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Healthy African Peanut Butter Chicken

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A lighter take on a creamy spiced peanut butter sauce sauteed up with gingery garlicky chicken and served up with wilted kale over your favorite grain: this Healthy African Peanut Chicken is seriously the best comfort food!

A lighter take on a creamy spiced peanut butter sauce sauteed up with gingery garlicky chicken and served up with wilted kale over your favorite grain: this Healthy African Peanut Yogurt Chicken is seriously the best comfort food!

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I know I say this a lot, but peanut butter truly is my favorite food of all time… well, maybe I should rephrase that: peanut butter truly is the best food of all time. I mean, there’s just something about that creamy dreamy spread that is seriously good on anything. Morning toast? It’s my go-to. Mixed into a smoothie? Seriously makes it taste like a milkshake. Oh, and, eating it straight from the jar with a big ole spoon? That’s truly my love language. Needless to say, I’ll eat peanut butter in any way shape or form, including mixed into my savory meals. In this Healthy African Peanut Butter Chicken, peanut butter is the star of a savory, spiced sauce that coats crispy, fragrant chicken and mushrooms. There’s seriously nothing better. You have to make this one!!

the breakdown…

This Healthy African Peanut Yogurt Chicken is one of my favorite quick and easy weeknight dinners. While I sometimes go overboard with the extravagance, I promise you this one is simple. Start off with a quick saute of onion, baby bella mushroom, and chopped up chicken breast. The mushrooms really don’t bring in much flavor, so you could easily substitute them for some very small cauliflower or broccoli florets. Really, it’s about bringing in that bulk and texture to make this into a well rounded meal, as opposed to a simple chicken stew. Plus, veggies are always the name of the game with a “healthy” recipe… right?

Once that gets going, it’s time to toss in all the flavor. For once, I don’t go overboard with spices in this Healthy African Peanut Butter Chicken. Rather, I just use a bit of ginger and garlic… well, a lot of ginger and garlic. I find that this is the best way to let those peanut flavors shine while still bringing in a touch of authentic African flavor. Oh, and with some cayenne and fish sauce thrown into the mix, you even get a bit of Thai meets African cuisine. Sounds weird, I know… but the flavors just work so well!! 

A lighter take on a creamy spiced peanut butter sauce sauteed up with gingery garlicky chicken and served up with wilted kale over your favorite grain: this Healthy African Peanut  Chicken is seriously the best comfort food!

all about that creamy texture!!

We’ve discussed all of the good ~flavor aspects~ of this Healthy African Peanut Butter Chicken, so let’s move onto getting that creamy texture. That’s truly where this dish takes on the “healthier” side of things. We’ve got a bit of the traditional coconut milk thrown into the mix… but just a bit! Coconut milk, which comes in a can, is notoriously very heavy. Yes, it’s healthy, but it can also send you straight to bed after eating too much. So, I opt to use the lighter variety, and only about ¾ a cup. Coconut milk lasts well in the fridge, so don’t worry about only using about a third of a can at a time. 

Given that we’re only going with a little bit of that creamy coconut milk, I opt to use an entire can of pumpkin puree and some greek yogurt for some more texture. I know, pumpkin sounds weird. But, trust me, it’s truly my secret weapon to making a dish creamy while keeping things on the light side (hey, Lightened Up Creamy Tomato and Tortellini Soup;))) But, seriously, it’s a game changer. I also throw in some greek yogurt, just for a little added texture. In reality, though, you could leave this out or just add more coconut milk. Go with what you have on hand!

Next up, mix in a ton of chicken broth to make this more stew-like, then go in with the peanut butter! I like to use organic natural creamy peanut butter, as that’s usually what I have on hand. That being said, a chunky peanut butter would also do well here. Just make sure you don’t use anything too sweet, as that could create a strange flavor. Let everything simmer for a while and you’re good to go! 

