Peanut Chicken Power Bowl (Printable Version)

Baked chicken with vegetables, grains, and creamy peanut sauce in a protein-packed bowl.

# What You'll 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 - ½ teaspoon ground cumin
06 - ½ teaspoon salt
07 - ¼ 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 - ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
17 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
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

# Method:

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 chicken on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until fully cooked with internal temperature reaching 165°F. Rest for 5 minutes, then slice.
04 - Rinse rice or quinoa, place in a saucepan with water or broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer until tender (brown rice approximately 25 minutes, quinoa approximately 15 minutes). 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 portion the fresh greens.
06 - Whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar or lime juice, honey, sriracha if desired, and enough warm water to achieve a pourable consistency.
07 - Divide grains among four bowls. Top each with sliced chicken, prepared vegetables, and fresh greens. Drizzle generously with peanut sauce.
08 - Top each bowl with chopped roasted peanuts, fresh cilantro or parsley, and serve with lime wedges. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd think: Most of the work happens while the chicken bakes, so you're really only actively cooking for about ten minutes.
  • The peanut sauce is dangerously good: It's creamy, tangy, and slightly spicy all at once, making even plain vegetables taste exciting.
  • Customize it however you want: Swap proteins, add different vegetables, or adjust the sauce heat to match your mood that day.
  • Meal prep magic: These bowls hold up beautifully in the fridge, though I always keep the sauce separate and add it fresh.
02 -
  • Don't skip resting the chicken: Those five minutes after it comes out of the oven let the juices redistribute, so the meat stays tender instead of drying out when you slice it.
  • Make the sauce consistency-forward: It should drape over the vegetables but not pool at the bottom; if it's too thick, whisk in water one tablespoon at a time.
  • Keep the sauce separate if meal prepping: The rice and vegetables hold up fine for three or four days, but the sauce gets thinner as it sits, so store it in a separate container and add it fresh when you eat.
03 -
  • Toast your peanuts yourself if you have time: They taste noticeably fresher and more vibrant than pre-roasted, and the aroma while they're warming is an underrated kitchen moment.
  • Squeeze lime over your bowl right before eating: It wakes up all the flavors and adds brightness that makes the whole thing taste more alive.
  • Double the peanut sauce and keep it in the fridge: I make extra every time because it's so good on roasted vegetables, noodles, salads, and honestly just as a dip with crackers late at night.
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