Peanut Butter Chicken Recipe

This easy Peanut Butter Chicken Recipe is the perfect meal for any day of the week. With only four ingredients and 30 minutes in the kitchen, you can create a wonderful dinner for the entire family. The recipe features chicken, onions, peanut butter, and canned tomatoes as the main ingredients.

How do you make it? What kind of ingredients do you use? Is this chicken with peanut butter sauce a family-friendly recipe? Read forward so you can learn more about this gem.

Easy Chicken with Peanut Butter

Peanut butter chicken stew is a delicious dish that you can make in no time. There are many versions of this recipe, and they are all good. Some versions use chicken. Some use lamb or beef. Ginger, soy sauce, cayenne pepper, or even coconut milk are also used.

However, if you want a quick dinner and the simplicity of a good, basic dish for the entire family, this recipe is for you.

It is one of my favorite dinners to cook super fast. My daughter always loved this super easy peanut butter chicken recipe, and I make it quite often.

As with most of my recipes, we always went for easy, delicious dishes to make that would use simple, natural ingredients. This recipe is no exception to the rule.

Chicken with peanut butter sauce is perfect for any day of the week as it is ready in about 30 minutes.

It is comfort food, low carb, and keto friendly as it is also very rich in proteins and healthy fats.

Basic ingredients required for this recipe:

• Chicken

You can make this dish with either raw or already cooked chicken.

Raw chicken:

The recipe is versatile, and you can use whatever part of the chicken you like. To show you how the recipe is made, I used deboned chicken breast with no skin. However, you can use chicken thighs or drumsticks.

Cooked chicken:

This version will take less time to make the stew, as the chicken is already cooked. Think rotisserie chicken, roasted chicken, or boiled.

• Peanut butter

Traditionally, this stew is made with roasted peanuts. The common practice is to grind the peanuts into a paste, but you can definitely use regular peanut butter to make your life easier.

Most Americans have a jar of peanut butter in their pantry. For this dish, though, you should use plain natural peanut butter with no sugar added to it. I like natural creamy peanut butter, but I also like a crunchy one.

I usually have organic peanut butter in my pantry. If you want more texture, throw a handful of chopped peanuts in the sauce for more texture.

• Canned tomatoes

To make this peanut butter sauce, a 1/2 cup of canned diced tomatoes or tomato pure for this peanut butter sauce is all you need.

• Onion

Use a large onion and dice it small.

• Butter and oil

The traditional oil for the recipe is palm oil, but we live in the US, and palm oil is not something we cook with regularly, so I used a mixture of olive oil and butter. Butter makes everything better when you brown meats with it.

• Chicken stock or water

I prefer low sodium chicken stock as I like to control the salt in the food, and sometimes regular stock is very salty. If you do not have any stock or broth in the house, use regular water.

• Optional spices:

Cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, paprika, etc. I did not use them, but they are an option if you want to add spices to the dish.

Related: Chicken Stewed in Tomato Garlic and Cinnamon- Kota Kapama– a Greek dish made with chicken, tomato sauce, and cinnamon.

How to make peanut butter chicken:

Step One. Gather the ingredients and prepare them for the dish.

Cube the chicken and dice the onions. Set aside.

Note:

I used chicken breast this time, but chicken thighs or chicken drums are also good. You can leave the chicken in larger pieces if this is how you like it.

Step two. Saute the chicken.

Using a large skillet, melt the butter and oil on medium-high heat.

Add the chicken and brown it for about 15 minutes until cooked through. If you use chicken thighs or drumsticks, brown them on each side.

Step three. Cook the Onions.

While the chicken is cooking, add the diced onion to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper. 

Step four. Add the canned tomatoes and water.

When the meat is cooked, and the onions are soft, add diced tomatoes in tomato sauce and mix it with the rest of the ingredients. Also, add water to make a sauce. Allow the chicken to simmer in that sauce for about 10 minutes.

Tip: You can also use tomato puree or tomato paste instead.

Step five. Add peanut butter.

Now is the time to add some of this delicious peanut butter.

Mix well to coat the chicken with the creamy peanut butter sauce.

Add more water to dissolve the peanut butter if you feel like the sauce is too thick. You want a smooth, creamy consistency for this sauce, but you do not want a soup.

Simmer the chicken in peanut butter sauce on low heat for about 5 minutes.

Taste for salt and add if there is a need for it. At this point, you are ready to serve it.  I mean, how easy was that?

How do I serve this peanut butter sauce and chicken?

This recipe for peanut butter chicken is perfectly served over cooked rice. Plain, for an easy meal.

I used brown and white rice in the past based on what I had in the pantry.

Traditionally, this stew is served with couscous, fufu, quinoa, or even sweet potatoes. If you want to keep it on the low-carb or keto-friendly side, use cauliflower rice.

How to store leftovers:

Store the leftover chicken and peanut butter sauce in airtight containers, in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days. You can also freeze it for up to three months.

When ready to eat it, defrost it in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat it in the microwave or the stovetop.

I am allergic to peanut butter. What else can I use?

I never replaced the peanut butter in this recipe. However, you might be able to use almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seeds butter instead. I do not know how the dish will taste, but please come back and let me know. We might be into something here!

Related: Pantry Staples Checklist

You can add some cooked vegetables next to the rice and chicken. Broccoli works very well. 

More chicken recipes to love:

Chicken Marbella

Chicken Stewed in Tomato Garlic and Cinnamon- Kota Kapama

Easy No Breaded Fried Chicken Thighs

Acorn Squash With Chicken & Fennel

More recipes with rice:

Dal Bhat (Rice and Lentils)

Lemon Rice With Wine

Easy Yellow Rice With Seafood

Mexican Rice

As a dessert, you can quickly make these cookies, which are also naturally gluten-free.

Would you like more recipes that use peanut butter?

Peanut Butter Cookies

Triple Layer Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Bars

Peanut Butter Snowball Cookies

Enjoy!

The Bossy Kitchen Group on Facebook is a community of people who share a passion for cooking and baking and where everyone is welcome to share ideas, tips, and culinary experiences. 

Continue to Content

Yield: 4 servings

Peanut Butter Chicken Recipe

Print

This easy Peanut Butter Chicken Recipe is the perfect meal for any day of the week. With only four ingredients and 30 minutes in the kitchen, you can create a wonderful dinner for the entire family. The recipe features chicken, onions, peanut butter, and canned tomatoes as the main ingredients.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 big chicken breasts, cubed
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1/2 cup diced tomatoes in tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 cup hot water
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. If you make the recipe with raw chicken:
2. Melt butter in the pan on medium-high heat and add the oil.
3. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place it in the pan. Fry it on both sides until golden brown. You can also chop it if you prefer it this way.
4. Add the chopped onion and saute it until soft and translucent.
5. Add the diced tomatoes in the tomato sauce and water and simmer the chicken for about 10 minutes.
6. Add the peanut butter to the pan. Mix well to coat the chicken.
7. Bring to a boil, constantly stirring to make a sauce.
8. Lower heat to a simmer for about 5 minutes.
9. Taste for salt and pepper.
10. Serve over cooked rice.

Notes

If you make the dish with already cooked chicken:

• Melt butter in the pan. Add the oil and the chopped onion and saute it until soft.

• Add the crushed tomatoes and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
• Add the pieces of cooked chicken.
• Stir the peanut butter into the pan.
• Add hot water and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
• Lower heat to a simmer for another 4-5 minutes.
• Taste for salt and pepper.
• Serve over cooked rice.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Measuring Cups And Spoons Set 

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 228Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 59mgSodium: 362mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 21g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Facebook