Savory, juicy Thai Peanut Chicken baked in a quick, homemade, nutty sauce inspired by Thai flavors. Ready in just 35 minutes. Try it tonight!
Thai dishes like Baked Thai Peanut Chicken are savory and delicious, especially if you want to make something fast and easy. Some other Thai recipes that you all loved are Chicken Pad Thai, CPK Thai Peanut Chicken Pasta (this recipe has a cult following on the site!) and Pad See Ew (Thai Stir Fried Noodles).
Sabrina’s Baked Thai Peanut Chicken
If you are craving something delicious but don’t want to spend the money to eat out, try making this Thai chicken recipe. It’s quick, it’s delicious, and it’s so easy. Peanut sauce is thick and savory, and it brings out the natural flavor of the chicken perfectly. Plus the recipe only takes a quick second to prepare so you can go on with your weeknight routine without having to worry about dinner. If this is your first time making Thai peanut sauce, you’ll be able to trick everyone into thinking you’re a pro.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs , boneless skinless
- 7 ounces coconut milk (half a can)
- 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger , minced
- cilantro (optional), chopped, for garnish
- peanuts (optional), chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a large bowl mix the chicken, coconut milk, peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar, lime juice, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger.
- Place the chicken, smooth side down, into your baking dish.
- Pour the sauce over it.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (to 165 degrees F).
- Garnish with cilantro
Nutrition
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Table of Contents
About this Recipe
Cooks across Asia use peanut sauce in a wide range of dishes, with Thai cuisine showcasing it most prominently. It makes you wonder, where does it come from? South America is probably not the answer you were thinking, was it? Peanuts are native to South America, and when merchants and missionaries from Portugal and Spain began to travel to Asia, specifically Indonesia, they brought peanuts with them. The legumes thrived in the Indonesian climate and were quickly developed into a tasty sauce called bumbu kacang. Peanut sauce is also an international favorite that you can find at your grocery store, but it’s much more fun and tasty to make your own.
Chef’s Note: Cooking Safety
The USDA states that chicken is fully cooked at 165°F (73.8°C). Because this recipe spends plenty of time in the oven, temperature shouldn’t be a problem—but it never hurts to double-check for safety.
How to Store
- Serve: Don’t leave cooked chicken out for longer than 2 hours, or it will start to grow things.
- Store: Your leftovers will be good in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: In an airtight container, Baked Thai Peanut Chicken is good for up to 4 months.
Variations
- Cilantro: Some chopped cilantro can add great color and flavor to the dish.
- Veggies: You can try a variety of chopped vegetables in this recipe, such as bell peppers, green onions and snow peas, just to name a couple.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: Dust the top of the chicken with red pepper flakes for a crunch that also has some spice to it.
- Fish Sauce: Fish sauce delivers bold umami flavor and covers a lot of ground in the kitchen. Add a teaspoon or two to your sauce and stir just before serving for a more umami flavor.
- Sriracha: They say that sriracha goes with anything (there’s even sriracha ice cream for the brave). A few drops on Thai chicken is perfect for anyone who likes their food to bite back a little.
- Rice Noodles: Instead of serving Baked Thai Peanut Chicken over rice, try rice noodles instead. They have a great texture and absorb sauce well so that each bite is full of flavor.
Related Recipes
More Delicious Thai Dishes
Photos used in previous version of this post
Followed recipe as written. Tasted better the next day as stated in the note. Could use a squeeze of lime or a couple of teaspoons of lime juice. Nice recipe. Easy to follow. Thank you.
You’re welcome Lisa and thanks for the kind review and great feedback!
I am assuming it is a 5 star recipe as we love your Thai peanut pork tenderloin recipe and these are very similar. I was just going to make the chicken thighs with the pork tenderloin recipe, then I found you already had a chicken thigh recipe! I have a question… Can I marinate the chicken thighs with the same marinade you shared in the pork tenderloin recipe? I’m making this for dinner tonight and assume I won’t have an answer by then. I think I’m gonna try it. I’ll let ya know how it turned out! LOL
Loved this! Had to trade out fresh ginger and garlic for powders, but it worked fine, and was delicious! Served it over a bagged broccoli slaw; made this easy recipe extra easy, added some fresh crunch and good veggies, and was an awesome complement. Great meal, thanks!
You’re welcome Sarah and thanks for the great five star review!
I’ve made this a few times now and the sauce is amazing! I always add green beans or mange tout in with the chicken to get some veg in and have noodles with it!
Great feedback Keeley!
I’m only putting 2 stars on this as how do you make 5 chicken thighs feed 6 people?
Marcie! Thanks so much for bringing this to my attention. That was a typo and I’ve updated the recipe card to read 6 thighs. Thank you again and I hope you try the recipe.
Hi!!!
I just made this and it came out amazing! I doubled the sauce to chicken so we can put extra sauce on the rice! I don’t feel mine was runny at all, the sauce thickened exactly as I thought it would with the peanut butter. Next time I’m using crunchy for sure!!! Thank you for this easy, tasty recipe!
I also found the sauce very runny, since I had 12 thighs I doubled the recipe but think next time would just leave it as written. Also needs a kick, so maybe some cayenne or siracha sauce. Otherwise nice flavour.
I’ll be making this soon! Can I use natural peanut butter? Should I add anything extra if I do?
Natural peanut butter typically doesn’t have sugar so your chicken will be a bit less sweet. Make sure it’s creamy natural peanut butter. Would love to hear what you decided to use and how the recipe turns out!
I thought I’d really enjoy this, but the sauce was runny, and it was too sweet for my taste. Perhaps if I’d used a whole chicken instead of parts it would have been better. In general, chicken bought in pieces has an “off” taste.
Hm, Sorry you were disappointed. Hope you’ll try the recipe again.
Delish! I used breasts instead of thighs. We enjoyed the marvelous flavor, although I will probably spice them up a little next time.
Everyone loves a different level of “heat” for sure and thanks for trying the recipe and the five star review Carolyn!
This recipe is very good! I had bone in thighs, and used those with no problem. I used the extra sauce over some rice which was really enjoyed. Loved the sprinkle of peanuts!
Lynette, that sounds so good! Thanks for your feedback and the five star review.
When I see a recipe by Sabrina Snyder l know it is probably great. This dish did not disappoint. Personally I will add sriracha to give it some kick . Husband lobed it.
Aw, thanks Donna. Really appreciate your kind words and thanks for the five star review!
Easy and delicious! ?
Yummy! Tender chicken, and easy to make! This will be a “go to”!