A lighter take on a creamy spiced peanut butter sauce sauteed up with gingery garlicky chicken and served up with wilted kale over your favorite grain: this Healthy African Peanut  Chicken is seriously the best comfort food!

the perfect consistency…

You want your sauce to be thick enough to hold its shape around the chicken, but thin enough to spoon over the couscous or rice. Speaking of which, after you stir in some cilantro (or any herb, tbh), all there’s left to do is plate! Start off with a base of your favorite grain. I like to use a mix of couscous and cauliflower rice to keep things light — because, if you haven’t tried it, the mixture of couscous and steamed cauliflower rice (with a few spices added, usually) genuinely tastes like there’s no veggies in the mix. It’s delicious! But, if you go with brown rice, I would do 100% brown rice. It’s also a delicious option, especially if you want something with a bit more texture. 

Top everything off with some chopped peanuts and some wilted kale, if you would like, and get to eating! To wilt kale, heat 2-3 tbsp of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once hot,  stir in thinly sliced flat leaf kale, some garlic, and some salt, and saute for 5-6 minutes. Slowly stir in white wine or broth to help the wilting process, as needed. It’s a super easy process, and is a great way to get some more greens into your dinner. That being said, it’s totally optional and just acts as a delicious little side dish idea:)

when to serve it up…

This Healthy African Peanut Butter Chicken is my favorite dinner for those busy nights. Whether I’m in serious need of comfort food, just need a quick dinner that pleases everyone, or am looking for something on the lighter side, this dish never fails to warm my soul. It’s seriously perfect for those cold nights, too… so keep this one handy for when the temperatures start dropping. Oh, and, the best part? There’s no need to make any side dishes with this one (unless maybe you wanted to serve it with some warm, buttery naan), and it makes for amazing leftovers!! You have to try this one. You just have to!!

I hope you love this Healthy African Peanut Butter Chicken recipe as much as I do:) Let me know what you think in the comments below:))

Healthy African Peanut Butter Chicken

Recipe by Annie PatrickCourse: Main Course, Lunch, DinnerCuisine: AfricanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

15

minutes
Total time

25

minutes

A lighter take on a creamy spiced peanut butter sauce sauteed up with gingery garlicky chicken and served up with wilted kale over your favorite grain: this Healthy African Peanut Yogurt Chicken is seriously the best comfort food!

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil

  • 1 yellow onion, diced

  • 8 oz sliced baby Bella mushrooms, roughly chopped*

  • 1.5 lb chicken breasts, diced into 1 inch cubes

  • 1 inch fresh ginger, grated

  • 4 cloves garlic, minced

  • A pinch of cayenne, to taste

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

  • 1 15 oz can pumpkin purée

  • 1 tbsp fish sauce

  • ¾ cup light coconut milk (from the can)

  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt

  • 1 cup chicken broth

  • ½ cup organic creamy peanut butter

  • ½ cup fresh cilantro (or parsley or mint), finely chopped

  • 1 lime, juiced

  • Couscous or brown rice, to serve

  • Chopped peanuts or almonds, to serve

  • Wilted kale (optional), to serve*

Instructions

  • In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, toss in the onion, mushrooms, and chicken. Saute for 5-6 minutes, or until the chicken is browned and the onions and mushrooms have caramelized. Then, mix in the ginger, garlic, cayenne, salt, pepper, and pumpkin puree and cook for another minute.
  • Lastly, stir in the fish sauce, coconut milk, greek yogurt, chicken broth, and peanut butter. Bring the liquids to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10-20 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. Stir in the cilantro and lime juice, and remove from heat.
  • Serve over a bed of brown rice or couscous. Top with chopped peanuts or almond and wilted kale, if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

  • To wilt kale, heat 2-3 tbsp of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, stir in thinly sliced flat leaf kale, some garlic, some lemon juice, and some salt, and saute for 5-6 minutes. Slowly stir in white wine or broth to help the wilting process, as needed. 
  • If mushrooms aren’t your thing, you could also saute up some very small cauliflower or broccoli florets… or just add more chicken. It’s up to you!
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