Peanut Butter Chicken

Peanut butter chicken combines crispy fried chicken bites with a rich peanut butter sauce flavored with hot sauce, garlic, ginger, and Asian sweet chili sauce for a unique umami twist.

Why this recipe works

Peanut butter chicken is a savory dish that combines a kickin’ creamy peanut butter sauce with tender on the inside, crispy on the outside chicken pieces. This Asian-inspired dish is bursting with complex flavors that work together better than you would imagine! You’ll get hints of salty, sweet, savory, and a little spicy heat from the sweet chili sauce and hot sauce incorporated.

You might think of peanut butter as a strictly sweet component used in baked goods, but its already salty flavor profile plays really well against other savory ingredients. From peanut butter bread to this mouth-watering peanut butter chicken, it’s one of our favorite spreads to experiment with in the kitchen. You’ll be surprised at how delicious these little crispy-saucy bites are if you’ve never tried it before!

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

CHICKEN – You will need 1 1/2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe, though you can easily substitute with boneless skinless chicken breasts if preferred. 

SAUCE – The sauce is a combo of creamy peanut butter, honey, hot sauce (we used Franks red hot), fish sauce, minced garlic, minced ginger, and Asian sweet chili sauce. 

How to Make Peanut Butter Chicken

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

1. Place wire rack over a baking sheet.
2. Cut chicken thighs into 2-inch chunks.
3. Put cornstarch on one plate and flour on another plate.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg.
5. Dredge chicken pieces, one at a time, in flour, shake off excess.
6. Dip dredged chicken in egg, allowing excess to drip off.
7. Coat chicken piece in cornstarch, coating both sides. Place on wire rack.
8. Add enough vegetable oil to a deep-sided skillet to come an inch up the sides. Heat over medium-high, the temperature of the oil should be 350 F.
9. Lay paper towels out on a plate or cutting board.
10. Place prepared chicken pieces into the hot oil, enough to fill the pan but not crowd the chicken. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, turning once or twice during the cooking process. Chicken should be crispy.
11. Move cooked chicken pieces to paper towels.
12. To prepare the sauce, in a mini food chopper, add all sauce ingredients and blend until smooth.
    
    CHEF’S TIP – the sauce will taste very strong if you try it before combining with the chicken. We suggest that you refrain from taste testing before combining everything! Once combined with the chicken the flavor of the sauce mellows and compliments the fried chicken beautifully.
    
    
    
13. Place cooked chicken pieces into a large mixing bowl and add the sauce. Use a rubber spatula to carefully turn and coat the chicken.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

Serving Suggestions

Serve peanut butter chicken over rice or pasta with a nice glass of plum wine! For a low-carb alternative, try serving over cauliflower rice or couscous. Optionally garnish with sliced green onions and chopped peanuts. 

More Related Recipes

• Garlic Chicken
• Chicken Curry
• Hunan Chicken
• Kung Pao Chicken

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Peanut Butter Chicken

Peanut butter chicken is a savory dish that combines a kickin' creamy peanut butter sauce with tender on the inside, crispy on the outside chicken pieces.

5 from 4 votes

IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!

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Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Asian

Servings: 4 servings

21 minutes mins

Calories: 1190

Author: Amanda Davis

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
• ▢ ½ cup cornstarch
• ▢ ½ cup all purpose flour
• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ vegetable oil for frying

Peanut Butter Sauce

• ▢ 1 ½ cups creamy peanut butter
• ▢ 1 cup honey
• ▢ 1 ½ Tablespoons Franks red hot sauce
• ▢ 1 ½ Tablespoons fish sauce
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• ▢ ½ Tablespoon minced ginger
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon Asian sweet chili sauce

Things You’ll Need

• ▢
  Baking sheet
• ▢
  Wire cooling racks
• ▢
  Large deep sided skillet
• ▢
  Mini food processor or mini chopper

Before You Begin

• We use a mini chopper to mix up the sauce. You can also mix it by hand with a whisk, but it won’t be as smooth.
• You can easily substitute with boneless skinless chicken breasts if preferred. 

Instructions

• Place wire rack over a baking sheet.
• Cut chicken thighs into 2-inch chunks.
• Put cornstarch on one plate and flour on another plate.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the egg.
• Dredge chicken pieces, one at a time, in flour, shake off excess.
• Dip dredged chicken in egg, allowing excess to drip off.
• Coat chicken piece in cornstarch, coating both sides. Place on wire rack.
• Add enough vegetable oil to a deep sided skillet to come an inch up the sides. Heat over medium-high, the temperature of the oil should be 350 F.
• Lay paper towels out on a plate or cutting board.
• Place prepared chicken pieces into the hot oil, enough to fill the pan but not crowd the chicken. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, turning once or twice during the cooking process. Chicken should be crispy.
• Move cooked chicken pieces to paper towels.
• To prepare the sauce, in a mini food chopper, add all sauce ingredients and blend until smooth.

  TIP – the sauce will taste very strong if you try it before combining with the chicken. We suggest that you refrain from taste testing before combining everything! Once combined with the chicken the flavor of the sauce mellows and compliments the fried chicken beautifully.
• Place cooked chicken pieces into a large mixing bowl and add the sauce. Use a rubber spatula to carefully turn and coat the chicken.

Expert Tips & FAQs

• Chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165F registered on an instant-read thermometer when done cooking.
• This recipe makes 3 cups sauce. We only used about 2 cups on the chicken so you will have leftovers. Serve it on the side for dipping or drizzle it over rice if desired.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving (1 cup) | Calories: 1190cal | Carbohydrates: 108g | Protein: 58g | Fat: 65g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 18g | Monounsaturated Fat: 29g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 208mg | Sodium: 1334mg | Potassium: 1068mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 82g | Vitamin A: 109IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 4mg

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