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    BLANK » Recipe Index » Main Entree

    Peanut Butter Chicken

    Last Updated July 7, 2021. Published July 7, 2021 By Charla 10 Comments

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    This peanut butter chicken is so delicious, low carb, high protein and gluten free/keto friendly too. I'm talking about boneless chicken thighs chopped into small bite sizes pieces, seared and braised in a creamy dairy free peanut butter sauce.

    peanut chicken garnish in a skillet

    Another chicken dinner for all of my chicken lovers, I just so happen to have a freezer stocked up with some unused boneless/skinless chicken thighs.

    As I mentioned in a slow cooker brown stew chicken recipe that I'm somewhat hooked on chicken thighs.

    There are certainly a lot juicer than chicken breasts, though you just need to trim/chop off any excess fat that's present.

    Let me tell you about this recipe to hand. Peanut butter chicken? yup, that's the one! I know some of you are turning your nose up to this chicken dinner.

    I used to feel the same about pairing nut butter with white meat until I made some Almond Butter Chicken Satay.

    Who knew you chicken and peanut butter would be a delicious combination

    That recipe taught me never to judge a book by its cover. 

    Side angle of the skillet

    Recipe inspiration

    This recipe was inspired by my visit to a Thai restaurant a few years ago. Although my recipe isn't an exact replica, it has some similarities.

    In my humble opinion, searing the chicken before making the peanut butter sauce is key.

    Searing also known as browning, helps to lock in that flavour, I know there are some recipes that don't require searing and that's okay because I am simply showcasing my technique which I think you will enjoy the most..

    Try this recipe without searing and with searing the chicken thighs and you will notice the difference. 

    You want the all purpose seasoning to adhere to the chicken via browning so then the peanut butter can coat the chicken as it simmers away.

    Makes sense doesn't it? I mean c'mon, who wants bland/fresh chicken? Not me! This is a step that I really really want you to abide by.

    This recipe is perfect if you are looking for something that is suitable for weightloss/fat burning due to it's high fat and low carb. Especially if you are someone who subscribes to the keto lifestyle.

    Even if you don't, that's okay because you will love it regardless.

    The steps

    steps1-4 seasoning meat and searing
    • Place the chicken in a large bowl use a fork to prick holes in it (recommended to help the seasoning to penetrate).
    • Add the all purpose seasoning, curry powder, black pepper and pink salt to the chicken and use your hands (you can wear gloves if you want to) to coat the chicken with the dry rub.
    steps 5-10 searing the chicken and making the peanut butter sauce
    • In a large skillet, on medium heat, add the olive oil.
    • Saute the onion, garlic and ginger until soft and translucent.
    • Add the chicken then proceed to sear the meat, this will take about 10-15 to achieve, during this time the chicken may extract it's own juices, if so, you will need to increase the heat to high (be careful not to burn the meat) to rid the excess liquid.
    • Once the chicken has been browned, remove it from the skillet and set aside.
    • Replenish the skillet with 2 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat.
    • Pour in the tomato, coconut aminos, coconut milk and then stir in the parsley, chilli powder and the peanut butter until it starts to melt and the sauce begins to take on a brown/beige colour.
    • Bring the sauce to a rolling boil then reduce the heat to medium-low.
    • Add the seared chicken to the sauce and stir.
    • Simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid sticking at the bottom of the pan. Keep an eye on the sauce, if it's too thick, add some water to thin it out, not too much about ¼ cup at a time.
    • Do a taste test and adjust the seasoning accordingly, adding more pink salt and black pepper if needed.

    Notes and tips

    • This is the recipe you will need for the All Purpose Seasoning.
    • Be sure to sear the meat thoroughly and don't be alarmed by the excess liquid that the chicken thighs produce, just cook off the excess and continue to brown the meat (the liquid will help to brown/lock in that flavour - I promise).
    • Feel free to use chicken breasts for a leaner option.
    • This chicken is freezer friendly so feel free to freeze any leftovers.
    • I used smooth peanut butter but you can use crunchy peanut butter if you want to.
    • Make sure to trim off any excess fat from the chicken thighs.
    Close of the chicken in the skillet

    Other chicken dinners you may like 

    • Jamaican Coconut Curry Chicken
    • Slow Cooker Brown Stew Chicken
    • Cuban Mojo Chicken
    • Nutmeg Chicken

    Serving suggestions

    • Cauliflower Rice
    • Brown Rice
    • Mixed Vegetables
    • Sweet Potato Mash

    **Don't forget to comment below and star rate if you have tried my recipes. Let's be friends and engage on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram I also like to pin on Pinterest, where you can find more amazing recipes.**

    Peanut Butter Chicken

    This peanut butter chicken is so delicious, low carb, high protein and gluten free/keto friendly too. I'm talking about boneless chicken thighs chopped into small bite sizes pieces, seared and braised in a creamy dairy free peanut butter sauce.
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American, Asian
    Prep Time: 25 minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Servings: 6 people
    Calories: 668kcal
    Author: Charla

