Sandy’s Chicken–Instant Pot or Crockpot peanut coconut chicken is an easy dump and go recipe with lots of flavor!
Sandy’s Chicken
Today’s recipe is for an easy thai-inspired peanut butter chicken flavored with coconut milk, salsa, soy sauce and more. This recipe is adapted from Sandy’s Kitchen Adventures. If you’re a fan of peanuts and coconut you’re going to love this chicken with a creamy sauce. It’s fun weeknight dinner to change up your everyday routine. It can be served over rice or noodles and topped with toasted peanuts for a finishing crunch. It’s easy and not your average chicken dinner.
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Chicken broth–or water and Better than Bouillon*
- Chicken breasts, thighs or tenderloins–I prefer to use chicken thighs that have been cut into bite size pieces (5 minute pressure cook time on low pressure).
- Soy sauce–I used low sodium
- Garlic powder
- Ground ginger
- Brown sugar
- Salsa or picante sauce
- Peanut butter–I like crunchy
- Coconut milk–full fat or light. You can find this in the Asian section of grocery store.
- Cornstarch–as needed
Steps
Add broth and chicken into Instant Pot. Add in the lime juice, soy sauce, garlic powder, ginger and brown sugar. Spoon the salsa and peanut butter over the top of the chicken (try not to let it touch bottom of pot).
Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to LOW pressure 5 minutes for tenderloins, 12 minutes for fresh chicken breasts or thighs, 15 minutes for frozen breasts or thighs. When time is up let pot sit for 5 minutes and then move valve to venting and remove the lid.
Stir in the coconut milk.
If sauce needs to be thickened you can make a cornstarch slurry by stirring together 1 Tbsp of cornstarch with 2 Tbsp of cold water until smooth and stirring it into the pot on the saute setting.
Serve the chicken topped with chopped peanuts and cilantro. Serve over rice.
Notes/Tips
- Serve chicken and sauce over rice, noodles or cauliflower rice. Serve with a side of roasted broccoli, green beans or asparagus.
- I made brown rice in an separate Instant Pot.
- This recipe can be gluten free if you use gluten free soy sauce (LaChoy brand has a gluten free version)
- I used my 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in a 3 or 8 quart pot.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Other recipes you can make with peanut butter are Blender Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream and Instant Pot Peanut Noodles.
- If you prefer, you can shred the chicken and coat it in the sauce before serving on rice.
Can I Make The Rice At The Same Time?
Pot-in-pot rice is a method of cooking rice in a separate container placed inside the Instant Pot. This method allows you to cook rice and the chicken at the same time. Here’s how you can cook rice at the same time as the chicken.
Ingredients:
- 2 cup of white rice
- 3 cups of water
Instructions:
- Add the rice to a heatproof container that fits inside the Instant Pot (I often use this stainless steel pan*). Add in the rice and water.
- Add the chicken ingredients into the Instant Pot.
- Place the heatproof container with the rice on top of the chicken, using a tall trivet* to keep it elevated.
- Close the Instant Pot lid and set the valve to sealing. Cook as stated in the recipe card.
- Carefully remove the heatproof container with the rice from the Instant Pot. It will be perfectly cooked!
Note: You can use long grain white rice, converted rice, basmati rice, jasmine rice. Brown rice uses a longer cooking time (22 minutes) and won’t work for (pot-in-pot) this particular recipe.
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.
Sandy’s Chicken
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Instant Pot or Crockpot peanut coconut chicken is an easy dump and go recipe with lots of flavor!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 pound chicken breasts, thighs or tenderloins
- 1 Tbsp lime juice
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1/4 cup salsa or picante sauce
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- Chopped peanuts and cilantro for garnish
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Add broth and chicken into Instant Pot. Sprinkle the chicken lightly with a bit of salt.
- Add in the lime juice, soy sauce, garlic powder, ginger and brown sugar. Spoon the salsa and peanut butter over the top of the chicken (try not to let it touch bottom of pot).
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to LOW pressure 5 minutes for tenderloins, 12 minutes for fresh chicken breasts or thighs, 15 minutes for frozen breasts or thighs. When time is up let pot sit for 5 minutes and then move valve to venting and remove the lid.
- Stir in the coconut milk. If sauce needs to be thickened you can make a cornstarch slurry by stirring together 1 Tbsp of cornstarch with 2 Tbsp of cold water until smooth and stirring it into the pot on the saute setting.
- Serve the chicken topped with chopped peanuts and cilantro. Serve over rice.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- In a slow cooker whisk together broth, lime juice, soy sauce, garlic powder, ginger, brown sugar, salsa, peanut butter and coconut milk. Nestle the chicken into the pot.
- Cover and cook on low for 2 hours (tenderloins) to 4 hours (breasts or thighs).
- Serve the chicken topped with chopped peanuts and cilantro. Serve over rice.
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Instant Pot or Slow Cooker
More Thai-inspired recipes…
Instant Pot Spicy Coconut Chicken Drumsticks
Tender, juicy chicken drumsticks enveloped in a creamy coconut and sriracha sauce with loads of fresh cilantro. This chicken and sauce is perfect over rice and makes an easy and delicious weeknight dinner.
Instant Pot Thai Chicken Noodles
A true one pot meal! The chicken, sauce and noodles are all cooked at the same time in minutes in your electric pressure cooker. The noodles are enveloped in a mild creamy peanut and lime sauce and the peanuts, cilantro and red bell peppers give texture and color. A delicious and easy recipe to make any night of the week.
Instant Pot Thai Coconut Soup
Sometimes this soup is called Tom Kha Gai or coconut galangal soup when you order it at a Thai restaurant. Don’t be scared off by the name. This is a super easy version that even a beginner cook can handle. It has the most amazing broth ever. Coconut milk, thai curry paste, lime juice and lemongrass all combine to make a soup that is surprisingly life changing.
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Julie Bruschuk says
I was so intrigued by this combination of ingredients that I had to try it! And the whole family loved it! Will definitely make this again.
Karen says
Thanks Julie!
Karen says
hi! I hate coconut. what can I use instead of coconut milk?
Karen says
you could just leave it out or you could use evaporated milk
Esther says
Should the chicken be skinless and boneless?
Karen says
yes, that is what I used