Some Sunday nights call for a proper roast. Others call for something you can get on the table in twenty minutes flat, with barely any washing up and maximum flavour for minimal effort. This is very much the latter.

This peanut sauce chicken uses just five ingredients to create a rich, savoury-sweet sauce that clings beautifully to tender chicken, no marinating or fancy technique required. It’s the kind of recipe that tastes far more impressive than the short ingredient list suggests, and it comes together in one pan while your rice cooks away in the background. Perfect for when the weekend’s got away from you and dinner needs to be simple, satisfying, and on the table fast.

5-Ingredient Peanut Sauce Chicken

Serves 4 | Prep: 5 minutes | Cook: 15 minutes

Ingredients

500g chicken thigh fillets, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup crunchy or smooth peanut butter
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
3 cloves garlic, minced
Optional to serve: steamed rice, sliced spring onion, crushed peanuts, lime wedges

Method

Heat a splash of oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook for 6–7 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic to the same pan, stirring for 30 seconds until fragrant (add a touch more oil if the pan is dry).

Add the peanut butter, soy sauce and honey to the pan, stirring continuously. If the peanut butter is stiff, add 2–3 tablespoons of hot water to loosen it into a smooth, pourable sauce.

Let the sauce simmer gently for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until it thickens slightly and turns glossy.

Return the chicken to the pan, tossing well to coat every piece in the peanut sauce. Simmer for a further 2 minutes until the chicken is warmed through and well coated.

Serve over steamed rice, scattered with spring onion and crushed peanuts, with a lime wedge on the side if you like a little tang to cut through the richness.

Tips

If the sauce thickens too much as it sits, loosen it with a splash of hot water before serving.

For a bit of heat, stir through a teaspoon of chilli flakes or a squeeze of sriracha with the sauce ingredients.

This recipe works just as well with chicken breast if that’s what you have on hand – just keep an eye on cook time so it doesn’t dry out.

Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat beautifully for a quick lunch.