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Quick & Easy Peanut Butter Chicken (20-Minute Meal!)

This quick and easy peanut butter chicken recipe is sure to become a weeknight favorite! Repurpose the leftovers (if there even are any), into delicious meal prep bowls with some brown rice and crunchy, colorful fresh veggies…

peanut butter chicken in a ceramic bowl with chopped peanuts garnish

This recipe was created in partnership with The Peanut Institute. Thanks for supporting me and the brands I love!

Peanut Butter Chicken

Hey there fellow peanut butter lovers! Have y’all been dipping and dousing everything in sight with the easy peanut sauce I shared last week, yet? If not, here’s another reason to make it STAT — peanut butter chicken

Yes, chicken and peanut butter is really a thing, and it’s seriously amazing. Like all caps with three exclamation points, AMAZING!!! I mean, how can you go wrong with tender, sautéed chicken smothered in a warm and spicy peanut sauce that can be ready to serve in less than 20 minutes? Add some brown rice (try this easy Instant Pot brown rice recipe) and crunchy, colorful fresh veggies for a healthy dinner that’s sure please.

Ready to try it? I promise you won’t be sorry!

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2-minute easy peanut sauce for peanut sauce chicken in a weck jar

What’s so great about peanut sauce chicken?

Well, besides the fact that peanut sauce chicken is utterly delicious and addictive, there’s been some pretty compelling research recently on the health benefits of adding more peanuts (and peanut butter) to your diet. The nutrients and compounds in peanuts can:

  • INCREASE BLOOD FLOW TO THE BRAIN — peanuts contain resveratrol, a plant compound that is believed to improve blood flow in the brain, which may reduce risk of stroke and help improve cognitive abilities.
  • HELP ENHANCE YOUR MOOD — polyphenols (like those found in peanuts) have shown the potential to enhance mood. Sounds like a great reason to feed my teens more peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, if you ask me!
  • HELP YOU STAY ALERT — unsaturated fat in peanuts provides sustained energy, which can ward off fatigue and help you stay sharp.

chicken and peanut butter sauce on a rimmed baking sheet

What’s more, peanuts also contain high levels of niacin and are a good source of vitamin E, two nutrients that have long been known to protect against Alzheimer’s disease and age-related cognitive decline. And of course, they’re packed with protein, vitamins, and minerals.

Adding a handful of peanuts or two tablespoons of peanut butter almost every day is all you need to realize these benefits. So increase your intake by making this easy peanut butter chicken recipe ASAP. Another good choice is these yummy no bake peanut butter protein balls. But I’ll warn you that, as with this peanut butter chicken, they’re just a wee bit addictive!

how to make peanut butter chicken with easy peanut sauce

How To Make Peanut Butter Chicken

This peanut butter chicken recipe is super quick and easy to make, especially if you already have a batch of my peanut butter sauce on hand. I keep a jar in my fridge expressly for this purpose! Well, that and because it’s also divine as a salad dressing, mixed into cold noodles, or as a veggie dip…

Trust me — it will NOT go to waste. But even if you don’t have ready-made peanut sauce, it only takes 2 minutes to whip up a batch!

From there, you simply sauté some diced boneless skinless chicken breasts in oil, seasoning them with about a tablespoon of soy sauce. When the chicken is fully cooked, stir in 3/4 cup of the peanut sauce and warm it through.

peanut butter chicken recipe garnished with chopped roasted peanuts

Voila, dinner is ready! Serve this peanut butter chicken warm over pressure cooker brown rice with some thinly sliced red cabbage, sliced red peppers, and shredded carrots, all drizzled with more peanut sauce. I like to finish it off with some more chopped unsalted roasted peanuts, along with a small handful of cilantro.

Want a light and fresh side dish idea to pair with this? This quick and easy Asian cucumber salad is exactly what you’re looking for!

PIN IT NOW! CLICK HERE TO ADD THIS PEANUT BUTTER CHICKEN RECIPE TO YOUR FAVORITE EASY RECIPES BOARD ON PINTEREST!

easy peanut butter chicken recipe in a bowl topped with chopped unsalted roasted peanuts

Quick & Easy Peanut Butter Chicken

Yield: 6 cups peanut butter chicken
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 17 minutes

This quick and easy peanut butter chicken recipe is sure to become a weeknight favorite! Repurpose the leftovers (if there even are any), into delicious meal prep bowls with some brown rice and crunchy, colorful fresh veggies...

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Drizzle the oil of your choice in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the diced chicken to the pan, and then pour the soy sauce over top. Sauté for about 10-12 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked.
  2. Stir 3/4 cup of the peanut sauce into the chicken, and continue to cook until the sauce is warmed through.
  3. Serve with brown rice and colorful sliced veggies. Garnish with chopped unsalted roasted peanuts, as desired.

Notes

Ideas: Turn this recipe into peanut butter chicken meal prep bowls with Instant Pot brown rice and colorful fresh veggies.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 servings Serving Size: 1 cup
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 302Total Fat: 15.2gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 70.2mgSodium: 385.8mgCarbohydrates: 8.6gFiber: 1.0gSugar: 5.4gProtein: 30.5g

Have you tried this recipe?

Leave a comment below and share a photo on Instagram. Tag it @unsophisticook and hashtag it #unsophisticook!

peanut sauce chicken meal prep bowls with brown rice and colorful fresh veggies

Peanut Butter Chicken Meal Prep Bowls

Meal prep bowls are a hot item these days, and I have to say they’re kind of growing on me. This peanut butter chicken is pretty darn tasty even when it’s cold, so it’s an ideal make ahead recipe for this application.

Box up your leftovers in some glass meal prep containers (I like the 3.5-cup containers in this set), or whip up a batch during your weekly meal prep sessions just for these bowls.

three peanut butter chicken meal prep bowls lined up

If I’m being honest, I’m not normally a huge fan of leftovers, but this is really a great way to use them up. When you portion things out intentionally like this, it feels a little less leftover-y — and I can’t deny that I love knowing I’ve got a healthy and flavorful ready-made lunch waiting!

Are you interested in more easy recipes that can serve as dinner AND a meal prep option? Let me know in the comments!

Did you make this recipe?
Tag @unsophisticook on Instagram and hashtag it #unsophisticook.

If you like this peanut butter chicken, you might also enjoy these other recipes featuring peanuts and/or peanut butter:

Becky Hardin

Monday 13th of May 2019

Love the idea of Peanut Butter Chicken. YUM!

Suzy

Sunday 12th of May 2019

This recipe is a keeper

Sara Welch

Sunday 12th of May 2019

This was a hit at dinner last night! The peanut sauce is amazing!

Anna

Saturday 11th of May 2019

I am obsessed with this peanut butter chicken! Crazy delicious!

Kara

Saturday 11th of May 2019

We are huge peanut butter fans at our house, so this was a huge hit. Next time I'm doubling it so we will have leftovers!

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