This Instant Pot Thai Peanut Chicken is coated in the most incredible, flavor-rich peanut sauce. Serve it over zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice for an easy meal, and garnish with extra peanuts for added crunch!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 11/2-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 1 cup canned coconut milk
- ½ cup creamy organic unsweetened peanut butter
- 1 tablespoons coconut aminos (gluten-free soy sauce or tamari will also work)
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce, optional
- 1 tablespoon honey or coconut sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes or a Thai chile, thinly sliced (optional)
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- broccoli, baby spinach or other greens (optional)
For serving:
- fresh limes
- peanuts
- cilantro
- scallions
- rice, cauliflower rice, rice noodles or zucchini noodles
Description
- Add the chicken pieces to a large glass bowl. Add the curry paste and give it a good mix to get all of the chicken very well coated.
- Set the chicken aside while you prep everything else, or marinate the chicken up to 8 hours ahead. Cover/seal and place into the fridge if you aren’t using it right away.
- Make the peanut sauce. In a medium bowl, add the coconut milk, peanut butter, coconut aminos, ginger, garlic, rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, honey and red pepper flakes, if using. Leave the lime juice and fresh cilantro for the end. Whisk well until it is smooth and creamy.
- Add the chicken and bell pepper to the Instant Pot. Pour the sauce over and stir well to combine, making sure all the chicken is coated.
- Set the Instant Pot for high pressure and cook for 12 minutes. Let the steam release naturally, if you can.
- Remove the lid, add the lime juice and fresh cilantro. Give it a stir. If adding baby spinach, stir in now and allow it to wilt.
- Taste and adjust the flavors as needed, more salt, lime juice, spice from red pepper flakes, more sweetness, etc.
- Serve Thai Peanut Chicken over your choice of noodles or rice (veggie noodles or rice), garnish with cilantro, chopped peanuts, scallions, fresh lime wedge, etc
Recipe Tips:
- try chunky peanut butter instead of creamy, for a little extra texture
- if your peanut butter is very thick and it won’t easily mix into the coconut milk, first place the jar or peanut butter in some hot water in the sink to soften it and make it easier to stir
- if you don’t want to prep the chicken ahead, just let it sit with the curry paste while you prep the remaining ingredients.
- if you prefer chicken breast, that will work great in this recipe too (reduce cook time to 8 minutes)
- you can buy ginger paste and even pre-chopped garlic to really speed things up
- If you like heat, spice things up and add a Thai hot chili pepper with the bell pepper
- if you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can make this in a slow cooker. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. You can experiment with the stove top, but I haven’t made it this way, myself. However you make it, if you have a meat thermometer, check to see if the chicken is 165ºF.
- serve your Thai Peanut Chicken over cauliflower rice, white rice or noodles of any kind, rice noodles, shirataki, zucchini noodles or other veggie noodles
- add veggies to the mix while the chicken cooks, small broccoli florets would be delicious or toss in some baby spinach right at the end or stir fry some veggies separately on the side and serve this chicken and the sauce right over it
- for a super quick fuss-free meal prep meal, make the peanut sauce, and warm it up quickly with leftover already cooked, shredded chicken
Website: tasty-yummies.com
