Peanut Chicken Power Bowl (Printable)

Tender spiced chicken meets crisp vegetables and nutty peanut sauce over fluffy grains for a vibrant, satisfying meal.

# What You 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 - 0.5 teaspoon ground cumin
06 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
07 - 0.25 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 - 0.33 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

# Steps:

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 an 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 in separate dishes 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 cooked grains among four bowls. Top each with sliced chicken, fresh vegetables, and greens. Drizzle generously with peanut sauce.
08 - Garnish each bowl with chopped peanuts, cilantro, and lime wedges. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, yet tastes like you spent half the day cooking.
  • Everything is customizable—swap proteins, grains, or vegetables depending on what's in your fridge and what your body needs that day.
  • The peanut sauce alone is worth making this bowl repeatedly, and it keeps brilliantly for next-day snacking.
02 -
  • Don't skip resting the chicken after baking—those few minutes let the juices redistribute, so you don't end up with dry slices.
  • Make the peanut sauce slightly thinner than you think you want it because it will thicken as it cools, and you want it to coat everything beautifully.
  • If you're prepping ahead, keep the sauce separate from everything else and add it just before eating so the vegetables stay crisp.
03 -
  • Toast your chopped peanut garnish in a dry skillet for 30 seconds right before serving—this brings out their flavor and adds a subtle crunch that feels like a small luxury.
  • If you're batch-cooking for the week, assemble everything except the sauce and greens in meal prep containers, then add sauce and fresh greens right before eating so nothing gets soggy.
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