Let the chicken marinate at room temperature for about 15 minutes (I typically allow the chicken to marinate as I prepare and cook the peanut sauce).
Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a wok over medium-high heat. I recommend using peanut oil or coconut oil in this recipe as it adds to the flavor of the dish.
Add the marinated chicken to the wok in one single layer. Allow the chicken to sear for about 30 seconds before flipping them over, then stir-frying till they are fully cooked.
Remove the chicken from the wok and place it in a large bowl.
Creamy Thai Peanut Sauce
This creamy and rich Thai peanut sauce is super versatile and can be used in a variety of dishes such as on a salad (as a dressing - thin down the sauce for this application), as a dipping sauce, as a sauce for noodles, stir-fries, and of course, Thai Peanut Chicken.
Store any leftover sauce in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to several months.
To make this sauce, simply pour all of the sauce ingredients into a small saucepan:
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1 cup coconut milk, 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 2 teaspoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar and 1 teaspoon sesame oil.
For a spicy kick, you could add about a tablespoon of Thai Red Curry Paste or Sriracha.
Place the saucepan over medium heat, and stir the sauce constantly using a heat resistant spatula.
The sauce will thicken in just a couple of minutes, so don't walk away! Keep stirring gently so that the sauce ingredients are thoroughly combined.
As soon as the sauce starts to thicken, turn off the heat.
Below is a picture of the ideal consistency for the sauce. Not too runny, and thick enough where it can hold a pattern when you stir it with your spatula.
If the sauce is too thick, add some coconut milk to thin it down to your desired consistency.
Pour about 2 - 3 tablespoons of the peanut sauce over the cooked chicken, then stir to coat.
Serve immediately over steamed rice, with the remaining peanut sauce on the side.
Top the Thai Peanut Chicken with more creamy peanut sauce, then garnish with chopped peanuts, cilantro leaves, and julienned carrots.
Enjoy!
Thai Peanut Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 ½ lbs chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil peanut or coconut recommended
Creamy Thai Peanut Sauce
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Thai Red Curry Paste optional
Garnish
- ½ cup chopped roasted peanuts
- ½ cup cilantro leaves
- ¼ cup julienned carrots
Instructions
- Marinade the chicken in soy sauce, sesame oil and salt for about 15 mins. (Allow the chicken to marinade while you prepare the sauce).
- Pour the coconut milk, peanut butter, soy sauce, fish sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar and Thai Red Curry Paste (if using) in a small saucepan.
- Place the saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly using heat-resistant spatula.
- When the sauce begins to thicken, remove from heat.
- Heat cooking oil in a wok over high heat. Add the marinated chicken to the wok in a single layer. Allow the chicken to sear for about 30 seconds before flipping them over, then stir-frying till they are fully cooked.
- Remove the chicken from the wok and place in a large bowl.
- Pour 2 - 3 tablespoons of the peanut sauce over the cooked chicken. Stir to coat.
- Serve immediately over steamed rice, with the remaining sauce on the side.
- Garnish with chopped peanuts, cilantro and julienned carrots.
Denise says
Hi, I just surfed in from Photograzing as I am looking for Thai dishes for my husband. I know he would enjoy this immensely but as he likes things spicy I would like to add the red chili paste. My question is how much would you add and where in the process? Thanks so much! I still feel a bit of a novice when making Thai food. We love it but have always eaten out at restaurants and would like to starting making them at home. Your blog is great and I have enjoyed looking through it.
Char says
Hi there! Thanks for visiting my blog! If adding the red curry or chili paste, I would add about 1 Tbsp (or more if you can take the heat!). Start with one, then you can always add more to taste. Add it when you're mixing all the sauce ingredients in the saucepan before putting it over the stove. Hope this helps! Let me know how it turns out!