This peanut butter chicken recipe is a rich, flavorful dish that combines tender chicken with a creamy, nutty sauce infused with spices. It’s the perfect balance of savory, slightly sweet, and a little tangy. Easy to make in one pan, this recipe is great for busy weeknights yet special enough to impress at the dinner table. Pair it with rice or flatbread for a wholesome meal that everyone will love.
Peanut butter is a surprisingly versatile ingredient that adds richness, creaminess, and nutty depth to both sweet and savory dishes. Smooth peanut butter is best for sauces, marinades, and dressings, while crunchy peanut butter works well in baked goods or as a topping for added texture. With the right balance, peanut butter can elevate stir-fries, curries, noodles, baked treats, and even soups, turning everyday meals into something bold and satisfying. Its high fat and calorie content can make dishes heavier, though, which may not suit lighter meals or certain diets.
As it is, the recipe has a high content of fat. There are three main options if you wish to make the peanut butter chicken a bit lighter. First, you can use chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs. This will reduce the animal fat in your dish. Second, you can use light coconut milk. And third, you can use less peanut butter.
Ingredients
- 2 lb. skinless and deboned chicken thighs
- 3 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
- 1 yellow onion (finely chopped)
- 1 red chilli (finely chopped and deseeded)
- 1 can crushed tomatoes
- 1 can coconut milk
- 2 tsp fresh ginger
- 2 tbsp garam masala
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1/3 cup peanut butter
- 2 tbsp sunflower or raps oil
- fresh coriander (for garnishing)
- roasted peanuts (for garnishing, optional)
- Salt & pepper
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and chop finely the onion and garlic. Slice and remove seeds (optional) from the red chilli. Grate or finely chop the ginger.
- Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large pan and brown the chicken over medium heat until golden. Add salt & pepper to taste. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- In the same pan add the onion and fry for 3-5 minutes until soft (add more oil if needed). Once it is soft, mix in the garlic, ginger, chillies, garam masala and turmeric and fry everything together for a minute.
- Add the peanut butter, coconut milk and tomatoes and mix well. Bring to a simmer, stir the chicken back into the pan, and simmer on low heat until the sauce thickens (around 20 minutes).
- Garnish with fresh coriander and toasted peanuts. Done!
Notes
- The recipe is for 6 servings.
- Prep time: 10 minutes.
- Cooking time: 35 minutes.
- If you wish, remove some of the fat before serving.
Similar recipes
If you like the peanut butter chicken, you may also like the following recipes:
- Hoisin pork tenderloin
- Chicken and chorizo pasta bake
- Peanut butter and Hoisin chicken
- Gnocchi alla Sorrentina
- Creamy bacon and spinach gnocchi
- Creamy chicken and mushroom pasta
- Tortellini and Italian sausage soup
Peanut butter chicken
Ingredients
- 2 lb. skinless and deboned chicken thighs
- 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 red chilli finely sliced and deseeded
- 1 can crushed tomatoes
- 1 can coconut milk
- 2 tsp fresh ginger
- 2 tbsp garam masala
- 1 tsp turmeric
- ⅓ cup peanut butter
- 2 tbsp sunflower or raps oil
- fresh coriander for garnishing
- roasted peanuts optional, for garnishing
- Salt & pepper
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and chop finely the onion and garlic. Slice and remove seeds (optional) from the red chilli. Grate or finely chop the ginger.
- Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large pan and brown the chicken over medium heat until golden. Add salt & pepper to taste. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- In the same pan add the onion and fry for 3-5 minutes until soft (add more oil if needed). Once it is soft, mix in the garlic, ginger, chillies, garam masala and turmeric and fry everything together for a minute.
- Add the peanut butter, coconut milk and tomatoes and mix well. Bring to a simmer, stir the chicken back into the pan, and simmer on low heat until the sauce thickens (around 20 minutes).
- Garnish with fresh coriander and toasted peanuts. Done!
Notes
- If you wish, remove some of the fat before serving.
- Use chicken breasts, light coconut milk, or reduce the amount of peanut butter if you wish to make your dish lighter.