Thai Peach Chicken (Printable)
Tender chicken in a spicy-sweet Thai sauce with fresh peaches and colorful peppers
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 1.3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 1 tbsp cornstarch
03 - 0.5 tsp salt
04 - 0.25 tsp black pepper
→ Sauce
05 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
06 - 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
09 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced
10 - 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
11 - 2 medium ripe peaches, peeled and sliced
12 - 3 tbsp soy sauce (use gluten-free if needed)
13 - 2 tbsp fish sauce
14 - 1 tbsp Thai sweet chili sauce
15 - 1 tbsp honey
16 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
17 - 1 small red chili, thinly sliced (optional, for heat)
18 - 0.33 cup plus 1 tbsp water or chicken broth
→ Garnish
19 - 2 tbsp fresh Thai basil or cilantro, chopped
20 - 1 lime, cut into wedges
21 - 2 tbsp roasted peanuts, roughly chopped (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - Toss chicken pieces with cornstarch, salt, and black pepper in a bowl until evenly coated.
02 - Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sear until golden and almost cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
03 - Add remaining oil to the pan. Sauté onion for 2 minutes, then add garlic and ginger. Stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
04 - Add bell peppers and cook for another 2-3 minutes until slightly softened.
05 - Stir in sliced peaches and return chicken to the pan.
06 - Whisk together soy sauce, fish sauce, sweet chili sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sliced chili, and water or broth in a bowl.
07 - Pour sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Simmer for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce thickens slightly.
08 - Remove from heat. Stir in Thai basil or cilantro.
09 - Serve hot, garnished with lime wedges and peanuts.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The way the sweet peaches balance against the salty fish sauce creates this incredible sweet-savory dance that keeps everyone guessing
- It comes together in under 40 minutes but tastes like something you'd order at that one Thai restaurant with the three month waitlist
02 -
- The sauce will look thin when you first pour it in, but trust the process and it will thicken as it simmers
- Don't overcook the peaches or they'll turn to mush, they should still hold their shape when you serve
03 -
- Cut your chicken into uniform pieces so everything cooks at the same rate
- Leftovers actually taste better the next day as the flavors meld together