Peanut Butter Chicken and Rice Bowl

This super-easy peanut butter chicken and rice bowl is a fantastic make-ahead recipe that will stay fresh in the fridge all week. Marinate the curry chicken up to 24 hours in advance so you can have this peanut chicken ready in no time!

This is a meal prep lover’s dream.

If you like to meal prep at the beginning of the week, this is a great recipe to add to the menu. You can marinate the chicken up to 24 hours in advance. And the cooked chicken will stay fresh in the fridge for 4-5 days. Prep the pickled veggies and peanut butter sauce ahead of time as well, so you’ve got everything ready to go for an easy meal.

Here’s what you’ll need.

Here’s how it all comes together.

PREP THE MARINADE. Combine olive oil with curry paste, curry powder, garlic powder, ginger paste, and a couple large pinches of salt and pepper in a bowl.

MARINATE CHICKEN. Add chicken and toss to coat evenly. Marinate chicken for 1-24 hours.

MAKE SAUCE + VEGGIES. Throw together my easy peanut sauce and quick pickled veggies while the chicken marinates.

COOK CHICKEN. Cook chicken in a large cast iron pan, large skillet, or cast iron griddle pan over medium heat. You may need to cook it in batches depending on the size of your pan.

SERVE + ENJOY. Toss chicken in peanut sauce if desired, or drizzle the peanut sauce over the chicken once it’s cooked. Serve over rice with my easy pickled veggies for a quick and delicious meal your family will love! Garnish with chopped peanuts, green onions, and cilantro if desired.

Things I learned while testing this recipe.

• Let the chicken marinate for at least an hour! I know when you’re short on time, it’s tempting to just toss the chicken in the spices and then cook, but I highly recommend letting the chicken sit and marinate for at least an hour and up to 24 hours. This will ensure that it soaks up all the spices and gives you the most flavor possible.
• Make sure to cook the chicken in a single layer. The best way to get that nice, crispy, golden brown crust on the chicken is to cook it in batches and make sure the pieces are spread out in a single layer. Don’t move them too much either, just let them cook and flip them when they remove easily from the pan.
• There is a moderate amount of oil in the marinade, so you shouldn’t need to oil your pan before sautéing the chicken. However, if your chicken begins to stick, just add a thin layer of olive oil to your pan.
• Because there is oil in the marinade, keep in mind that as you cook the chicken, oil may spatter. I recommend wearing an apron or a t-shirt that you don’t mind getting a bit of oil spatter on!

Here’s what I’d serve with these chicken and rice bowls.

• air fryer green beans
• air fryer asparagus
• easy cilantro lime slaw
• creamy cauliflower + carrot soup

You can take this in so many different directions.

Feel free to switch up the flavors of this dish! You can whisk any of the following into the marinade.

• coconut milk
• a squeeze of fresh lime juice
• fish sauce
• soy sauce (or tamari)
• red pepper flakes
• honey
• ground cumin
• turmeric
• ground coriander

Just in case you have leftovers.

• STORING: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
• REHEATING: Reheat chicken in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat on the stovetop. You can also microwave the leftover chicken in 20-30 second intervals until warmed through.

More easy chicken recipes for your eating pleasure.