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Home » Gluten-Free

March 26, 2020

Instant Pot Peanut Butter Chicken

Instant Pot Peanut Butter Chicken
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This Easy Instant Pot Peanut Butter Chicken recipe is the perfect family-friendly healthy dinner recipe. With only a handful of pantry staple ingredients, this recipe is also gluten-free, dairy-free, keto-friendly and can be made vegan as well.

I absolutely love this Instant Pot Peanut Butter Chicken recipe because it made me explore a style that I have always wanted to dive more into.

Peanut Butter Chicken is a popular dish all across Africa. With a small spin on these traditional flavors, I was able to combine the perfect mix of an African and Chinese Inspired recipe into one. 

A few of my favorite instant pot chicken recipes you may enjoy:

  1. Crockpot Thai Coconut Curry Chicken
  2. Instant Pot Cashew Chicken (Whole30)
  3. Slow Cooker Whole Chicken (Whole30)

This One Pot Chicken recipe only requires a handful of accessible ingredients that are mostly non-perishable and you probably already have them sitting in your pantry right now! 

Peanut Butter and Chicken is not usually something I’d pair together, but once you’ve tried this you’ll never go back.

The Peanut Butter makes this dish SO creamy and the combination of the Nutty and Tangy flavor will make this your family’s new favorite healthy dinner recipe.

The Ingredients for Peanut Butter Chicken Recipe

A bowl of creamy peanut butter chicken served with white rice and fresh cilantro. There are some crushed cashews on top.
  • Chicken and/or chickpeas (Canned)
  • Peanut Butter
  • Onion and garlic
  • Coconut aminos 
  • Full Fat Coconut milk (Canned)
  • Diced tomatoes (Canned)
  • Salt and Pepper

Notes on choosing ingredients:

You can use either chicken breast or chicken thighs for this recipe. If you choose to use chicken breasts, I highly recommend marinating it in arrowroot flour.

When choosing peanut butter, pick a jar that only has one ingredient – Peanuts. It should be unsweetened and salt-free, exactly how a nut butter should be. 

Vegan And Keto Option

A bowl of creamy and thick instant pot peanut butter chicken topped with fresh cilantro.

1. Want to make this dish Vegan? It’s simple!

Omit the chicken and use chickpeas only. The chickpeas will soak in all of the amazing flavors while still keeping it Vegan-Friendly!

Cook it in the instant pot for 20 minutes instead of 10 minutes (listed in the recipe) for softer chickpeas.

2. For a Keto Option, omit the chickpeas.

I love Peanut Butter because it has all of the healthy fats for a balanced diet while keeping the carb count low.

3. This Peanut Butter Chicken can be made Allergen friendly too.

Use cashew butter instead of Peanut Butter, it will be just as creamy and satisfying!

How to Make One Pot Peanut Butter Chicken

.

A pot of creamy peanut butter chicken after cooking in pressure cooker.

First Step:

Cut the chicken into cubes. In a big Ziploc bag or medium bowl, marinate the chicken with coconut amino, salt and arrowroot flour (if using any). Make sure the chicken is completely coated.

Second Step:

Using “saute” mode, heat up 1 – 2 tbsp oil in an instant pot. Add onion and garlic, saute until fragrant.

Third Step:

Add Chicken cubes (add more oil if needed). Flip a couple times until the chicken is slightly browned on the outside. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Use all of the top cream part of the coconut milk (roughly 1/2 cup) along with 1/2 cup of the liquid on the bottom.

Cover set the valve to “sealing” and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.

Once done, release. Serve with rice, your favorite vegetables and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro.

.

How to SERVE INSTANT POT PEANUT BUTTER CHICKEN?

A bowl of creamy peanut butter chicken served with white rice and fresh cilantro. There are some crushed cashews on top.

The acidity of the tomatoes balances the fat from the peanut butter and coconut milk and there’s only one word to describe it.

Heaven. 

In order to make a complete, satisfying and healthy dinner for the whole family, you can pair it with jasmine rice, and vegetables.

I love incorporating rice into this dish because of the healthy carbs it brings to the table all while soaking up some of the amazing Peanut Butter sauce. 

Looking for a lower carb option or want to add some vegetables into the mix? Try some cauliflower rice!

I can’t wait for you guys to try this! I know you’re going to love it just as much as I do!

WHAT MAKES THIS PEANUT BUTTER CHICKEN RECIPE HEALTHY

A bowl of creamy and thick instant pot peanut butter chicken topped with fresh cilantro.

1. Coconut aminos

Coconut Aminos is an amazing source of amino acids and has a low glycemic index.

In simpler words, it’s a great alternative to soy sauce and keeps the sodium content low in the recipe! Coconut aminos bring all the flavor while staying health conscious. 

2. Coconut milk

Coconut Milk also has some amazing benefits as well! It is a great alternative to regular milk which makes this recipe dairy-free and rich in healthy fats.

