Midweek dinners don’t get much tastier than Caribbean peanut chicken and rice. Fresh, fabulous and fantastically easy to make, this is the one pot wonder that you need to get in your life!
Wait… do chicken and peanut butter go together? What ingredients are actually in Caribbean food anyway? Plus, am I going to be able to get the whole family to eat this peanut butter chicken recipe? So many questions, all of them answered emphatically below. Get ready for your new favorite recipe!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy to make
- Packed with fresh healthy ingredients
- Everything is cooked in one pan
- Like a Thai peanut chicken recipe but with Caribbean flavors
- So delicious, the whole family will love it!
Equipment Needed To Make This Recipe
There are a few key items you’ll need to make this peanut butter chicken recipe:
- Large casserole dish – the larger the better. Go for something sturdy and heavy-bottomed, preferably cast iron to really get those flavors flying!
- Chopping board and quality knife – you’ll need the right equipment to prepare your ingredients.
How To Make This Peanut Butter Chicken Recipe
Place the chopped chicken in a large bowl.
Add the garlic, thyme, curry powder, lime juice and oil.
Mix everything together and let it marinate while you get the rest of the ingredients ready.
Brown the chicken first, then set aside.
Using the same pan, gently fry the onion and chilli.
Add the chopped tomatoes and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the peanut butter and give everything a stir.
Add the rice.
Add the stock and cook for 15 minutes.
Once cooked, fluff up the rice and serve immediately with cilantro and lime wedges. Enjoy!
Top Tip
Browning the chicken beforehand will bring so much more flavor to the dish.
What to Serve with Your Peanut Butter Chicken Recipe
Sides
- Raw vegetables, like shredded carrots, chopped celery, red pepper or purple cabbage
- Green beans
- Caribbean coleslaw or keto coleslaw
- Naan bread to mop up the peanut butter sauce, for a wonderful fusion flavor. Try kashmiri naan or a gluten free roti
Desserts
Go for the tropical flavors to complement the Caribbean peanut sauce and serve pineapple ice cream or pineapple cheesecake.
Drinks pairing
For a wine, something like an off-dry Riesling would be perfect to cut through the creaminess of the peanut sauce, balance out the sweetness and complement the aromas.
Not a wine fan? Pair your easy peanut butter chicken recipe with something light, fruity and fresh – you can’t go wrong with a frozen daiquiri!
Popular Substitutions For This Recipe
- You can make this easy peanut butter chicken dish healthier by using brown rice but it will need a longer cooking time.
- For those with a peanut allergy, replace the peanut butter with macadamia butter, cashew butter or almond butter.
- For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken breast with tofu, seitan or jackfruit
Variations To This Recipe
- For a more succulent dish, use boneless chicken thighs instead of chicken breast.
- Add a thumb-sized piece of finely-chopped ginger along with the onions, minced garlic and chili for an earthy kick to your peanut butter sauce.
- Add a splash of soy sauce to increase the richness of this peanut butter chicken recipe.
- Sprinkle some crushed cashew nuts or chopped peanuts on the dish at the end for a wonderful crunchy texture.
- Add chopped green onions along with the cilantro at the end.
- Adding an extra chili will make peanut butter chicken even spicier.
- You can also use any of your favorite spices to bring an extra dimension of flavor to peanut sauce chicken, including paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice.
Top Tip
Use natural peanut butter for the best tasting spicy peanut sauce.
How do I store leftovers?
You can either store your peanut butter chicken in the refrigerator or freeze it, depending on when you’re planning to eat it.
How Long Will This Food Last In the Fridge?
When stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, your peanut butter chicken leftovers will last for 3-5 days.
Can I Freeze This Recipe?
Absolutely. This dish freezes well, especially if you’ve made a big batch. Simply place it in an airtight container and freeze for up to 4 months.
How do I Thaw This Dish?
It needs to be defrosted in the fridge – your best bet is to leave it overnight. Never defrost chicken at room temperature.
How do I Reheat This Dish?
Reheat your Caribbean peanut butter chicken in a casserole pot. Peanut butter sauce tends to thicken when frozen and defrosted, so add a splash of water and stir as it heats. Heat through thoroughly until piping hot.
You can also serve them up into dishes and microwave them individually.
Can this recipe be scaled?
Yes! A great way to make peanut butter chicken last longer is to double or treble this recipe to make a big batch. Just follow the recipe amounts below and times them by 2 or 3.
Can This Recipe be made in advance?
Yes, you can make it in advance. One idea is to serve everything up in bowls, cover the bowls with plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator. Then, when you’re ready to serve them, heat them up individually in the microwave.
Do I have to Marinate the Chicken?
For me, absolutely! Marinating your chicken makes it taste so much better, while achieving that wonderful succulent texture that elevates this easy peanut butter chicken dish to another level.
Other Caribbean Recipes You’ll Love
Enjoyed this peanut butter chicken recipe? Can’t get enough of those delicious Caribbean flavors? Try these delicious recipes!
- Jerk spice – want to know how to recreate the famous Caribbean spice? This recipe is for you
- Jamaican oxtail stew – an incredibly warming dish with a sublime blend of flavors
- Caribbean chickpea and sweet potato casserole – a deliciously simple recipe that is healthy, tasty and oh so satisfying
- Mango salsa – a unique way of livening up a dish, this mango salsa recipe is top quality and brings a different kind of flavour that takes the breath away. Try it... you won't regret it!
- Rice and peas – the ultimate Jamaican side dish, this Caribbean classic is a joy to make and a joy to eat
Food Safety
- Cook your chicken to a minimum temperature of 165°F (74°C)
- When using utensils with raw meat, always wash them thoroughly before using them with anything else
- Wash hands thoroughly after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for long periods
- Use oils with a high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds – so vegetable oil instead of olive oil
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Caribbean Peanut Chicken
- Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 5 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Longing for a break in the Carribean? You can have one in your kitchen too with this tasty one pot Caribbean Peanut Chicken.
Ingredients
Marinated Chicken
- 15ml (1 tbsp) vegetable oil
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
- 12g (2 tbsp) curry powder
- 1 lime, juice only
- 900g (2lbs) chicken breasts, chopped
Peanut Butter Chicken and Rice
- 30ml (2 tbsp) vegetable oil
- 300g (2) onions, finely chopped
- 1 green chilli, seeded and thinly sliced
- 200g (2) tomatoes, finely chopped
- 6g (1 tsp) salt
- 60ml (4 tbsp) smooth peanut butter
- 450g (1lb) white long grain rice
- 675ml (2½ cups) chicken stock
- lime juice, to taste
- fresh cilantro, for garnishing
Instructions
- Mix all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl and stir in the chicken. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for 3 hours.
- Heat the oil in a large casserole dish.
- Brown the marinated chicken in batches and then set aside.
- Add the onions and fry over a medium heat for 5 minutes or until softened and translucent.
- Add the chilli, tomatoes and salt, and continue to stir every now and then for another 5 minutes.
- Stir in the peanut butter and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Tip in the rice, stock and chicken. Give it a good stir, then let it reach a slow simmer.
- Cover with a lid and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked. Give it a stir once in a while just to ensure that the bottom doesn’t stick. If it seems a bit dry, add a splash of water, if needed.
- Use a fork to fluff up the rice, sprinkle with lime juice as you see fit, and garnish with cilantro. I served mine with green beans. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can make this dish healthier by using brown rice but it will need a longer cooking time.
- For more succulence, use boneless chicken thighs.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Marinating Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Pan Fry
- Cuisine: Caribbean
Keywords: caribbean peanut chicken, peanut sauce chicken, easy peanut chicken, peanut butter chicken and rice
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