Thai Peanut Chicken with Broccoli and Peppers
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This Thai peanut chicken is an easy, one-pan weeknight dinner featuring tender chicken breast and vegetables coated in a bright and fresh, satay-inspired peanut sauce. Made with lime juice, red curry paste, and rice wine vinegar, it has the vibrant, tangy flavors that make Thai peanut dishes so irresistible.
This Thai peanut chicken is all about the sauce. Tender bites of chicken breast, broccoli, and bell peppers are coated in a creamy peanut sauce that’s rich enough to feel comforting yet lively and vibrant, thanks to fresh lime juice, Thai red curry paste, and rice wine vinegar.
If you’re after that bright, tangy Thai peanut flavor rather than a richer, tomato-based sauce like the one in my peanut butter chicken, this recipe delivers. The flavor is reminiscent of the peanut sauce served with Thai satay, with the perfect balance of savory, nutty, tangy, and lightly spicy notes clinging to every bite of chicken and vegetables.
It’s also one of those recipes I keep in my back pocket for busy weeknights. The ingredient list is simple, the cooking time is short, and the payoff is a flavorful dinner that tastes as if far more effort went into it than actually did.
Variations
One of the things I love about this Thai-inspired peanut chicken is how easy it is to customize. The satay-like peanut sauce tastes good on just about everything, making it the perfect recipe for using up whatever vegetables you have on hand.
Here are a few ways to make it your own:
- Make it sweeter: Add a drizzle of honey or maple syrup to the sauce.
- Add more vegetables: Mushrooms, carrots, onions, cauliflower, peas, baby corn, and snap peas all work well.
- Adjust the heat: Use a mild red curry paste for less spice, or add sliced chilis or red pepper flakes for more.
- Finish with fresh herbs: Cilantro, green onions, or Thai basil add a fresh burst of flavor.
What to serve with Thai peanut chicken
Like most Thai-inspired dinners, this one goes well with rice. Go for good old steamed basmati rice or upgrade to some coconut rice. Sprinkle some cilantro on, and dinner is served!
If you’d like a side, make some Asian slaw or a Thai cucumber salad.
How do I store leftover Thai peanut chicken? Store your leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you need to thin out the sauce when reheating, use a dash of water.
Saucy Thai Peanut Chicken (with broccoli and peppers)
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts (cubed)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 bell peppers (cut into strips)
- 1 head broccoli (cut into florets)
- Chopped peanuts and sesame seeds (to serve)
Thai Peanut Sauce
- ½ cup all-natural peanut butter
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice (from 1 ½ limes)
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic (very finely minced)
- 1 inch piece of ginger (very finely minced)
- ¾ cup water
Instructions
- Toss the cubed chicken breasts with the soy sauce. Melt the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and let it brown, about 10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet.4 chicken breasts, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- While the chicken is browning, whisk all the peanut sauce ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl.½ cup all-natural peanut butter, ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce, ¼ cup fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons red curry paste, 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, 2 cloves garlic, 1 inch piece of ginger, ¾ cup water
- Add the bell peppers and broccoli to the skillet. Let them cook until they begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the chicken back into the pan and pour the peanut sauce over the top. Bring the sauce to a boil so that it thickens slightly and coats the chicken and veggies.2 bell peppers, 1 head broccoli
- Serve the chicken with some crushed peanut and sesame seeds over top and dig in!Chopped peanuts and sesame seeds
Video
Nutrition
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I love peanut chicken especially when you added honey and soy sauce and wine vinegar. Lots of flavors so good. You could have noodles or macaroni.
Great flavor! Added a couple of Tablespoons of Honey for a little sweet! Terrific!
Absolutely LOVE this recipe. Had a craving for something different after being stuck in a rut for meals and am so pleased we tried this recipe! We’ve been making it for months now. We don’t always have all the proper ingredients on hand, so have learned to substitute (e.g. lemon juice for lime, prepackaged Japanese curry instead of curry paste, etc) and it still turns out super tasty every time! We always add extra veggies and top with green onions, sesame seeds, and crushed cashews. Delicious!
