Peanut Chicken Protein Bowl (Print Version)

Protein-packed bowl with coconut rice, seasoned chicken, and tangy peanut sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Coconut Rice

01 - 1 cup jasmine rice
02 - 1 cup unsweetened canned coconut milk, well-shaken
03 - 1 cup water
04 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Chicken

05 - 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced
06 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
07 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
08 - ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
09 - 1 clove garlic, minced

→ Peanut Sauce

10 - ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
11 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
12 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
13 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
14 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
15 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
16 - 1 clove garlic, minced
17 - 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water, as needed for consistency
18 - ¼ teaspoon chili flakes, optional

→ Toppings

19 - 1 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
20 - 1 cup carrots, julienned
21 - ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
22 - 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, chopped, optional
23 - Lime wedges for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Rinse jasmine rice under cold water until water runs clear. In a medium saucepan, combine rice, coconut milk, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, stir once, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let steam, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
02 - In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add diced chicken, soy sauce, black pepper, and minced garlic. Sauté for 6 to 8 minutes until chicken is golden and cooked through. Remove from heat.
03 - In a bowl, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, lime juice, sesame oil, garlic, and chili flakes. Add warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached.
04 - Divide coconut rice among four bowls. Top each with sautéed chicken, red cabbage, carrots, and cilantro. Drizzle generously with peanut sauce. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and serve with lime wedges.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It tastes like takeout but leaves you feeling energized instead of sluggish and heavy.
  • The peanut sauce is dangerously good and you will want to put it on everything for the rest of the week.
  • It holds up beautifully in the fridge so you can actually look forward to lunch on Thursday.
02 -
  • Do not skip rinsing the rice or you will end up with a sticky clumpy mess instead of fluffy grains.
  • Add the warm water to the peanut sauce slowly because it can go from thick to soup in one extra splash.
  • Let the rice steam off the heat with the lid on or it will be undercooked and crunchy in the center.
03 -
  • Toast your peanuts in a dry skillet for a minute before chopping them, it brings out an incredible nutty aroma.
  • Use a vegetable peeler to make carrot ribbons instead of shredding them for an elegant presentation that takes zero extra effort.
  • Make a big batch of the peanut sauce on Sunday and use it all week on grain bowls, salads, or as a dip for spring rolls.
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