This week, skip the take-out menu and do flavor packs Ginger Chicken instead of this! This delicious Peanut Ginger Chicken recipe marinates in an hour and is ready on the stovetop in 20 minutes or less. Coated in a peanut ginger soy glaze and loaded with crunchy roasted peanuts.
Better-than-takeout sticky ginger chicken
This spicy and hearty Asian-inspired ginger chicken is the best kind of comfort food.
My recipe features tender chicken thighs simmered in a rich marinade of soy, ginger, garlic, sesame, and hints of honey and lime—and it’s ready in 20 minutes!
Ginger chicken is a simple yet crazy-tasting stir-fry that’s quick to have on the table any day of the week. We love takeout as much as the closest family would, but I can’t resist a home cooked meal that’s so delicious and so EASY.
One bite of this sticky ginger and soy glazed chicken sprinkled with crunchy peanuts is a flavor blast. It’s milder than my Spicy Thai-Style Chicken and Orange Chicken, but it still packs a punch with a zesty ginger kick. You will be enthusiastic!
what you will need
Below is a quick rundown of the ingredients needed for this Homemade Ginger Chicken Recipe. Don’t forget to scroll down to the recipe card for full details and quantities:
- chicken thighs: I make this recipe with boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Trim off any excess fat, then cut the drumsticks into one-inch chunks. Aim for evenly sized pieces so they cook evenly!
- Ginger: Nothing compares to fresh ginger in this recipe. You can find ginger root in most product aisles.
- Lemons: For a bright burst of citrus, you’ll need both fresh lime juice and zest. In a pinch, fresh lemon also works, although the taste will be slightly different.
- Soy sauce, sesame oil: Soy sauce and sesame oil are key to the Asian-inspired chicken marinade. There really is no substitute! I also slice in some olive oil so the sesame flavor isn’t overpowering.
- honey, garlic: Honey for a touch of natural sweetness (maple syrup works, too, or brown sugar) and garlic for a hearty, aromatic kick. I highly recommend mincing fresh garlic cloves. Like fresh ginger, it makes all the difference!
- Roasted Peanuts: Chopped peanuts add irresistible crunch and extra flavor. Of course, you can omit them if you’re making this recipe nut-free.
- Coriander: Freshly chopped cilantro makes a wonderful garnish and pop of color. Another good option is spring onions.
- Rice: To serve. I love this savory ginger chicken served over plain basmati or jasmine rice, or I make a batch of Instant Pot Butter Rice.
Can I use chicken breast instead?
I love boneless chicken thighs as they’re usually juicier, more tender, and harder to overcook. However, you can use skinless, boneless chicken breasts to prepare this ginger chicken if you prefer.
Make sure you trim away the chicken breast fillet and any fat, and I would also recommend pounding the chicken breasts before slicing them into chunks.
How to make Peanut Ginger Chicken
You won’t believe how easy it is to make this flavor bomb from a chicken dish. Simply marinate, cook and serve:
- Marinate Chicken: In a bowl, combine the chicken cubes with the ginger marinade ingredients and toss to coat. Let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for an hour.
- Cook: Next, sear the chicken in a hot pan with some marinade. I like to work in batches to make sure all the chicken pieces are nicely browned and evenly cooked throughout. Afterward, add the entire chicken to the pan with an additional cup of marinade and cook to reduce. Remember to stir often!
- Finish and serve: Finally, stir the roasted peanuts and fresh cilantro into the chicken and cook until fragrant (just about a minute). Scoop your succulent ginger chicken over rice and dig in! Find more easy serving suggestions below.
Tips for Success
Here are my additional helpful tips and tricks for making ginger chicken at home:
- The used chicken marinade can be used without hesitation. As long as it is brought to a boil, all bacteria will be killed. However, any leftover marinade that you don’t cook right away should be discarded and not saved for future use.
- Make additional marinade. This style ties in with the above, but if you’d rather not cook with the used marinade, you can double the recipe so you can add fresh marinade to the pan. Sometimes I do this anyway so I have the ginger marinade ready in the fridge for tomorrow’s dinner! The ginger soy flavors also taste great with other proteins like pork, shrimp, and salmon.
- How to tell when the chicken is done: You can always take a piece of chicken out of the pan and cut it open to check if the center is cooked through. Or use a meat thermometer inserted into one of the chicken pieces to check if the internal temperature is 165ºF.
- If you cook with chicken breasts, You may want to brown the chicken pieces and then reduce the sauce a bit Before Add the browned chicken back to the pan to finish cooking. Since chicken breasts are easier to cook, this can help keep the meat from becoming too dry.
What to serve with ginger chicken
The sweet-savory-savory flavors of this Peanut Ginger Chicken pair great with other Asian dishes for a SUPER delicious weeknight dinner. It’s delicious to be scooped over rice or pasta, or even tossed over hard veggies like spinach, kale, or cabbage.
Here are some more easy food ideas you can serve it with:
Storing and reheating leftover chicken
Keep leftover cooked ginger chicken refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheating is as simple as transferring the chicken to a skillet to reheat on the stovetop, or reheating in the microwave. I recommend sprinkling in some water to fluff up the sauce again (or if you made extra fresh/unused marinade you can use that instead).
can i freeze this
Yes! Ginger Peanut Chicken freezes beautifully and tastes great when thawed and reheated. Store airtight in a freezer safe container or freezer bag and keep frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw the chicken in the refrigerator and heat as directed.
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Description
A treat Ginger Chicken Recipe drizzled in a sweet and sticky ginger and soy glaze with roasted peanuts. Try this Asian-inspired chicken recipe that comes together in one pan in under 20 minutes!
- 3 Pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and cut into pieces 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
- 3 Lemons
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup Honey
- 3 Garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ cup chopped roasted peanuts
- ½ cup chopped coriander
- rice to serve
- Marinate Chicken: In a large bowl, combine chicken, ginger, zest of 1 lime, juice of 3 limes, soy sauce, sesame oil, olive oil, honey, garlic and salt.
- Stir to combine and evenly coat the chicken. Let the chicken marinate for 1 hour.
- Cook chicken: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken to the pan with a few tablespoons of the marinade. Cook, stirring occasionally, until done and browned. Remove the chicken from the pan and repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Once all of the chicken is cooked, return to the pan with 1 cup of the remaining marinade. Let this cook over medium-high heat for 3 – 4 minutes, until most of the marinade has evaporated, stirring frequently. Add the chopped peanuts and cilantro to the pan, stir and cook 1 more minute.
- Serve with rice if desired.
Remarks
Store airtight in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Keywords: chinese chicken, asian chicken recipes, chicken dinner ideas