It also packs in some extra creaminess to this dish.

3. Peanut Butter

I love all types of nut butter. They are an amazing source of protein and healthy fat. The use of peanut butter in this chicken recipe not only gives it the perfect flavor profile, but also provides the most creamy texture. 

Additionally, peanut butter is high in valuable nutrition like potassium and the protein keeps your belly full!

What if I Don’t Have an Instant Pot

A pot of creamy peanut butter chicken before cooking in pressure cooker.

No worries! I have Crockpot and Stovetop methods for you! Both are super easy and will make the chicken just as tender and SO yummy!

Crockpot:

Use the same preparation method. Then cook on High for 2 – 3 hours in a crockpot or until chicken is tender and cooked through

Stovetop:

Use the same preparation method. Bring to boil in a big pot on stovetop. Then simmer for  30 – 40 minutes or until chicken is tender and cooked through.

.

How to Store Peanut Butter Chicken?

A container of leftover peanut butter chicken. There is a spoon in it to scoop out.

Once the leftover peanut butter chicken has cooled completely, you can store it in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 – 4 days. 

And yes you can freeze it!

In order to reheat, let the frozen peanut butter chicken thaw under warm water for a few minutes. Then scoop it all into a pot to reheat over the stovetop.

Additionally, you can reheat in the microwave. Make sure you cover the container or bowl with a paper towel to avoid any spilling.

Note: 

The refrigerated peanut butter chicken will be very thick (pictured). But once it’s heated, it will get creamy again. You can always get a few tablespoons of stock if the texture is too thick.

I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR CREATIONS! YOU CAN USE “TRIED IT” ON PINTEREST OR SHARE ON INSTAGRAM BY TAGGING #SHUANGYSEATS

A bowl of creamy peanut butter chicken served with white rice and fresh cilantro. There are some crushed cashews on top. Pinterest Image

 

You may also like these Instant Pot Recipes:

1. Slow Cooker Paleo Italian Meatball

2. Sweet Potato Turkey Chili (Instant Pot)

3. Crockpot Thai Coconut Curry Chicken

A bowl of easy instant pot peanut butter chicken served with rice. There is crushed peanuts and cilantro on top.
A bowl of creamy and thick instant pot peanut butter chicken topped with fresh cilantro.
Print Pin

Instant Pot Peanut Butter Chicken

4.58 from 26 votes
This Easy Instant Pot Peanut Butter Chicken recipe is the perfect family-friendly healthy dinner recipe. With only a handful of pantry staple ingredients, this recipe is also gluten-free, dairy-free, keto-friendly and can be made vegan as well.
Shuang Shuang Liang
Servings 8
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 25 mins

Ingredients
  

Chicken Marinade

  • 1.5 lbs chicken breast or thighs
  • 3 tbsp coconut aminos
  • 2 tbsp arrowroot starch optional *
  • Salt to taste

Sauce

  • 1 cup full-fat coconut milk cream and liquid divided – 13.5 oz
  • 1 can diced tomatoes 14.5 oz
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened peanut butter
  • 1 pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 2 – 3 tbsp coconut aminos
  • Additional Salt to taste *
  • 1 clove of garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1/4 cup onion chopped

Instructions
 

  • Cut the chicken into cubes. In a big Ziploc bag or medium bowl, marinate the chicken with coconut amino, salt * and arrowroot flour (if using any) for at least 20 minutes. Make sure the chicken is completely coated.
    Instructions step by step on how to make instant pot cashew chicken.
  • Using "saute" mode, heat up 1 – 2 tbsp oil in an instant pot. Add onion and garlic, saute until fragrant.
    Instruction on how to make peanut butter chicken in an instant pot.
  • Add Chicken cubes (add more oil if needed). Flip a couple of times until the chicken is slightly browned on the outside. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Use all of the top cream part of the coconut milk (roughly 1/2 cup) along with 1/2 cup of the liquid on the bottom.
    Instruction on how to make peanut butter chicken in an instant pot.
  • Make sure the chicken is evenly coated.
    A pot of creamy peanut butter chicken before cooking in pressure cooker.
  • Cover set the valve to “sealing” and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
  • Once done, release. Serve with rice, your favorite vegetables and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro.

Notes

  1. *Coconut amino itself is salty, so take that into consideration when you salt the chicken.
  2. ** If you don’t have arrowroot flour, you can omit it. I love using arrowroot flour to help lock the juice in and make the chicken extra moist.
  3. For Crockpot and Stovetop Instruction, check out the "What if I don’t have an Instant Pot" section in this post.
  4. You can use 1 to 1 1/2 can of chickpea instead of chicken to make this recipe vegan-friendly.

