Done in just about 30 minutes, these high protein Peanut Chicken Bowls pack 38 grams of protein per serving! They’re easy, delicious, and packed with delicious flavor you’ll LOVE.
Hitting Your Protein Goal Has Never Tasted So Good
I’m fast approaching my 40s, and I’ve been working really hard to hit some health goals, but one thing you’ll never see me give up on is flavor, and that’s why I’m in love with these gluten-free peanut chicken bowls. This recipe has it all!
Happy cooking! xo, Emily
Gather Your Ingredients
These high protein peanut chicken bowls center around a few simple components to build balanced flavor and texture. Let’s take a look at what you’ll need to get started:
How To Make Peanut Chicken Bowls, Step By Step
As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.
- MAKE THE PEANUT SAUCE. In a small bowl or jar, combine peanut butter, 3 Tbsp. coconut milk, the tamari, the pure maple syrup, and the lime juice. Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce until completely smooth, adding more coconut milk as needed, to thin it out to your desired consistency. (You can absolutely do this with a whisk, it’ll just take longer to blend!)
- COOK + SEASON THE CHICKEN. Heat 1 tsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook over medium heat until chicken is cooked through, 8-10 min. Add garlic, ginger, tamari, curry powder and green onion and cook 1-2 min longer. Garnish with cilantro.
- WHILE CHICKEN COOKS, MAKE CUCUMBER SALAD. In a large bowl, combine rice vinegar, sweet chili sauce, and toasted sesame oil. Whisk or stir to combine. (You can mix the dressing up a day in advance, if needed!) Add sliced cucumbers, green onion, and cilantro to the dressing and stir to coat. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.
- ASSEMBLE THE BOWLS. Spoon the cooked chicken over rice and drizzle with peanut sauce. Serve with cucumber salad and garnish with crushed peanuts.
- STORE. Store leftovers in separate airtight containers in the fridge. (Store peanut sauce, chicken mixture, cucumber salad, and rice separately for best results.) Chicken mixture will stay fresh 3-4 days.
FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Peanut Chicken Bowls
Make Ahead Tips. Feel free to make the peanut sauce 1-2 days in advance. It’ll stay fresh up to 1 week in the fridge! You can also mix up the cucumber salad dressing & slice cucumbers in advance to speed up prep later. (I recommend storing the dressing & cucumber salad veggies separately until closer to dinner for the best texture.)
Consider a Rice Cooker. I was slow to adopt a rice cooker (I didn’t want another gadget in my kitchen), but I got this smaller batch rice cooker one 6 months ago and it’s been a game changer. It’s great for smaller families (4-6 people), doesn’t take up much space, and it’s easy to clean. Plus, it delivers consistently delicious rice every time.
More Veggies To Try. You can absolutely add more veggies to these peanut chicken bowls, if you like! Some thinly sliced or grated carrots, sliced or julienned red bell peppers, sliced avocado, or even our Thai Peanut Slaw can be delicious options!
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our gluten-free Peanut Chicken Bowls recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Peanut Chicken Bowls
Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKEN:
- 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
- 1 pound Ground Chicken Breast*
- 1 clove Garlic – minced
- 1 teaspoon Minced Fresh Ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon Yellow Curry Powder (Mild)
- 2 Tablespoons Reduced-Sodium Gluten-Free Tamari (or Coconut Aminos or Soy Sauce)
- 1 Green Onion – sliced
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Cilantro
FOR THE PEANUT SAUCE:
- 1/2 cup Creamy Natural Peanut Butter (Just Peanuts & Salt)
- 3-5 Tablespoons Light Coconut Milk (can sub full-fat coconut milk or hot water)
- 2 Tablespoons Reduced-Sodium Gluten-Free Tamari (or Coconut Aminos or Soy Sauce)
- 2 Tablespoon Pure Maple Syrup
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh Lime Juice
FOR THE BOWLS
- 2-3 cups Cooked Rice (I like jasmine rice)
- 1 English cucumber – cut in half lengthwise, and sliced
- 1/3 Cup Rice Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon Toasted Sesame Oil
- 2-3 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Cilantro
- Salt & Pepper (To Taste)
- pinch Red Pepper Flakes
- 1/4-1/2 cup Crushed Salted Peanuts (For Garnish)
Instructions
FIRST, MIX UP YOUR PEANUT SAUCE
- Combine. In a small bowl or jar, combine peanut butter, 3 Tbsp. coconut milk, the tamari, the pure maple syrup, and the lime juice.
- Blend. Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce until completely smooth, adding more coconut milk as needed, to thin it out to your desired consistency. (You can absolutely do this with a whisk, it'll just take longer to blend!)
- Set Aside Or Chill. Cover the peanut sauce and set aside while you cook your chicken. If making the peanut sauce in advance, store in the refrigerator up to 1 week.
NEXT, MAKE THE CHICKEN
- Cook The Chicken. Heat 1 tsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook over medium heat until chicken is cooked through, 8-10 minutes.
- Season. Add garlic, ginger, tamari, curry powder and green onion and cook 1 minute longer. Garnish with cilantro.
MAKE THE CUCUMBER SALAD
- Make The Dressing. In a large bowl, combine rice vinegar, sweet chili sauce, and toasted sesame oil. Whisk or stir to combine. (You can mix the dressing up a day in advance, if needed!)
- Combine. Add sliced cucumbers, green onion, and cilantro to the dressing and stir to coat. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.
ASSEMBLE THE BOWLS
- Layer. Spoon the cooked chicken over rice and drizzle with peanut sauce. Serve with cucumber salad and garnish with crushed peanuts.
- Serve & Store. Enjoy right away. Store leftovers in separate airtight containers in the fridge. (Store peanut sauce, chicken mixture, cucumber salad, and rice separately for best results.) Chicken mixture will stay fresh 3-4 days.
Notes
- Ground Chicken Breast. If you can’t find ground chicken, it’s easy to make your own! Just add boneless, skinless chicken breast or chicken thighs to a food processor fitted with the metal S blade and pulse until the chicken is finely ground. I prefer ground chicken breast to regular ground chicken since it’s got a more neutral flavor. Use whichever you can find/you prefer!
- Tamari. We recommend reduced sodium gluten-free tamari to help moderate the salt content. Coconut aminos is another great choice! If you’re not gluten-free, feel free to use low sodium soy sauce.
- Peanut Sauce. An immersion blender is the easiest way to blend this peanut sauce, but you can whisk if needed.
- Try A Squeeze of Lime! I love to serve these with a lime wedge. That little bit of lime juice can add lovely brightness.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.
Find it Online:
https://www.onelovelylife.com/peanut-chicken-bowls/
This is such a great dinner! The fact that it’s high protein makes it easy to meet health goals. Instead of peanut sauce, I like to have this with gluten-free tamari.