Chinese Peanut Butter Chicken – Crispy, Creamy & Irresistibly Saucy
Chinese Peanut Butter Chicken – crispy, crunchy panko-coated chicken thighs served with a sweet, creamy peanut butter sauce. This unique fusion dish delivers the perfect balance of savory, sweet, and nutty flavors. Better than takeout and ready in under 30 minutes!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Deep Fry
- Cuisine: Chinese, Asian Fusion
Ingredients
Scale
- ½ cup peanut butter (plus 1 tbsp for egg wash)
- ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 lb boneless chicken thighs
- 3 large eggs
- 3 tbsp flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- Mix peanut butter, sweetened condensed milk, soy sauce, and water in a small bowl until smooth.
- Flatten chicken thighs to ½-inch thickness with a meat mallet.
- Whisk eggs, flour, salt, and 1 tbsp peanut butter to create the egg wash.
- Place panko breadcrumbs in a separate dish. Dredge chicken in egg wash, then coat with panko.
- Heat 1 inch oil in a Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Fry chicken 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown; drain on a wire rack.
- Slice chicken and drizzle with peanut butter sauce to serve.
Notes
- Use creamy peanut butter (not natural or chunky) for the smoothest sauce.
- Flattening chicken thighs ensures even cooking and crispy texture throughout.
- Panko breadcrumbs are essential for the extra-crispy coating – don’t substitute regular breadcrumbs.
- Maintain oil temperature at 350°F – too hot will burn the coating, too cool will make it greasy.
- Serve over rice or noodles with steamed vegetables on the side.
- For a spicy version, add 1 tsp sriracha or red pepper flakes to the peanut sauce.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days – reheat in an air fryer or oven to restore crispiness.