Thai Peanut Chicken Bowl (Printable)

Tender chicken meets creamy coconut rice and crisp vegetables topped with spicy peanut sauce for a satisfying Thai-inspired meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Coconut Rice

01 - 1.5 cups jasmine rice
02 - 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
03 - 1 cup water
04 - 0.5 tsp salt

→ Chicken

05 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
06 - 1 tbsp vegetable oil
07 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
08 - 1 tbsp fish sauce
09 - 1 tbsp lime juice
10 - 1 tsp brown sugar
11 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
12 - 1 tsp grated fresh ginger

→ Peanut Sauce

13 - 0.33 cup creamy peanut butter
14 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
15 - 1 tbsp sriracha
16 - 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
17 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar or lime juice
18 - 0.33 cup warm water
19 - 1 tsp grated ginger
20 - 1 garlic clove, minced

→ Vegetables and Garnish

21 - 1 cup shredded carrots
22 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
23 - 1 cup cucumber, sliced
24 - 0.33 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
25 - 0.25 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
26 - Lime wedges for serving
27 - 2 green onions, sliced
28 - 1 cup edamame, steamed (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Rinse jasmine rice under cold water until water runs clear. In a saucepan, combine rice, coconut milk, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
02 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Add chicken pieces and toss to coat evenly. Let marinate for at least 10 minutes.
03 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add marinated chicken and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
04 - In a bowl, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, sriracha, honey, rice vinegar, warm water, grated ginger, and minced garlic until smooth. Adjust consistency with additional water if needed.
05 - Divide coconut rice evenly among 4 serving bowls. Top each bowl with cooked chicken, shredded carrots, sliced bell pepper, sliced cucumber, and steamed edamame if using.
06 - Drizzle peanut sauce generously over each bowl. Garnish with cilantro, chopped peanuts, sliced green onions, and lime wedges. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in under an hour, and most of it happens at the same time so you're not stuck waiting around.
  • The peanut sauce is dangerously good and you'll want to put it on everything for the rest of the week.
  • It feels restaurant fancy but uses ingredients you probably already have or can grab on a quick store run.
  • You can swap out the protein or veggies depending on what's in your fridge and it still works beautifully.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the rice or your coconut rice will turn out gummy and sticky in a bad way instead of fluffy and fragrant.
  • Let the chicken sit undisturbed for the first couple minutes in the pan so it gets a nice sear, moving it too early steams it instead of browning it.
  • Make the peanut sauce while the rice is cooking and the chicken is marinating, everything comes together fast at the end and you don't want to be whisking sauce while things get cold.
  • Taste the peanut sauce before serving and adjust the sriracha, lime, or honey to your preference, it should be a balance of spicy, tangy, sweet, and salty.
03 -
  • Toast your peanuts in a dry skillet for a minute before chopping them, it deepens their flavor and makes them taste fresher.
  • If your peanut sauce breaks or looks grainy, add a splash of warm water and whisk vigorously until it comes back together smooth.
  • Use kitchen shears to quickly slice green onions and cilantro right over the bowl, it's faster than a knife and creates less mess.
  • For extra richness, stir a spoonful of the peanut sauce directly into the warm coconut rice before assembling the bowls.
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