Recommended Products

  • Original Coconut Aminos
  • Organic Peanut Butter
  • Instant Pot Duo 60 321 Electric Pressure Cooker, 6-QT, Stainless Steel/Black
  • Arrowroot Starch

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 384kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 35gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 93mgSodium: 457mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5g

The Nutrition Facts above are specific to the ingredients I chose to use for this recipe, which may vary.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This does not result in any extra cost for you, but it does mean that I make a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Did you make this recipe?Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram
Season: Christmas, Fall, Spring, Summer, Winter Dietary Preference: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo, Vegan, Vegetarian, Whole30 Key Ingredients: Apples, Bananas, Berries, Chocolate, Oats, Pumpkin, Sweet Potato Recipe Style: Air Fryer, Instant Pot, Kid Friendly, No Bake

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Meghan says

    November 2, 2022 at 2:27 am

    When replacing chicken with chickpeas, do you marinate the chickpeas as you would the chicken or add the marinade ingredients to the dish when cooking?

    Reply
    • Constance says

      January 20, 2023 at 9:18 pm

      Hi Meghan-

      Yes you would marinade as if you were making chicken!

      Let us know how you enjoy it 🙂

      -Constance

      Reply
  2. Taylor says

    October 11, 2022 at 7:19 am

    5 stars
    I’m a 30 year old single dude who has been having fun making meals for the week in the instant pot. This recipe is so tasty. I even added sliced red pepper for a little extra filler, as I am low carb and don’t do rice with this dish. Instant pot is so easy, because you can increase the portion size easily without any changes to cook time. My dish came out a bit more like a stew, with extra coconut sauce to serve with the meat. I added some habanero hot sauce too, which is always a good combo with this kind of flavor profile. Thanks for helping me find something I really enjoyed!

    Reply
  3. Barbara says

    May 24, 2022 at 10:02 pm

    2 stars
    Like many other reviewers I got the dreaded burn notice. In all my years of cooking with my instant pot multiple times a week this was the first time I received this error message. I’d skip the arrowroot all together. Also, I found this dish to be a bit bland even though I added freshly grated ginger. It was a bit one note—peanut butter only.

    Reply
  4. Holly says

    February 25, 2022 at 3:27 am

    Attempting to make this meal tonight. Followed directions exactly and my instant pot keeps saying “food burn,” so I’m afraid we’ll never eat 😱
    Anyone else had this issue and/or how can it be prevented?

    Reply
    • Constance says

      February 26, 2022 at 12:59 am

      Hi Holly! While I haven’t specifically experienced this, it seems like it is a common error code that occurs on instapot. I would recommend that after you sauté your veggies and chicken– make sure to add a little bit of liquid to the mixture, and stir to make sure nothing is truly stuck to the bottom–and THEN add remaining ingredients. If you take a look at this article it shares some more info regarding this error. https://www.allrecipes.com/article/instant-pot-burn/

      All the best,
      Constance

      Reply
  5. Lauren says

    December 1, 2021 at 10:23 pm

    I don’t have crushed tomatoes! 🙁 good substitute?

    Reply
    • Emmelie Williams says

      December 2, 2021 at 3:36 pm

      Hi Lauren, Do you have 1 can of diced tomatoes, 1 can of tomato sauce, 1 can tomato puree, or 2 tbsp tomato paste + 1 cup of water? You could also add 2-3 fresh tomatoes to this recipe instead of canned tomatoes. All of these options would work for this recipe, just a slightly different result. Good luck!
      Emmelie

      Reply
  6. Sabrina says

    November 17, 2021 at 12:37 am

    5 stars
    The whole family loves this meal! Even my picky kiddos!

    Reply
  7. Sabrina says

    November 17, 2021 at 12:34 am

    This was delicious! I too got the burn notice but thankfully the chicken was fully cooked so just turned it off. My whole family loved this recipe (9 and 11 year old too). Will definitely be making it again! Thanks for sharing!!

    Reply
    • Shuang Shuang Liang says

      November 21, 2021 at 9:26 pm

      Hi Sabrina,

      Yay! I am so glad that your family like them 🙂

      Shuang

      Reply
  8. Nicole says

    August 12, 2021 at 7:45 pm

    How much chickpeas would you put in with the chicken?

    Reply
    • Shuang Shuang Liang says

      August 13, 2021 at 10:44 am

      Hi Nicole,

      I do 1 can drained and rinsed. Hope this helps!

      Shuang

      Reply
      • Nicole says

        August 14, 2021 at 1:26 am

        Thanks

        Reply
  9. Jen says

    July 16, 2021 at 5:43 am

    5 stars
    Like many others, I got the dreaded burn notice. Scraped the bottom, tried again, burned again. Finished on sauté. Will just do on stovetop next time. Added extra red pepper flakes and chopped peanuts with the cilantro. Loved it!

    Reply
  10. Meaghan Brown says

    June 4, 2021 at 11:01 pm

    Can you sub lite coconut milk vs. full fat?

