Creamy Peanut Chicken Curry (Easy One-Pot Dinner)

A creamy peanut chicken curry made with Thai red curry paste, peanut butter, and a squeeze of lime, loaded with tender chicken and sweet potatoes, then spooned over white rice and finished with fresh cilantro. This recipe is full of flavor and simple enough to make it a healthy weeknight dinner favorite.

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Finished peanut chicken curry served in a cast iron skillet with white rice, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges.

If you’re already dreaming about Thai red curry paste after my one pot curry noodles (same), this peanut chicken curry is your next obsession. I layered peanut butter into that bold red curry flavor and it’s wildly good. It’s rich, explosive, and somehow lighter without the noodles or heavy cream. Jake’s exact words: “this is freaking delicious,” which means a lot coming from someone who is deeply spoiled with my cooking and mildly rude about food.

Close-up of peanut chicken curry on a spoon showing creamy sauce, chicken, sweet potatoes, and fresh herbs.

I love using a big cast iron pan for this recipe because it gets nice and hot, which means the chicken actually browns instead of steaming, and you want the browning for flavor. Everything cooks in the same pan. from sautéing to simmering, so all those flavors build off each other (and I live my life off of one-pan recipes). Plus, the cast iron goes straight from the stovetop to the dinner table – very Magnolia dinner photoshoot energy, zero extra effort required.

What you’ll love about this recipe:

  • BOLD FLAVOR. Thai red curry paste, peanut butter, and lime work together to create a bold, creamy sauce that tastes complex but comes together effortlessly.
  • INDULGENT, BUT LIGHT. Skipping the noodles and heavy cream keeps things lighter, while sweet potatoes make it hearty and satisfying.
  • WEEKNIGHT FRIENDLY. One pan, simple ingredients, and “this is freaking delicious” energy from anyone lucky enough to eat it. Just ask my fam.
Flat lay of peanut chicken curry ingredients including raw chicken breasts, coconut milk, peanut butter, Thai red curry paste, sweet potato, spinach, lime, garlic, onion, cilantro, and spices on a white surface.

A few notes about the ingredients

  • chicken breasts – the protein here; thighs work too if that’s what you have. OR, make it vegetarian with tofu – I loooove Thai red curry dishes with tofu, almost more than chicken
  • salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika – my favorite gang for seasoning so the chicken isn’t bland
  • onion – builds the base flavor; yellow or white both work
  • fresh garlic – always fresh
  • sweet potato – adds body and balance to the sauce; squash is a good swap
  • coconut milk – makes the sauce creamy; full-fat is best, light will be thinner
  • thai red curry paste – the main flavor driver; my favorite brand is Thai kitchen
  • creamy peanut butter – thickens and rounds out the curry; I’ve tried using both the natural version and Skippy, both work here
  • honey – balances the spice, wouldn’t skip this! Brown sugar or maple syrup are easy substitutes
  • soy sauce – adds salt and depth; use tamari if needed
  • lime – wakes everything up at the end; another key ingredient I wouldn’t skip – fresh lime juice makes this dish
  • baby spinach – stirred in at the end; optional but easy
  • fresh cilantro – for serving; leave it off if you’re anti-cilantro, I prefer a heaping pile on my bowl

How to make this recipe: the steps are quite simple!

Raw chicken coated in spices and seasoning in a stainless steel mixing bowl.
Seasoned chicken pieces browning in a cast iron skillet with diced onions.
Marinated chicken pieces cooking in a cast iron skillet with softened onions.

Season and brown the chicken in a large skillet with avocado oil and onion until golden. Add the garlic, Thai red curry paste, peanut butter, soy sauce, and diced sweet potato, stirring until everything is coated and fragrant.

Coconut milk and peanut curry sauce simmering with chicken and sweet potatoes in a cast iron skillet.
Peanut curry sauce gently bubbling in a cast iron skillet as it thickens.
Fresh spinach added to peanut chicken curry in a cast iron skillet.
Peanut chicken curry with wilted spinach stirred into the creamy sauce.

Pour in the coconut milk and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 15–20 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender and the sauce has thickened, then finish with lime juice and fresh cilantro and serve over white rice.

Bowl of peanut chicken curry with sweet potatoes, spinach, rice, fresh cilantro, and a lime wedge.

FAQs and substitutions

What kind of rice is best?

I recommend jasmine rice here – it’s slightly fragrant, it fluffs up easily cooking on the stovetop, and it’s not as heavy as brown rice. Basmati works too if that’s what you have.

How can I make this with tofu?

If you’re using tofu, I’d skip the chicken seasonings entirely and just focus on getting a nice golden sear. Brown the tofu the same way you would the chicken, then continue with the recipe as written – the curry paste, peanut butter, and sauce will still bring all the flavor magic.

Is this spicy?

It’s more bold than spicy, but red curry paste does vary – this is the one I prefer and it’s not spicy at all. If you want to add heat – which I can always get behind – add 1/2-1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes when adding the curry paste.

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One Pot Recipes

Finished peanut chicken curry served in a cast iron skillet with white rice, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges.
Cassidy Osgood

Creamy Peanut Chicken Curry

A creamy peanut chicken curry made with Thai red curry paste, peanut butter, and a squeeze of lime, loaded with tender chicken and sweet potatoes, then spooned over white rice and finished with fresh cilantro.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 3 chicken breast sliced into 1 inch pieces
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • ½ yellow onion diced
  • 3 cloves fresh garlic minced
  • 1 large sweet potato diced into ½ inch cubes (about 2 cups)
  • 3 cups coconut milk unsweetened, full-fat (1½ 13.5 oz cans)
  • 4 tbsp Thai red curry paste brand suggestion: Thai Kitchen
  • ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp peanut butter creamy
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 lime juiced
  • 1 large handful baby spinach roughly chopped
  • fresh cilantro for serving
  • cooked white rice for serving

Method
 

  1. If serving with rice, go ahead and get that started.
  2. Season the chicken. Slice 3 chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces. In a medium bowl, toss with 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, and 1/2 tsp paprika until evenly coated.
  3. Heat 2 tbsp avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 onion, diced, and cook for about 3 minutes, until softened.
  4. Add the seasoned chicken to the skillet and cook about 3 minutes per side, until nicely browned. Add the 3 cloves minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
  5. Add 4 tbsp Thai red curry paste and the diced sweet potato (about 2 cups). Stir and cook for 1–2 minutes to coat the sweet potatoes and toast the curry paste.
  6. Add 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp creamy peanut butter and 3 tbsp soy sauce, stirring until everything is smooth and combined.
  7. Pour in 3 cups coconut milk and bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender and the sauce has thickened.
  8. Turn off the heat and stir in the juice of 1 lime and a large handful of baby spinach until wilted. Serve over white riceand finish with fresh cilantro.

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