Peanut Chicken Power Bowl (Printable)

Protein-packed bowl with spiced chicken, fresh vegetables, and rich peanut dressing over fluffy grains.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.1 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
04 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Grains

08 - 1 cup brown rice or quinoa, uncooked
09 - 2 cups water or low-sodium broth

→ Vegetables

10 - 1 large carrot, julienned or grated
11 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
12 - 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
13 - 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
14 - 2 spring onions, sliced
15 - 2 cups baby spinach or mixed greens

→ Peanut Sauce

16 - 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
17 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
18 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or lime juice
19 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
20 - 1 teaspoon sriracha or chili sauce, optional
21 - 2 to 3 tablespoons warm water

→ Garnish

22 - 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, chopped
23 - Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
24 - Lime wedges

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a bowl, toss chicken with olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.
03 - Arrange chicken on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until fully cooked with internal temperature reaching 165°F. Rest for 5 minutes, then slice.
04 - Rinse rice or quinoa, place in a saucepan with water or broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer until tender. Brown rice requires approximately 25 minutes, quinoa approximately 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
05 - Prepare all vegetables and greens, arranging them for assembly.
06 - In a bowl, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar or lime juice, honey, sriracha if using, and warm water until reaching a pourable consistency.
07 - Divide cooked grains among four bowls. Top each with sliced chicken, fresh vegetables, and greens. Drizzle generously with peanut sauce.
08 - Garnish each bowl with chopped peanuts, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like restaurant takeout but comes together in your own kitchen with ingredients you actually recognize.
  • The peanut sauce is so addictive youll want to drizzle it on everything for the next week.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully, making it perfect for meal prep or next day lunches.
  • You can swap the protein or vegetables based on whats in your fridge and it still works every time.
02 -
  • Dont skip resting the chicken after baking, cutting it too soon releases all the juices and you end up with dry meat.
  • The peanut sauce thickens as it sits, so if youre making it ahead, add a splash of warm water before serving to loosen it back up.
  • If your peanut butter is the natural kind that separates, stir it really well first or the sauce will be grainy and weird.
03 -
  • Use a meat thermometer to check the chicken instead of guessing, it takes the anxiety out of baking and guarantees juicy results every time.
  • Whisk the peanut sauce in a measuring cup with a spout so you can pour it directly over the bowls without making a mess.
  • If the sauce is too thick, add water one teaspoon at a time, if its too thin, whisk in a little more peanut butter until it clings to a spoon.
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