Shake up family dinner with this delicious and ridiculously easy Thai Peanut Chicken recipe! Featuring tender chicken and tasty veggies coated in a peanut marinade that doubles as a dipping sauce, this quick peanut sauce chicken is cooked on one sheet pan in just 35 minutes. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or a beginner cook, this chicken recipe is sure to impress!
Optional Garnishes Sesame Seeds, Chopped Peanuts, Sliced Green Onions, Cilantro
Optionalfor Serving: Lime Wedges, Jasmine Rice or Rice Noodles
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper (or foil sprayed with non-stick cooking spray) for easy clean up.
Make peanut sauce: To a large bowl, add the peanut butter, soy sauce, coconut milk, garlic, ginger, vinegar, honey, and pepper flakes. Whisk well to combine. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Then pour ¼ cup of the sauce into a separate small bowl and set aside to use a sauce for serving.
Prepare the chicken: Add the chicken to the large bowl of peanut sauce and toss well to coat. Optional – marinate chicken: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let marinate in the fridge for up to 8 hours. (OR just continue with recipe.)
Season and roast onions & peppers: Dump the peppers and onions out on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, season generously with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Place the veggies in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes (Note: Vegetables will continue to bake in step 6.)
Wipe pan, add chicken: Drain or use paper towels to wipe off any excess liquid that has collected in the pan. Push the peppers and onions to one side of the pan. Then, add the chicken pieces to the empty side of the pan, spreading it out into an even layer. Season everything generously with salt and pepper.
Return pan to the oven and bake: Return the baking sheet to the oven and roast for 12-15 minutes, or until the chicken is ALMOST cooked through. Switch the oven to BROIL and broil about 3-5 minutes (SEE NOTES), or until chicken is cook to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Add more flavor: Use a slotted spoon to transfer the peanut chicken and veggies to a serving bowl. Drizzle all the sesame oil and the remaining tablespoon of vinegar over the chicken and veggies. Toss well to coat and combine.
Serve: Garnish Thai Peanut Chicken and Veggies with fresh herbs and roasted peanuts, if using. Serve the reserved peanut sauce (from step 1)on the side. Enjoy!
Notes
Peanut Sauce: You can prepare the peanut sauce up to 3 days in advance. Store it in a container with a tight fitted lid in the refrigerator. When ready to use, microwave the sauce for 15-20 seconds to loosen it up.
Sheet Pans: Make sure you are using a large sheet pan for this meal. If you do not have one, use two sheet pans and rotate the pans from top to bottom, and front to back halfway through baking.
When broiling the sheet pan dinner, make sure to watch over it carefully! Things can go from a lovely golden color to burnt very quickly.
Step #5: There will be excess liquid from the onions and peppers in the sheet pan when baking is complete. Don’t stress about it. Make sure you use a slotted spoon or slotted spatula to transfer the chicken and veggies to a bowl before tossing with the sesame oil and vinegar.
Nutritional information is an estimate based upon 6 servings. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.