Thai Peanut Chicken Bowl
Tender chicken and crispy vegetables coated in a rich peanut sauce over jasmine rice. A bright, satisfying bowl that tastes like takeout but comes together in under 30 minutes.
- Total time
- 28 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 612
- Protein
- 42g
Ingredients
- 1 cup jasmine rice, uncooked
- 1 lb chicken breast, boneless and skinless
- 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 whole lime
- 1 whole red bell pepper
- 1 whole cucumber
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro and green onion, chopped
Instructions
- 1
Set a medium saucepan over high heat and pour in 2 cups water. Cover and bring to a rolling boil, about 5 minutes, then add the rice and stir once.
- 2
Reduce heat to low, cover the saucepan, and cook until the rice is tender and water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid during cooking.
- 3
Place the chicken breast on a cutting board and slice it horizontally into two thin, even rectangles, each about 0.5 inches thick, to help it cook faster and evenly.
- 4
Cut the bell pepper lengthwise in half, remove seeds and stems, then slice crosswise into 0.5-inch-wide strips that look like little half-moons.
- 5
Cut the cucumber lengthwise in half, then lay each half flat and slice diagonally into thin 0.25-inch slices that point like arrows—this exposes more surface area.
- 6
Cut the lime in half lengthwise. Juice one half into a small bowl and set the other half aside for serving.
- 7
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.
- 8
Place both chicken pieces in the skillet in a single layer and cook without moving them for 4 minutes until the surface turns pale golden, then flip and cook the other side for 3 minutes.
- 9
Slide the cooked chicken onto a cutting board. Without washing the skillet, add the bell pepper strips and stir frequently over medium-high heat for 2 minutes until they begin to soften slightly.
- 10
In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, and 3 tablespoons water until smooth and pourable, breaking up any lumps.
- 11
Pour the peanut sauce into the skillet with the peppers and stir constantly for 1 minute until the sauce coats everything and smells fragrant.
- 12
Slice the cooked chicken crosswise against the grain into 0.5-inch-wide strips, then return the slices to the skillet and stir gently to coat them in sauce for 30 seconds.
- 13
Fluff the cooked rice with a fork and divide it evenly between two bowls, creating a flat base for toppings.
- 14
Using a slotted spoon, portion the chicken and peppers with sauce on top of the rice, dividing evenly between the two bowls.
- 15
Arrange the cucumber slices in a small pile on top of each bowl, then scatter the chopped cilantro and green onion over the entire surface.
- 16
Serve each bowl with a lime wedge on the side for squeezing over the top just before eating.
Tools you’ll need
- medium saucepan with lid
- 12-inch skillet
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- small bowl
- whisk
- fork
- slotted spoon
Cook smarter
Get matched recipes for what’s in your fridge
CookSnap is a free iOS app that finds real recipes from the ingredients you already have. No more grocery-list aspirations.