    Reply
    • Shuang Shuang Liang says

      June 7, 2021 at 1:03 am

      Hi Meaghan,

      You can but it wouldn’t be as creamy (thickness may vary).

      Shuang

      Reply
  11. Haley Bradley says

    May 5, 2021 at 4:21 am

    How long should you marinate the chicken?

    Reply
    • Shuang Shuang Liang says

      June 2, 2021 at 3:49 pm

      Hi Haley,

      For 20 minutes or so.

      Shuang

      Reply
  12. Pam says

    March 4, 2021 at 12:00 am

    I was so excited to make this recipe. I decided not to use arrow root because of the burn notice. I followed the recipe, used chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. I was surprised when I received the dreaded burn message on my instant pot. There was a thick layer on the bottom burned. It still smelled awesome, I transferred to a pot to make sure the chicken was cooked.

    Do you think the peanut butter settled to the bottom? I was careful to make sure the ingredients were combined well. I used peanut butter that was just peanuts, no oil, salt or sugar added to it.

    Reply
    • Shuang Shuang Liang says

      March 9, 2021 at 11:07 pm

      Hi Pam,

      It could be the arrowroot flour coating. One way to avoid it is to scrape/deglaze the bottom with a wooden spatula before you close the cap. Hope it turns out for you. Let me know how I can help 🙂

      Shuang

      Reply
    • Shuang Shuang Liang says

      August 13, 2021 at 10:47 am

      Hi Pam,

      So sorry to hear that! Yes the peanut butter does a little bit. But for me it usually result in the chicken sticking to the bottom a little bit but if you stir/scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon, they should come off quickly. Hope this helps.

      Shuang

      Reply
    • Shelley says

      January 18, 2023 at 5:00 pm

      5 stars
      Yes I think it’s the peanut butter. I chose to make this in my crock pot and put everything except the chicken/arrowroot mixture to add later and there was a thick layer around the entire crock pot. I think peanut butter just doesn’t cook well without more frequent stirring. Still an excellent recipe though and worth a try.

      Reply
  13. Amara says

    February 10, 2021 at 10:02 pm

    I made this recipe last night and my whole family loved it! I’m hoping to make it for my sister and her family but she is allergic to coconut. Do you have any good replacement ideas for the coconut milk? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Shuang Shuang Liang says

      March 9, 2021 at 11:01 pm

      Hi Amara,

      So glad your family loved it. Would you be able to use regular milk? Full fat milk would be my choice of substitution for coconut milk. 🙂

      Shuang

      Reply
    • Shuang Shuang Liang says

      August 13, 2021 at 10:48 am

      HI Amara,

      That makes me so happy to hear that! If your family could consume dairy you can use heavy cream instead. Hope this helps!

      Shuang

      Reply
  14. Lucy says

    January 20, 2021 at 2:46 am

    HI there! Are there chickpeas in the recipe? I see it in the picture but I don’t see it in the ingredients listed. Looking forward to making this! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Shuang Shuang Liang says

      January 20, 2021 at 11:49 am

      Hi Lucy,

      You can use chickpeas (only) for a vegan option for this recipe. Or You can use just chicken or both. Hope this answers your question! Hope you love it 🙂

      Shuang

      Reply
  15. Em says

    December 6, 2020 at 2:22 am

    5 stars
    Made this for my birthday dinner for a Low FODMAP option. Skipped the onion and added garlic/onion free red chili paste. So so so Good! Usually I feel like there is something missing in the flavor of low FODMAP, but not this recipe. Two of us finished it off- I was full and still went back for seconds!

    Reply
  16. Sarah says

    September 22, 2020 at 6:45 pm

    How much is in a serving? How many ounces?

    Reply
    • Shuang Shuang Liang says

      September 29, 2020 at 6:23 pm

      Hi Sarah,

      This recipe makes 6 – 8 servings with 1.5 lb chicken. I am not sure what it would be total in ounces.

      Shuang

      Reply
  17. Anonymous says

    June 10, 2020 at 10:29 pm

    The flavor is amazing! I did however have worlds of trouble with the arrowroot. It burned a thick layer on the bottom when I was trying to brown. Had to remove everything and add water and deglaze. When I added everything back in, my pot wouldn’t pressurize because it made the burnt coating on the base again. Next time I’ll omit the arrowroot and I might even add a squeeze of hot sauce! Great recipe!

    Reply
    • Shuang Shuang Liang says

      June 24, 2020 at 10:18 pm

      Hi there,

      Oh no i am sorry it burnt. for me it usually has a thin layer on the bottom but wouldn’t burn. Maybe you can add extra oil when you brown it, or use less arrowroot flour. Hope it helps 🙂

      Shuang

      Reply
  18. Taylor says

    March 26, 2020 at 12:56 am

    5 stars

    Reply

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