Instant Pot Peanut Chicken Sauce

Chicken in a creamy peanut sauce served on a deep blue plate with fluffy jasmine rice and tender-stem broccoli, garnished with roasted peanuts, sliced spring onions, and a wedge of lime.

🇫🇮 Tervehdys! Suomenkielinen resepti on vielä työn alla, mutta eiköhän se sieltä pian valmistu…

There's something deeply satisfying about a dish that comes together quickly but tastes like it's been simmering for hours. This chicken in peanut sauce is exactly that — rich, creamy, and packed with flavour, yet on your plate in under 30 minutes.

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I've a confession to make. I've my kitchen full of gadgets: pressure cooker, slow cookers (yes plural, cookers), panini press, waffle iron, coffee maker... If you're anything like me, you buy these gadgets and end up never using them. Look, my coffee maker gets plenty of hours. I'm a Finn, after all… But lately, my pressure cooker has been serving as an expensive rice cooker. Don't get me wrong, it's excellent for making the perfect rice: 3 minutes on high pressure and 10 minutes of natural release. Perfect rice every time. But there had to be another meal I could make easily in the pressure cooker. I know it works well with any kind of protein like chicken or beef: makes it tender, leaves it juicy and does it fast.

I started exploring different ideas. This time chicken was the protein of my choice. I also had this jar of peanut butter in the press, and I knew I wanted to use that somehow. Why not try a satay style sauce to serve over rice? In the Instant Pot?

The first attempt at making this recipe ended up triggering the infamous "burn" notice on my pressure cooker. I pretty much called it by looking at the amount of liquid in the cooker, but decided to go ahead anyways like an idiot. Well, lesson learned, I guess. Second time around, I added way more liquid and the sauce ended up turning perfect. It's sweet, it's savoury, and has a kick, if you opt in to add the chilli flakes, of course.

I don't usually enjoy peanut butter on its own that much, but in this recipe it turns into this velvety sauce and works so well with the chicken. This has to be one of my new favourites to cook when I don't know what to make. It doesn't have too many ingredients and it's done in no time. And with the pressure cooker, you can easily double the recipe to make a meal for a big family. Or meal prep for the week ahead. It stores well in the freezer and holds up well in the fridge, too.

Ingredients

• 🍗 Chicken Thighs: they stay beautifully tender under pressure and soak up all that gorgeous sauce

• 🥜 Smooth Peanut Butter: the heart of the sauce — rich, nutty, and absolutely essential for that velvety texture

• 🧄 Garlic and Ginger: the aromatic backbone that makes everything smell incredible from the start

• 🥥 Coconut Milk: adds creaminess and a subtle sweetness that balances the savoury notes perfectly

• 🌶️ Chilli Flakes: just enough heat to wake everything up without overpowering the dish

• 🍯 Brown Sugar or Honey: a touch of sweetness that rounds out the sauce and deepens the flavour

Please see the full list of ingredients and amounts in the recipe card below.

Making the Peanut Chicken Sauce

Alrighty. This recipe moves quickly, so have everything ready before you begin. First things first: switch your Instant Pot (or other pressure cooking apparatus) to the sauté function and add a splash of oil. Once it’s shimmering, toss in your finely chopped onions and let them soften for a few minutes. Stir occasionally. You’ll know it’s ready when it turns translucent and smells a bit sweet. Now, let’s add in the minced garlic, stirring constantly for about thirty seconds. Just until the garlic is fragrant. Black garlic has its place, but this is not it. Don’t let the garlic brown here, as it turns bitter fast and we want everything to stay nice and mellow.

Next, pour in the chicken stock and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any golden bits stuck to the bottom of your Instant Pot. This step is crucial and prevents the dreaded “Burn” notice that Instant Pot users know all too well. Make sure you’ve got a clean base before moving onto the next step. Now add your bite-sized chicken pieces in an even layer, then pour the coconut milk over the top. Don’t stir.

Now to the interesting bit: dollop the peanut butter, soy sauce and honey (or brown sugar) right on top of the chicken. It’ll look a but odd sitting there in clumps, but resist the urge to mix it in. Leaving it on top helps prevent sticking during the pressure cooking. Trust me on this one 😅 Sprinkle over the chilli flakes and give the whole thing a little wiggle to settle everything.

