Seared, smothered in the yummiest Thai-inspired peanut sauce, and then baked to perfection, these peanut butter chicken thighs are the easiest, most delicious dinnertime protein option.
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This recipe is…
I’m not kidding when I say that the Thai-inspired peanut sauce that’s baked onto these juicy chicken thighs is the best sauce I’ve ever had. It’s salty, sweet, and a teeny bit spicy. We’ve featured it in our reader favorite chopped chicken salad, and, most recently, our teriyaki pork stir fry – it’s the sauce that can do it all and it never, ever disappoints.
Ingredients Needed
This ingredient list is fairly short and simple. You’ll need the chicken itself, plus a little bit of cooking fat (ghee or EVOO), sea salt, and a handful of ingredients for the yummiest peanut sauce. Here’s the full list with ingredient notes and swaps where applicable. Find exact ingredient amounts in the recipe card.
- Ghee or olive oil
- Chicken thighs
- Sea salt
- Peanut butter – use natural peanut butter here! It’s less sweet and the thinner texture is perfect for the sauce.
- Coconut aminos – soy sauce (or tamari) works too!
- Honey
- Sesame oil
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Crushed peanuts – optional, for garnish
- Fresh cilantro – optional, for garnish
What are the best chicken thighs to buy?
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How to Make Peanut Butter Chicken Thighs
This recipe is just about as easy as it gets! Here’s the full how-to:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Make the peanut sauce – add the peanut butter, coconut aminos (or soy sauce), lime juice, honey, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes to a bowl or individual blender cup. Stir (or blend) until smooth and creamy.
- Heat the pan and season the chicken – add the olive oil or ghee to an oven-safe pan over medium-high heat, and season the chicken thighs on both sides with sea salt.
- Cook the chicken – once the pan is hot, add the chicken thighs and sear for 3-4 minutes per side. Once seared, pour the peanut sauce over the chicken thighs and bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
- Garnish and enjoy – garnish with crushed peanuts, fresh cilantro, and enjoy!
Meal Prep Tip
Double the peanut sauce and use it for lunches (these Thai-inspired chopped chicken salads) for the week.
How to Serve
Serve your peanut butter chicken thighs atop perfect white rice or stir fry noodles, and add a simple veggie (like steamed green beans or steamed broccoli) if you’d like!
How to Store and Reheat
Store any leftover peanut butter chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
How to Store in the Freezer
To freeze leftover peanut butter chicken, simply transfer the cooked and cooled chicken thighs to an airtight container or freezer-safe bag, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How to Reheat
Reheat your refrigerated leftovers in the microwave (1-2 minutes), the oven (350°F for 10-12 minutes), or in the air fryer (350°F for 5-6 minutes).
To reheat from frozen, simply let the chicken thighs thaw in the fridge overnight and then follow the reheat times above.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe calls for chicken thighs (of course) and then a creamy, homemade Thai-inspired peanut butter sauce. The most prominent flavors are peanut butter, coconut aminos (or soy sauce), and sesame oil.
While you *can* use any type of peanut butter for this recipe, for the very yummiest flavor and texture, we actually recommend trying to find a natural peanut butter. Natural peanut butter tends to be less sweet than conventional, sweetened peanut butter, so it makes for a really nice counter to the honey without being overly sweet. The texture of natural peanut butter (thinner and less whipped, if you will) also makes it much easier to stir into the other ingredients.
No, this peanut butter chicken is not spicy. The peanut butter sauce does have red pepper flakes in it, but it’s not enough to make a real impact on the spice of the dish. I’ve served this meal to my young kiddos and they gobbled it up!
More Favorite Chicken Recipes
Easy Peanut Butter Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ghee or olive oil
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup natural peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- Crushed peanuts for garnish
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Make the peanut sauce: add the peanut butter, coconut aminos (or soy sauce), lime juice, honey, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes to a bowl or individual blender cup. Stir (or blend) until smooth and creamy.
- Add the olive oil or ghee to an oven-safe pan over medium-high heat, and season the chicken thighs on both sides with sea salt.
- Once the pan is hot, add the chicken thighs and sear for 3-4 minutes per side. Once seared, pour the peanut sauce over the chicken thighs and bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
- Garnish with crushed peanuts, fresh cilantro, and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
My husband and I loved this dish, and he’s a tough critic! Served with rice and steamed broccoli
Yay! We are so happy y’all loved it!!
Wow! This recipe was so good. It was super hot out and I didn’t want to turn on the oven, so I seared the chicken in my cast iron on the stovetop and then transferred it to my grill. I also had some bell peppers I needed to use so I sliced and added those. Wow it turned out amazing! The grill was hotter than I needed it to be and everything baked in about 10 mins but everything came out with a slightly crisp exterior but super juicy and delicious inside this recipe was so easy too and kitchen Clean up was done by the time it was done cooking! Thank you!!
Genius!! We’re so glad you loved this recipe, Sarah!