Peanut Chicken Power Bowl (Printable Version)

Tender baked chicken over grains and crisp vegetables with creamy peanut sauce for a satisfying, protein-packed meal.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.1 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
04 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - 0.5 teaspoon ground cumin
06 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
07 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper

→ Grains

08 - 1 cup brown rice or quinoa, uncooked
09 - 2 cups water or low-sodium broth

→ Vegetables

10 - 1 large carrot, julienned or grated
11 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
12 - 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
13 - 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
14 - 2 spring onions, sliced
15 - 2 cups baby spinach or mixed greens

→ Peanut Sauce

16 - 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
17 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free option
18 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or lime juice
19 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
20 - 1 teaspoon sriracha or chili sauce, optional for heat
21 - 2 to 3 tablespoons warm water to thin as needed

→ Garnish

22 - 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, chopped
23 - Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
24 - Lime wedges

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a bowl, toss chicken with olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.
03 - Arrange seasoned chicken on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until fully cooked with an internal temperature of 165°F. Rest for 5 minutes, then slice.
04 - Rinse rice or quinoa and place in a saucepan with water or broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer until tender, approximately 25 minutes for brown rice or 15 minutes for quinoa. Fluff with a fork.
05 - Julienne or grate the carrot, thinly slice the bell pepper and cucumber, shred the purple cabbage, slice the spring onions, and keep the greens ready. Arrange all toppings for assembly.
06 - Whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar or lime juice, honey, sriracha if using, and warm water until reaching a pourable consistency.
07 - Divide cooked grains among four bowls. Top each with sliced chicken, fresh vegetables, and greens. Drizzle generously with peanut sauce.
08 - Top each bowl with chopped roasted peanuts, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like you spent your whole afternoon cooking.
  • You can prep everything while the chicken bakes, making cleanup almost as painless as the cooking.
  • The peanut sauce is honest and adaptable—a little more honey if you like sweetness, more sriracha if you want heat, and it somehow makes everything better.
02 -
  • The peanut sauce thickens as it sits, so if you're making it ahead, keep the water separate and add it just before serving.
  • Don't skip resting the chicken—it's the difference between tender slices and tough, stringy pieces.
  • Taste your sauce before you pour it on the bowls; peanut butter brands vary, so you might need a squeeze of extra lime juice or a pinch more honey to balance it.
03 -
  • Cook your grains while the chicken bakes so everything finishes at roughly the same time—no waiting around.
  • If your peanut sauce breaks or gets grainy, add a tablespoon of warm water and whisk gently; it almost always comes back together.
  • Keep cilantro, lime, and roasted peanuts separate until serving so the lime juice doesn't wilt the cilantro and the peanuts stay crisp.
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