Seal the lid of your pressure cooker and make sure the valve is set to “sealing”, and cook on high pressure for ten minutes. Once the timer goes off, do a so-called quick release by carefully turning the valve to “venting”. And as always: be careful, the steam is hot! When the lid is safe to open, lift the lid and have a look at your sauce!

Now you just need to stir everything together. As you mix, the peanut butter will melt into the sauce, transforming it into silky and glossy sauce. Add in the rice vinegar (or lime juice), along with the same oil. Give it another good stir. Taste the sauce and adjust for seasoning. It might need more salt or maybe a bit more lime for brightness. A little extra chilli is not a bad idea if you’re feeling brave.

My sauce turned out perfect but if your seems too thin to your liking, just turn on the sauté mode for a few moments. Let the sauce bubble away for a bit. Keep an eye on it and stir occasionally so it doesn’t stick to the bottom. Once at your preferred consistency, you’re done! Dinner sorted!

Serving Peanut Chicken Sauce

This sauce works well with fluffy jasmine rice or egg noodles. You need something that’ll soak up all that gorgeous sauce. A handful of fresh coriander (the infamous soapy leaves) adds a lovely brightness. And crushed peanuts give you a nice bit of crunch that works amazingly with the tender chicken. If you want to make this into more of a complete meal, steam some pak choi or green beans on the side — the perfect combination.

This is the perfect dinner, no matter what day of the week.

Storing Peanut Chicken Sauce

Leftovers keep brilliantly in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. And like with any good sauce, the flavours deepen overnight, so don’t be surprised if the sauce tastes even better the next day.

To reheat, warm gently on the hob with a splash of water, or even the microwave works.

You can also freeze portions for up to three months, through the sauce may separate slightly when thawed. When reheating from frozen, it really only needs a stir and it should come back together.

The recipe was made to be a quick dinner recipe, but it will reward you as a meal prep, too. It’s ideal for a batch cook on a Sunday.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?

Absolutely, although thighs can be a bit more tender… most of the time. If you’re using breast, cut it slightly larger so it doesn’t dry it. Make sure to check it’s cooked through before serving.

What if I don’t have an Instant Pot?

Ah, no worries, mate. This works on the hob, too. Simmer everything together in a pot covered for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Thicken the sauce if needed.

Can I make this less spicy for kids?

You betcha! Just leave out the chilli flakes altogether. You could always serve this with chilli oil or sriracha on the side for the ones who want the heat.

Is there a substitute for peanut butter?

If you have a peanut allergy, you could try almond butter or cashew butter instead. The flavour will be a bit different but I’m sure it’ll still be delicious! Have a try and see what you think.

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Instant Pot Chicken Peanut Sauce

Total: 15min | Prep: 5min | Cook: 10min

Servings: 4

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Easy pressure cooker peanut chicken with tender chicken and a rich coconut-peanut sauce. A fast, flavourful weeknight dinner.

Adjust Servings

0.5x1.0x1.5x2.0x3.0x

Ingredients

• 600.0 gchicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pices
• 1.0 onion, finely chopped
• 3.0 clovesgarlic, minced
• 1.0 tbspginger, minced
• 1.0 cancoconut milk
• 0.5 cupchicken stock
• 0.5 cupsmooth peanut butter
• 2.0 tbspsoy sauce
• 1.0 tbspbrown sugar or honey
• 1.0 tbsprice vinegar or lime juice
• 1.0 tspchili flakes
• 1.0 tspsesame oil

Instructions

You can complete a step by clicking on it.

1. 1Use the Sauté option to soften onion, garlic and ginger in a bit of oil.
2. 2Add stock and scrape the bottom clean. This should prevent the infamous "Burn" notice.
3. 3Add chicken pieces and pour in the coconut milk.
4. 4Dollop the peanut butter, soy sauce, and honey on top. Dont' mix.
5. 5Seal the lid and cook 10 minutes on high pressure. Quick release when complete.
6. 6Stir well to mix in the peanut butter.
7. 7Add lime juice and sesame oil.
8. 8If the sauce is too thin to your liking, simmer a few minutes on the sauté option.

Nutritional Information (per serving)

Calories

560 kcal

Fat

43 g

Saturated Fat

21 g

Carbohydrates

15 g

Sugar

6 g

Protein

32 g

Fiber

2 g

Salt

0.8 g

The information provided is approximate.

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