Creamy peanut butter chicken curry served over rice is incredibly aromatic and is ready in less than 30 minutes.
This chicken peanut butter curry is so easy and quick to make that it will become one of your favorite weeknight meals. Tender chicken pieces are covered with a spicy and creamy peanut sauce made with coconut milk.
It is delicious and exotic enough to make you feel like you are eating something really special, yet so easy, cheap, and quick to make you will keep coming back to it.
Make more recipes with peanut butter: Peanut Butter Pie, Peanut Butter Chocolate Spread, or Peanut Butter Cookies with Peanuts.
Recipe ingredients
Chicken: I normally use skinless, boneless breasts, but the same amount of skinless, boneless thighs can be used instead.
Peanut butter: Make sure to use the pure stuff, nothing sweetened. My favorite is homemade, but after discovering a very good brand about a year ago, I keep buying it. It just makes things easier…And there are so many other delicious things you can make with an open jar of peanut butter. Learn How to Roast Peanuts and make peanut butter.
Vegetables: mushrooms and red bell pepper. Although this is my favorite veggie combination for this recipe, I used other veggies instead—whatever I happened to have in the fridge.
Vegetable alternatives: Zucchini, leeks, carrots, green beans, peas.
Use one or two of these vegetable sorts or a mixture of more of them. Try to keep to the recommended quantities, about 400 g/ 14 oz, but don't stress too much if you have slightly more or fewer veggies.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make peanut butter chicken curry?
- Step #1: Cut the chicken into thin strips and cook in a non-stick pan or cast-iron skillet until golden on all sides. This will take about 2-3 minutes per batch.
- Step #2: Prepare the vegetables while the meat cooks.
- Heat another tablespoon of oil or coconut oil and fry the mushrooms for about 2-3 minutes.
- Step #3: Add the pepper slices, ginger, garlic, and cayenne pepper. Stir well and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
- Step #4: In the meantime, whisk together the coconut milk and the peanut butter until smooth. Add to the pan together with the breast pieces, some salt, and pepper.
- Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes until the meat is cooked through and the sauce slightly thickened.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, remove the lid after 3 minutes of cooking time. If the sauce is too thick, you can thin it slightly with some regular milk.
Good to know!
It is important to cook the meat in batches, 2-3 batches, depending on the size of your pan; otherwise, it will release too many juices, and it will cook in its own juices rather than become golden. Remove it from the pan.
What to serve with it?
Rice is always my first choice, either Basmati, Jasmin or regular white rice. Brown rice is great as well, a bit nuttier and heartier.
As an alternative, serve the peanut butter chicken curry with noodles—any kind of Asian-style noodles, from simple Chinese egg noodles or ramen to something fancier like soba. Regular spaghetti or any other pasta is delicious as well.
Try these amazing Spinach Peanut Butter Noodles next.
How to store?
Store refrigerated in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Reheat the leftovers in a saucepan, adding a bit more liquid (like milk, nut milk, or broth) when necessary. Stir often and reheat until piping hot.
Peanut Butter Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breasts boneless, skinless, 500 g
- 9 oz button mushrooms 250 g, Note 1
- 1 large red bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or coconut oil, divided
- 1 thumb size piece of ginger
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 can coconut milk 400 g/ 14 oz
- 3 tablespoons pure peanut butter
- 1 lime + more to serve
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper more to taste
- small handful peanuts
- 1 tablespoon parsley chopped
- fine sea salt and ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare ingredients: Cut the chicken into strips. Set aside. Slice the mushrooms and set aside separately. Finely slice the red bell pepper and set aside separately. Grate the garlic and the ginger, and add to the bowl with the pepper strips.1 lb chicken breasts/ 500 g + 9 oz button mushrooms/ 250 g + 1 large red bell pepper + 2 garlic cloves + 1 thumb size piece of ginger
- Sear chicken breasts: Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet or non-stick pan. Sear the chicken strips in two batches until golden on all sides, this will take about 2-3 minutes per batch. Remove from the pan.1 tablespoon from 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Cook vegetables: Heat the second tablespoon of oil and fry the mushrooms for about 2 minutes, stirring often. Add the red peppers, grated ginger, garlic, and cayenne pepper, and cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until the mushrooms are golden and the peppers are softer.¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Simmer coconut milk sauce: In the meantime, whisk the coconut milk and the peanut butter in a bowl until smooth. Add to the pan together with the chicken and a little salt and pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and the chicken cooked through.1 can coconut milk + 3 tablespoons pure peanut butter + fine sea salt and ground black pepper
- Adjust: The sauce should have thickened slightly. If too thick, you can thin it slightly with regular milk. Adjust the taste with lime juice, salt and pepper.1 lime + fine sea salt and ground black pepper
- Roast peanuts: While the sauce cooks, heat a large pan over medium heat. Roast the peanuts, shaking the pan often until fragrant and golden. Transfer to a plate and let cool.small handful peanuts
- Serve: Sprinkle the peanut butter chicken with peanuts and parsley and serve immediately with rice and some lime wedges on the side.1 tablespoon parsley
Clare says
Hi, looking forward to trying this recipe soon. Can this be made in advance and frozen?
Adina says
Hi Clare. I've never did it myself, but all the individual ingredients freeze well, so I don't think there should be any problem with freezing this. Let me know if you try it.
angiesrecipes says
This looks like a really delicious and comforting weekday meal!