I’m so happy to hear that you’ve been loving this recipe, Danaya! ANd adding crushed cashews on top sounds amazing!
I felt like this recipe needed a little more peanut butter, and a little less acid. Lime juice, rice vinegar and soy sauce are all tangy. Next time I make it, and I will because it was very good, I will cut the lime juice, soy sauce and vinegar in half, increase the peanut butter a smidge and add a few hot pepper flakes. I also didn’t use all the sauce because I saw one of the other posters’ picture and it looked way too soupy. Maybe a little cornstarch to make it more a gravy.
Thank you for sharing your feedback. 🙂
Awesome recipe, did halve the lime as others suggested. Added in white parts of scallions to veg and green to garnish. Served over noodles with plenty of sauce! Delicious.
Thanks, Lauren!
Thanks so much for this recipe, Kristen! I’ve made it twice in the past two weeks. 🙂 It was perfect timing to find this, as I was cooking a meal for a new mom who is gluten- and dairy-free! I love citrus, so I didn’t mind the strong flavor from the lime juice the first time I made it, but I do think cutting it down from 2 oz to 1 oz is what I’ll do going forward (about the juice of 1 lime). Again – thanks so much for sharing! My kids and husband love it as well.
That’s so wonderful to hear! Hooray!!
It was really good but I found it needed a sweet note so I added just a drizzle of honey. Also the rice and chicken absorbed all the sauce so you were left with just kind of the pasty peanut butter on the vegetables at the end. Do you know a trick to make it stay saucy? I thought of adding a slurry of corn starch next time (although not too much, I don’t like sauces that are too gelatinous with thickeners that much either. The heat was spot on though, a really nice kick that wasn’t too much!
Peanut butter thickens as it cooks. If I need to thin a peanut-based sauce I simply add some water or broth. 🙂
This is WAY too acidic/limey. Would be a much better recipe with 2 tbsp lime juice instead of 1/4 cup. Also a bit of honey or brown sugar would help the flavors intermingle.
I try to cook sugar free as often as possible. But yes, a little sugar would be great. 🙂
When I make it I’m getting sort of a harsh acid fast to it. I believe I follows the recipe exactly as is do you have any suggestions?
If you find it too acidic, I would recommend reducing or eliminating the vinegar next time. 🙂
Looks delicious! One of my kids has a peanut allergy…would almond butter been a good sub for the peanut butter?
I’ve made it with almond butter and it turns out great! My preference is roasted almond butter, but raw works too. 🙂
Looks great, I wanna try!
Is mirin and rice wine vinegar the same? If not, can I use mirin as substitute?
Also, just to make sure I understand the amounts… 4 chicken breasts are entire breasts of 4 chicken? E.g. around 3 kilos
No, they’re not the same! Mirin is a sweet Japanese wine that you can buy in most supermarkets. It’s not drinking wine. Rice vinegar is a mild flavored vinegar made from rice.
And 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts – from 2 chickens. 🙂
How will it do as left over.?
I’ve enjoyed this the next day as leftovers for lunch!
This looks so good!! My husband and I aren’t big fans of red peppers. What would you suggest subbing for them? Would peapods work? Thanks!
Pea pods would work great!
Do you think some fresh cilantro would compliment this dish? It looks delish and I’m going to make it asap!!
Absolutely it would!
Hi Kristen! I’m having a difficult time trying to find rice wine vinegar. Do I need to combine rice wine and rice vinegar?
Rice vinegar on its own will work great! 🙂
This is so perfect for when you want to have a hearty meal for dinner!
Never knew peanuts would go so well with chicken and rice!
Thank you for this mouthwatering recipe, love from Nepal xoxo
Nepal was one of my favorite countries to visit! I hiked the Annapurna Circuit back in 2001 and LOVED it. You have such a beautiful country!
Here I am admiring your dish and you admire my country. Thank you! Please visit here again, Kristen!
❤️❤️❤️