Thai Peanut Chicken Bowl (Printable)

Marinated chicken over coconut rice with fresh veggies and 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 grated fresh 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 grated ginger
20 - 1 garlic clove, minced

→ Vegetables & 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 - 2 green onions, sliced
27 - Lime wedges for serving
28 - 1 cup edamame, steamed (optional)

# How-To Steps:

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 before serving.
02 - In a bowl, combine soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, minced garlic, and ginger. Add chicken pieces and toss to coat evenly. Allow to marinate for at least 10 minutes at room temperature.
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 bowl, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, sriracha, honey, rice vinegar, warm water, ginger, and minced garlic until smooth and well combined. Adjust consistency with additional water if needed to reach desired thickness.
05 - Divide coconut rice evenly among 4 serving bowls. Top each bowl with cooked chicken, shredded carrots, sliced bell pepper, sliced cucumber, and steamed edamame if using.
06 - Drizzle peanut sauce generously over each bowl. Garnish with fresh cilantro, chopped roasted peanuts, sliced green onions, and lime wedges. Serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The coconut rice absorbs so much flavor that you'll find yourself eating spoonfuls of it plain while you're assembling everything else.
  • It's genuinely flexible—skip the fish sauce if it bothers you, swap in tofu, load up the vegetables however you want, and it still tastes authentically Thai.
  • The whole thing comes together faster than ordering takeout, which means you get to feel accomplished on a weeknight.
02 -
  • Don't skip letting the rice sit for 10 minutes after it's done cooking—it continues to steam under the lid and becomes perfectly tender instead of mushy or crunchy.
  • Taste your peanut sauce before you pour it all over the bowls because humidity, altitude, and brand differences mean you might need to adjust the salt, heat, or thickness.
  • Cook the chicken pieces in a single layer so they actually brown instead of steaming—work in batches if your skillet is crowded.
03 -
  • Toast your chopped peanuts lightly in a dry skillet before sprinkling them on top—it wakes up their flavor and adds crunch that stays crispy longer.
  • Always squeeze fresh lime juice right before serving because bottled lime juice tastes flat and tinny compared to the real thing, and it's the difference between good and unforgettable.
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