Try this Spicy Peanut Butter Chicken recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 55.3081201491195 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 30.1060000058857 g
- Fiber 15.4290000351182 g
- Protein 25.9054400726614 g
- Saturated Fat 2.34447000077798 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (1125g)
- Sodium 68.1505001774584 mg
- Sugar 39.8791201140013 g
- Trans Fat 1.30613000272347 g
- Calories 539 calories
Step-by-step
- Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. No marinating is required but if you like, you can prepare this the night before cooking. Please note that it might be very spicy if you do this!
- Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. If using non-stick, there’s no need to add any oil to the pan. If not using a non-stick pan, add about a tablespoon of canola oil to the pan. Place the chicken strips in the pan, keeping a little room between each piece. Fry the chicken for about 3–5 minutes and then flip and cook for another 2–4 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and serve immediately.
Frying chicken strips over medium-high heat requires precise timing because sugars in the peanut butter and rice wine vinegar caramelize rapidly upon contact with a hot pan. Watch the edges of the meat closely during the initial three to five minute sear, looking for deep golden browning that indicates Maillard reactions are occurring between the amino acids and reducing sugars. Moving the pieces too early prevents proper crust formation, while leaving them past four minutes on the second side risks scorching the dense nut butter solids.
Combining soy sauce, grated ginger, garlic, and vinegar creates a complex emulsion where sodium ions from the soy sauce suppress bitterness in the ginger while enhancing perceived sweetness. Acetic acid from the rice wine vinegar cuts through the heavy lipids in the peanut butter, balancing the overall viscosity so the marinade coats the poultry evenly instead of clumping. Grating the ginger finely releases intracellular juices containing gingerol, which breaks down slightly under heat to mellow its pungent bite.
Testing doneness without an instant-read thermometer relies entirely on tactile feedback and visual inspection of the poultry. Press the thickest part of a strip firmly with tongs; properly cooked white meat should feel springy and firm rather than mushy or rigid. Pull one strip apart at the widest section to verify that the interior has transitioned from translucent pink to an opaque white throughout.
Modifying this preparation for different dietary restrictions involves simple proportional swaps. Substitute an equal quantity of tamari for soy sauce to remove gluten entirely, or replace the peanut butter with sunflower seed butter using a one-to-one ratio if managing tree nut allergies. Keep the added water quantity identical during substitutions to maintain proper consistency in the pan sauce.
