Peanut Chicken Power Bowl (Printable)

Spiced baked chicken, fresh vegetables, and fluffy grains topped with rich peanut sauce for a satisfying meal.

# 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 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - 1/4 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 - 1/3 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
21 - 2 to 3 tablespoons warm water

→ Garnish

22 - 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, chopped
23 - Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
24 - Lime wedges

# Directions:

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 of 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 requires approximately 25 minutes; quinoa requires approximately 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
05 - Prepare all vegetables and arrange toppings for assembly.
06 - Whisk peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar or lime juice, honey, sriracha if using, and enough warm water to reach a pourable consistency.
07 - Divide grains among four bowls. Top each with sliced chicken, vegetables, and greens. Drizzle generously with peanut sauce.
08 - Garnish with chopped peanuts, cilantro, and lime wedges. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 45 minutes, which means you can have a restaurant-quality meal on a random weeknight without any stress.
  • The peanut sauce is so creamy and deeply flavorful that even vegetable-skeptics will keep coming back for more bites.
  • You can prep everything ahead and assemble your bowls in minutes, making it perfect for meal prep or feeding a crowd.
02 -
  • Don't skip resting the chicken after it comes out of the oven—those 5 minutes make a real difference in tenderness and juiciness.
  • If your peanut sauce seems too thick, add warm water one tablespoon at a time rather than all at once, because you can always thin it but you can't thicken it back up.
  • The vegetables taste so much better when they're cut just before serving, so don't prep them hours in advance or they'll lose their snap.
03 -
  • Toast your peanuts in a dry skillet for a minute or two before chopping them—this intensifies their flavor and adds a subtle crunch that makes a real difference.
  • If you have access to sriracha, add it to the sauce rather than just the bowl, because it distributes more evenly and the heat builds gradually rather than hitting you all at once.
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