Elevate your weeknight dinners with this irresistible fusion of flavors. Our Peanut Sauce Chicken with Spicy Cilantro Rice combines tender, juicy chicken thighs coated in a creamy, nutty peanut sauce with a zesty kick from a bed of fragrant cilantro rice. The spice in the sauce and rice creates a perfect balance that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving more. Makes 4 servings.
Peanut Sauce
1 small jalapeno chile, chopped
1 garlic clove
1 cup creamy peanut butter
¾ cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp fish sauce
Kosher salt
Chicken Thighs
1 lb bone-in chicken thighs
1 ½ tsp salt, or more to taste
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil
¼ cup Roasted and Salted Peanuts, Chopped
Cilantro Rice
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup long-grain white rice, such as jasmine or basmati
1 ½ cups water
½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
1 tsp Aleppo Pepper or ½ tsp Crushed Red Pepper
Juice of ½ lime, plus more to taste
¼ cup cilantro leaves, separated from stems and chopped
Make the Peanut Sauce
In a high-speed blender, pulse chile, garlic, peanut butter, coconut milk, brown sugar, lime juice, soy sauce, and fish sauce until smooth.
Transfer peanut sauce to a small saucepan and add ¼ cup water (if too thick, add a splash or so of water as needed). Heat over medium-low, whisking often, until smooth and hot, about 5 minutes; season with salt.
Keep warm over low heat, whisking occasionally.
Make the Chicken
Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and place chicken thighs skin-side down in the skillet and cook, without moving, until golden brown, a out 7 to 9 minutes. Flip the thighs over and brush with some of the peanut sauce. Cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165˚F. Remove from the heat and brush with more peanut sauce, cover, and set aside to keep warm. Brush with remaining sauce before serving and top with chopped peanuts,
Make the Cilantro Rice
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil, then the rice and stir until coated with the butter and oil, just a few seconds.
Add 1½ cups water, raise the heat to high, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan, and cook until all the water is absorbed, for 17 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the rice sit, still covered, to steam for 10 more minutes.
Stir in the salt, cilantro leaves, Aleppo or Crushed Red Pepper, and lime juice. Taste and add more salt and lime juice as desired.
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