Thai Peanut Butter Chicken Bowl

‍ A delicious, popular, American-Thai fusion bowl, featuring seasoned chicken tossed in a creamy, savory-sweet peanut sauce, served over rice noodles with fresh, crunchy salad.

THAI  PEANUT  BUTTER  CHICKEN BOWL

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into thin slices 1 cup Thai Peanut Satay Sauce (Store bought - Trader Joe’s has a good one) or make your own (recipe below) 1 large clove finely minced garlic 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger ½ cup diced red bell pepper 2 cups finely sliced green cabbage (optional) 1/3 cup finely sliced green onion‍‍ ‍

Cucumber Salad‍ ‍

2 cups thinly sliced cucumber (1 large English cucumber) 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion (about 1/4 red onion) 2 tablespoons avocado or canola oil 1 tablespoon vinegar salt and sugar to taste‍ ‍

Noodles and Toppers‍ ‍

4 ounces Asian rice vermicelli noodles (available in the Asian section of groceries) a few tablespoons of crushed peanuts a few sprigs of herbs – (mint, parsley, cilantro or basil are good choices)

-Marinate the chicken in a medium bowl with ½ cup of sauce and the garlic for about 30 minutes to an hour. 

-Meanwhile, toss the cucumbers, onions, oil, vinegar, salt and sugar together. Chill until ready to use.

- Heat about 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, red pepper, and cabbage, then sauté, stirring for about 2 minutes. Remove from pan.

-Add another tablespoon of oil, then add chicken. Let the chicken sauté undisturbed for a few minutes to caramelize, then flip and repeat until the chicken is cooked through and golden brown. To caramelize it further, you can add a pinch of sugar towards the end.

-Cook rice noodles according to package directions.

To Assemble the Bowl:

Place about 1/3 cup cooked noodles in the bottom of a single-serving open bowl, (or one large open salad bowl or plate if serving family-style). Then add a serving of chicken to the side of the noodles. Place sauteed vegetables beside the noodles or on top of the chicken. Garnish with cucumber salad, peanuts, sesame seeds, chopped green onion and parsley.

-Using your remaining peanut satay sauce (1/2 cup), add a bit of water, soy sauce, or chili oil to thin it out to a dressing consistency. Drizzle over the assembled bowls then serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.  ‍

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Marinate the chicken then saute in a frying pan until browned.

Place about 1/3 cup cooked rice vermicelli into a single serving bowl.

Place a serving of the chicken along side the rice noodles.

Next, arrange a serving of the vegetable salad in the bowl.

Garnish with crushed peanuts, and seasame seeds.

Finish off with green onions and fresh herbs.

Drizzle the completed bowl with more Peanut Satay sauce - it’s never too much!

So many contrasting textures, this beautiful dish goes the extra mile with Thai flavors - sweet, tangy and sour. It’s an absolute delight for the palate! And then there are the peanuts!

PERSNICKETY NOTES:

**Thai Peanut Satay Sauce can be found at Trader Joes and in other U.S. groceries. However, you can also make your own very tasty version, following the recipe below:

Thai Peanut Satay Sauce:

2 tablespoons coconut cream (or coconut milk) 1‍/4 cup creamy peanut butter ‍ 1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste‍ ‍ ‍ ‍2 teaspoons honey (or maple syrup)‍ 2 teaspoons fish sauce (or soy sauce)‍ 2-3 tablespoons water or enough to thin out to the consistency you like

‍‍‍-Mix the peanut butter and the red Thai curry until they are combined.‍ --Add in the honey, fish sauce (or soy sauce), and rice vinegar (or lime juice) and mix well.‍ ‍-Add the coconut cream (or coconut milk) and mix well until everything is smooth.‍ ‍ -Add 2-3 tablespoons of water and mix well. If it's too thick, add more water, 1 teaspoon at a time until you get the consistency you like.‍ -Do a taste test. If you like it more sour, sweet, or salty, adjust with rice vinegar, honey, or fish sauce.

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