Spicy Peanut Chicken

This easy Spicy Peanut Chicken made with chicken breast, fresh veggies, and a lightened up peanut sauce that will leave you licking the plate.

297 CAL 21g CARBS 8g FAT 34g PROTEIN
2 Comments

I am always on the lookout for quick and easy weeknight meals, and although at first glance this recipe may look complex, it’s actually super easy and you might even have most of the ingredients on hand. Serve this spicy Peanut Chicken with some Healthy Fried Rice or Chow Mein for a healthy takeout meal at home.

Although I was on the lookout for something quick and easy, I also had a flavor craving and it was that of spicy chicken in a peanut sauce. So, I had two boxes to check. Luckily, this recipe came together as I was thinking about chicken satay in peanut dipping sauce. I thought, why not combine the two with a spicy peanut dressing and lots of veggies? And, the rest they say, is history.

This chicken breast is transformed into spicy peanutty goodness with a quick sauce of sesame oil, lime juice, peanut butter, soy sauce, and ginger. Then it is quickly cooked along with your favorite veggies and tossed in the sauce. Easy peasy. Dinner in under 20 minutes.

Peanut chicken breast and vegetables in a spicy peanut sauce with rice.

How do you make Spicy Peanut Chicken?

Making this Spicy Peanut Chicken is easy and a great entry Asian dish for the novice cook as well.

The first step is to whisk together PB2 or peanut butter, the soy sauce, water, vinegar, spices, honey, lime juice, and Sriracha do make the dressing.

Next, put the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides, add cooking spray to skillet then add the chicken. Cook the chicken for about 3-4 minutes per side or until cooked all the way through. Take the chicken out of the skillet and set it aside on a plate or on a dish close by.

To the same skillet, add your veggies, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add water to steam the veggies a bit and put the lid on the skillet. Let that cook for 3-5 minutes or until your veggies start to become tender. Drain the water out if there is any left.

Keep the veggies in the pan and add the chicken back into the skillet as well. Pour over the sauce. Toss it all together with tongs or a wooden spoon and let the sauce and chicken warm up with the veggies for another couple of minutes, then serve.

Side Dish Ideas

I like to eat my Peanut Chicken plain, but you can also try:

  • Adding the mixture over brown, white, or cauliflower rice.
  • For a different grain option, you could also serve this over or on the side of quinoa or a wild rice mixture.
  • To up your veggie intake, make this Sesame Soy Edamame.
  • Spaghetti squash is a great, low-carb side that you can eat on the side of or even under the Spicy Peanut Chicken.
  • If you're feeling like fries, try a veggie version like these made out of zucchini.
  • Roasted potatoes always make a good complementary side dish.
  • Try some Asian slaw or spring rolls to stay on-theme.

What is PB2?

PB2 is a brand of powdered peanut butter. There are other brands as well, and any of them will do in this dish if you decide to go the powdered peanut butter route. I use the PB2 brand because it is the easiest for me to find in the grocery store (it'll be with the other peanut butters or in the natural foods aisles) and I've used it before in other recipes.

Powdered peanut butter is made by squeezing roasted peanuts until all of the oils have been pressed out. Then, the nuts are ground down into a powder, which becomes the powdered peanuts that you purchase.

I like to use powdered peanut butter because it still tastes like peanut butter but has 85% fewer calories from fat and less fat to boot. So all you're left with is less calories, protein, and fiber. One tablespoon of PB2 contains 25 calories and 1 gram of fat (compared to 80 calories and 8 grams of fat in regular, creamy peanut butter).

Read the labels of the powdered peanut butter brand you choose to buy, as some do have added sugars and salt.

Although I wouldn't use powdered peanut butter where I'd want creamy (for example, in a peanut butter and jelly sandwich), I would use it where I want to the flavor of peanut to baked goods, sauces, smoothies, etc.

Chicken and vegetables in a spicy peanut sauce with white rice in a bowl.

Looking for more healthy Asian recipes?

I think no matter how you choose to serve up this spicy chicken dish, you'll find that it definitely checks all the quick-and-easy weeknight meal boxes, and I guarantee you'll want to put it on heavy rotation at your house as well!

The Recipe
Spicy peanut chicken with vegetables in aa thick sauce in a bowl with rice.

Spicy Peanut Chicken

297 CAL 21g CARBS 8g FAT 34g PROTEIN
PREP TIME: 10 Min
COOK TIME: 15 Min
TOTAL TIME: 25 Min
2 Comments
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Ingredients

US METRICS
  • 1/3 cup reduced fat peanut butter (or PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter)
  • 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce (gluten-free if needed)
  • 1/4 cup warm water
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tbsp honey (or agave, can be left out or use Stevia for low carb)
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 2 tbsp Sriracha
  • 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into chunks
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 cup red onion, chopped
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • 2 cup broccoli florets, chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 3/4 cup shelled edamame

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Instructions

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1

Whisk together the PB2 (or peanut butter), soy sauce, water, rice wine vinegar, ginger, garlic, honey, lime juice, and Sriracha to create the peanut dressing.

2

Add sesame oil to a skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add a touch of cooking spray to the skillet (just to make sure nothing sticks since we aren’t using a lot of oil) and cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Remove and set aside.

3

Add the red onion, red pepper, broccoli, carrots, and edamame. Season with salt and pepper. Add 1/4 cup water and cover. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are tender Drain any remaining water, although it should evaporate.

4

Add back the chicken along with the sauce. Toss everything together and let warm for 2-3 minutes.

Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 3/4 cup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 297
Calories from Fat 70
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 8g
12%
Saturated Fat 1g
5%
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
0%
Cholesterol 56mg
18%
Sodium 588mg
26%
Total Carbohydrate 21g
7%
Dietary Fiber 5g
18%
Sugars 9g
Protein 34g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.

Notes

You can use regular peanut butter or another nut butter.
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About the author Meet Kristen McCaffrey
Hi, I’m the cookbook author, recipe developer, and food enthusiast behind Slender Kitchen. I am obsessed with making healthy food that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Meal planning is my secret weapon and I hope I can make meal time easier for you with our tried and tested recipes and foolproof meal plans. Learn More
2 Comments
On Spicy Peanut Chicken
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Mary
September 16, 2021 - 17:53
Add a Rating:
5
Trying to be better about leaving reviews. We have this meal almost once a week in our house! We use liquid aminos instead of soy sauce and it’s amazing! Thank you for sharing
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Jessica Spurgeon
March 2, 2017 - 11:40
Add a Rating:
5
Sooooo good...even the kids (15) loved it.
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