    Ingredients

    The dry chicken rub

    • 2-2½ lb chicken thighs (1.3kg) boneless/skinless, chopped into small pieces
    • 3 tablespoon all purpose seasoning (45g)
    • 1 teaspoon curry powder (5g)
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper (5g)
    • 1 teaspoon pink salt (5g)

    To make the peanut butter sauce

    • 3 tablespoon olive oil (45g) or coconut oil
    • 1 medium sized onion chopped
    • 4 garlic cloves minced
    • 1 teaspoon ginger (5g) minced
    • 1 cup chopped tomato (150g)
    • 1 can full fat coconut milk (14oz/400ml)
    • 1 tablespoon organic soy(a) or coconut amino (15g)
    • 2 tablespoon parsley (30g)
    • ½ cup peanut butter (129g) smooth
    • ½ teaspoon chilli powder (2.5g)
    • additional chilli, pink salt and black pepper if needed
    • cilantro/coriander for garnish

    Instructions

    For the chicken rub

    • Place the chicken in a large bowl use a fork to prick holes in it (recommended to help the seasoning to pentrate).
    • Add the all purpose seasoning, curry powder, black pepper and pink salt to the chicken and use your hands (can wear gloves if you want to) to coat the chicken with the dry rub.

    To brown the chicken and make the peanut butter sauce

    • In a large skillet, on medium heat, add the olive oil.
    • Saute the onion, garlic and ginger until soft and translucent.
    • Add the chicken then proceed to sear the meat, this will take about 10-15 to achieve, during this time the chicken may extract it's own juices, if so, you will need to increase the heat to high (be careful not to burn the meat) to rid the excess liquid.
    • Once the chicken has been browned, remove it from the skillet and set aside.
    • Replenish the skillet with 2 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat.
    • Pour in the tomato, coconut aminos, coconut milk and then stir in the parsley, chilli powder and the peanut butter until it starts to melt and the sauce begins to take on a brown/beige colour.
    • Bring the sauce to a rolling boil then reduce the heat to medium-low.
    • Add the seared chicken to the sauce and stir.
    • Simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid sticking at the bottom of the pan. Keep an eye on the sauce, if it's too thick, add some water to thin it out, not too much about ¼ cup at a time.
    • Do a taste test and adjust the seasoning accordingly, adding more pink salt and black pepper if needed.
    • Garnish and serve with fresh cilantro/coriander

    Notes

    • This is the recipe you will need for the All Purpose Seasoning.
    • Be sure to sear the meat thoroughly and don't be alarmed by the excess liquid that the chicken thighs produce, just cook off the excess and continue to brown the meat (the liquid will help to brown/lock in that flavour - I promise).
    • Feel free to use chicken breasts for a leaner option.
    • This chicken is freezer friendly so feel free to freeze any leftovers.
    • I used smooth peanut butter but you can use crunchy peanut butter if you want to.
    • Make sure to trim off any excess fat from the chicken thighs.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 668kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 63g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 185mg | Sodium: 704mg | Potassium: 897mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 490IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 182mg | Iron: 7mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @ThatGirlCooksHealthy or tag #ThatGirlCooksHealthy!
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    About Charla

    I'm Charla. Caribbean foodie & Certified Health Coach. Welcome to the heaven of gluten and dairy free recipes as well as modernised healthier alternatives to some of your favourite Caribbean recipes.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Helen

      July 20, 2021 at 11:48 am

      5 stars
      I think my family would love this! Thanks for a great recipe.

      Reply
      • Charla

        July 20, 2021 at 11:48 am

        You are welcome Helen

        Reply
    2. Maria

      July 20, 2021 at 9:49 am

      5 stars
      This is something new! I have not tried one of these before, but I'm so interested with because of your recipe. Thank you for sharing this.

      Reply
      • Charla

        July 20, 2021 at 11:41 am

        I hope you give it a go Maria

        Reply
    3. Anjali

      July 20, 2021 at 9:44 am

      5 stars
      The peanut butter sauce for this chicken dish was so unbelievably delicious! It was rich, creamy, and gave the entire dish great flavor!

      Reply
      • Charla

        July 20, 2021 at 11:40 am

        I'm so glad to hear that.

        Reply
    4. Dannii

      July 20, 2021 at 7:48 am

      5 stars
      This is one of my favourite comfort food dishes. So much flavour, and so easy to make.

      Reply
      • Charla

        July 20, 2021 at 11:41 am

        Agreed! I love it too!

        Reply
    5. Seema Sriram

      July 20, 2021 at 7:23 am

      5 stars
      Oh wow, that peanut sauce sounds perfect. I will love to have just that with some rice. The consistency is amazing.

      Reply
      • Charla

        July 20, 2021 at 7:31 am

        Thank you so much

        Reply

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