Thai Peanut Chicken Bowl (Printable)

Flavor-packed bowl with tender chicken, coconut rice, crisp veggies, and spicy-creamy peanut sauce

# What You’ll Need:

→ Coconut Rice

01 - 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
02 - 1 can (13.5 fl oz) coconut milk
03 - 1 cup water
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Chicken

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

→ Peanut Sauce

13 - 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
14 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
15 - 1 tablespoon sriracha
16 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
17 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or fresh lime juice
18 - 1/3 cup warm water
19 - 1 teaspoon fresh 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 - 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
25 - 1/4 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, combine 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 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside.
04 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, sriracha, honey, rice vinegar, warm water, grated ginger, and minced garlic until smooth. Adjust consistency by adding more water if needed to reach desired thickness.
05 - Divide coconut rice evenly among four serving bowls. Top each bowl with cooked chicken, shredded carrots, sliced bell pepper, sliced cucumber, and steamed edamame if desired.
06 - Drizzle peanut sauce generously over each bowl. Garnish with fresh cilantro, chopped roasted peanuts, sliced green onions, and lime wedges. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything comes together in under an hour, which means weeknight dinner without the guilt or the credit card charge.
  • The peanut sauce hits that sweet-spicy-savory trifecta that makes you want to drink it straight from the bowl (not that I've done that).
  • It's endlessly flexible—swap proteins, pile on your favorite vegetables, dial the heat up or down based on your mood.
02 -
  • The peanut sauce thickens as it cools, so if you're making it ahead, thin it with a splash of water before drizzling—consistency matters more than you'd think.
  • Don't skip marinating the chicken; even ten minutes transforms it from plain to purposeful by letting the fish sauce and acid penetrate the meat.
03 -
  • Toast chopped peanuts in a dry skillet for thirty seconds before garnishing if you want them to taste nuttier and crunchier than straight from the bag.
  • If you're serving this to people who are sensitive to heat, make the sauce without sriracha and keep a bottle on the table so everyone can control their own spice level.
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