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Marinated Thai chicken is piled on top of rice with a sweet and crunchy cucumber mango salsa. Drizzle on the incredible peanut sauce and enjoy these flavorful, hearty, and wholesome Thai peanut chicken bowls!
If you love Thai inspired meals, be sure to try these Thai Basil Chicken Bowls and Thai Sweet Potato Carrot Soup!
Why You’ll Love Thai Chicken Bowls
Wholesome and hearty – These peanut chicken bowls are full of whole grains, protein, healthy fats, and a fresh fruit and veggie salsa! They combine all the macronutrients you need to sustain you until you’re next snack or meal.
Meal prepping– If you enjoy meal prepping lunches or dinners, this rice bowl is perfect for you! I like to do my meal prepping on Sunday and then have 3-4 lunches or dinners available for the week. This bowl holds up well for up to 4 days.
Savory, sweet, spicy – These bowls have the perfect combination of savory, sweet, and spicy flavors. The chicken marinade and peanut sauce have a nice balance of savory and spicy with a touch of sweetness. The salsa is fresh and sweet and balances out the heat from the other components. I used the same salsa recipe for these Asian Steak Bowls.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken – The recipe calls for chicken breasts, but you can also used chicken thighs.
Low sodium soy sauce – To make the recipe gluten-free, swap with low sodium tamari.
Maple syrup – The sweetener for the chicken marinade. You can also use honey.
Lime juice – Fresh lime juice is best.
Chili paste – Also called chili garlic sauce or sambal oelek.
Fish sauce – It smells pungent and fishy, but you won’t pick up on that after it’s mixed into to the marinade. It adds an amazing salty, umami flavor.
Ginger, garlic – The aromatics for the chicken marinade.
Mango and cucumber – The sweet, fresh, and crunchy combo pairs well with the savory flavors of the chicken and peanut sauce.
Green onions – Green onions are great for this salsa, because they’re mild in flavor.
Cilantro and mint – Mint and cilantro bring out all the flavors and add a wonderful freshness.
Peanut sauce – My homemade peanut sauce is so good you’ll be eating it with a spoon! It’s savory from the peanut butter and soy sauce, fresh from the ginger and lime juice, spicy from the sriracha, and balanced out with a little sweetness from honey (or maple syrup).
Rice – I used brown rice for these bowls, but white rice, or quinoa also work well.
How to Make Thai Peanut Chicken Bowls
Combine the ingredients for the chicken marinade, then pour it into a freezer bag along with the chicken. Seal and massage the marinade into the chicken and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and bake or grill it until the internal temperature is 165° F. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before cutting it.
While the chicken is marinating, make the peanut sauce and cook the rice.
Add all of the ingredients for the cucumber mango salsa to a bowl and stir them together until combined. Set aside.
Add some of the rice to a bowl and top it with the Thai chicken and salsa. Drizzle on the peanut sauce and garnish with sesame seeds and chopped cilantro.
Substitutions and Variations
- If you have a peanut allergy, make the peanut sauce with almond butter instead of peanut butter.
- I baked the chicken, but you can also grill it. The grill will add a great charred flavor as well.
- For an alternative salsa option, try this pineapple avocado salsa that I paired with my honey sriracha salmon. This cucumber avocado salad would also pair well as a topping with the Thai chicken.
- For a lower carb chicken bowl, use cauliflower rice in place of brown rice.
- Add a 1/2 cup of shelled edamame to the salsa for extra protein and fiber.
Make Ahead Tips
- The peanut sauce can be made several days in advance. It will keep in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
- You can also make the rice a couple days in advance or if you’re short on time use microwavable pre-cooked rice.
Storage and Reheating
Storage – The chicken bowls will keep for up to 4 days. For reheating, I recommend storing the chicken and rice together in an airtight container, separate from the salsa and peanut sauce.
The peanut sauce will keep for up to a week. You may need to thin it out with a little water. It will thicken as it sits in the refrigerator.
Reheating – Reheat the chicken and rice in the microwave for 60 seconds or until warmed through. The peanut sauce can be warmed with the chicken as well, or added cold along with the salsa.
More Chicken Bowl Recipes
There’s no shortage of chicken recipes and chicken bowls here on Recipe Runner. It’s such a versatile protein and I love coming up with new ways to serve it.
Change up fajita night and swap tortillas for these Chicken Fajita Bowls.
Two of my most popular rice bowl recipes are these Honey Chipotle Chicken Rice Bowls and Chicken Gyro Bowls! They’re reader favorites and have hundreds of positive reviews.
Not in the mood for rice? Make these Sesame Chicken Noodle Bowls or Barbecue Chicken Quinoa Bowls.
Did you make these Thai peanut chicken rice bowls? I’d love if you’d leave a recipe rating and review below.
Thai Peanut Chicken Bowls
Ingredients
Thai Chicken
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon chili paste
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 clove garlic, grated or minced
- 1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
Mango Cucumber Salsa
- 1 mango, peeled and diced
- 1 cup diced Persian or English cucumber
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 lime juiced
- Salt to taste
Other Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked rice
- Sesame seeds, cilantro and mint leaves for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients for the marinade in a glass measuring cup and whisk them together. Add the chicken to a freezer bag and pour in the marinade. Seal and massage the marinade into the chicken. Marinate for at least an hour and up to 4 hours.
- In a bowl add all of the ingredients for the cucumber mango salsa. Toss together and taste for seasoning.
- Cook the rice.
- In a separate bowl or jar, combine all of the ingredients for the peanut sauce and whisk them together until it’s smooth. Thin out the sauce with water until your desired consistency is reached.
- Once the chicken has marinated place it on a baking sheet and bake at 400° F. for 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165° F. You can also grill the chicken at 400-425° F. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before cutting it.
- To assemble the bowls, add a 1/2 cup of rice to each bowl. Top it with some of the chicken and salsa. Drizzle the peanut sauce on top and garnish with sesame seeds and chopped cilantro.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this recipe!