Whole30 “Peanut” Chicken Bowls (Paleo)
Posted: 01/07/22
Updated: 01/27/22
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These Whole30 “peanut” chicken bowls are inspired by Thai satay flavors but are totally peanut free! Tender chicken marinated in a creamy, peanutty sauce, served over coconut cauliflower rice, with an easy, crisp cucumber salad. Packed with flavor and totally paleo, this is one of my favorite meals, and our kids love it, too.
What Makes This Recipe So Good
- First things first – peanuts are NOT allowed on Whole30. The good news, though, is that there are ZERO peanuts in this recipe! Even still, this Whole30 “peanut” chicken bowl is DELICIOUS and creamy and savory and just so amazingly good. I promise you won’t even miss the peanuts. (Though, if you’re not on a Whole30, try this peanut butter chicken recipe!)
- This is based on my paleo chicken satay, which isn’t really satay and it’s definitely not authentic. It’s not authentic here, either. It is Whole30, paleo, gluten free, and low carb, though! I started making it the first time we went paleo years ago, and, well… here we are!
- It’s great for meal prep. Everything refrigerates and reheats well, so you can divide it all into pre-portioned servings and just pop it in the microwave when it’s time to eat!
Other Asian-Inspired Whole30 Recipes
Key Ingredients
Almond Butter – The key to achieving that delicious nuttiness without using peanuts? Almond butter. It’s rich and creamy and aromatic and nutty and totally Whole30/paleo. Just make sure that your almond butter doesn’t contain any unnecessary ingredients and especially no added sweeteners. The ingredients list should only say “almonds”, and maaaaaybe “salt”, if that’s what you can find.
Chicken Thighs – Chicken breasts will also work here, but I really recommend using thighs. They’re juicier and slightly fattier, but that also means they have more flavor than chicken breasts, which can be kind of bland and dry out easily.
Sesame Oil – I use this oil specifically because it really helps drive home that toasty, nutty flavor, while keeping this totally compliant and peanut-free.
Chef’s Tips
- If you’ve got the time, I highly recommend marinating the chicken for at least an hour. Even better, marinate it overnight! That way those delicious flavors really soak in.
- Making Whole30 peanut chicken bowls during the warmer months? Grill the chicken instead of broiling it! Just thread the marinated chicken onto metal or wooden skewers and grill them for about 10 minutes or until cooked through. The grill really brings an extra level of flavor to the dish.
- The recipe instructs you to reserve ½ cup of the “peanut” sauce and use the rest for the marinade. If you really like sauce (guilty!) then feel free to double the “peanut” sauce ingredients so you’ve got more than ½ cup to use as a dipping sauce or to drizzle over the coconut “rice”.
More Whole30 Recipes You’ll Love
- Whole30 Chicken Tenders (Paleo, Low Carb, Gluten Free)
- Creamy Whole30 Bacon Mushroom Chicken Thighs with Thyme (Paleo)
- Whole30 Lasagna Soup
- Egg Roll in a Bowl Meal Prep (Whole30, Paleo, Keto)
- Roasted Cauliflower Steaks
Whole30 “Peanut” Chicken Bowls (Paleo, Low Carb)
These Whole30 "peanut" chicken bowls are inspired by Thai satay flavors but are totally peanut free! Tender chicken marinated in a creamy, peanutty sauce, served over coconut cauliflower rice, with an easy, crisp cucumber salad. Packed with flavor and totally paleo, this is one of my favorite meals, and our kids love it, too.
servings
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized chunks
For the "Peanut" Sauce
- ⅓ cup creamy almond butter see Notes
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ⅔ cup full-fat coconut milk stirred well
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice approximately 2 limes' worth
- 5 tablespoons coconut aminos ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce or ½ teaspoon salt; see Notes
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes
For the Cucumber Salad
- 1 medium cucumber sliced down the middle, then cut into ½" half moon shapes
- ¼-½ of one jalapeño pepper or chili pepper of choice, sliced thin; optional
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce or ½ teaspoon salt; see Notes
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
For the Coconut "Rice"
- 2 12-ounce bags frozen cauliflower rice 24 ounces; thawed
- 3-4 tablespoons coconut milk
- ½ teaspoon salt
For Garnish (Optional)
- chopped cilantro
- chopped almonds
Equipment
- 2 medium bowls
- Airtight container
- Large bowl
- Tongs
- Large skillet
- Broiler or grill
- Baking sheet
Instructions
For the "Peanut" Sauce
- Combine all sauce ingredients in medium bowl. Stir until mixture is smooth and thoroughly combined. Transfer ½ cup of prepared sauce to airtight container, seal, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Place remaining sauce in large bowl with chicken pieces. Turn chicken repeatedly to coat thoroughly, then set dish aside and prepare other recipe components.
For the Cucumber Salad
- Add all ingredients to medium bowl. Toss well to coat cucumber moons. Set salad aside until ready to serve.
For the Coconut "Rice"
- Heat large skillet over medium heat. Add both bags of thawed cauliflower rice to skillet and pour in coconut milk. Season with salt and stir well. Heat coconut rice over medium heat until liquid has evaporated.
For the Chicken
- Set broiler to high and place rack approximately 7" beneath broiler. Transfer chicken to baking sheet, letting any excess sauce drip off chicken and back into large bowl. Discard excess sauce.
- Place baking sheet under broiler and broil 5 to 7 minutes or until cooked through. Alternately, grill marinated chicken on indoor or outdoor grill. Once chicken is cooked through, remove from broiler and assemble bowls.
For the Whole30 "Peanut" Chicken Bowls
- Divide coconut "rice" evenly among serving bowls. Top with cucumber salad and cooked chicken. Drizzle chilled "peanut" sauce over top of bowl and garnish with chopped cilantro and chopped almonds, if desired. Serve chicken and "rice" warm.
Notes
- Almond Butter: Make sure your almond butter is compliant. It should only contain almonds, or almonds + salt. Any other ingredients are unnecessary.
- Fish Sauce: If using fish sauce, be sure it’s compliant. Red Boat Fish Sauce is the only one I’ve found so far that meets the rules.
- If you can, I highly recommend marinating the chicken for at least one hour, or even overnight.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 526kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 43g, Fat: 31g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 162mg, Sodium: 1792mg, Potassium: 798mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 136IU, Vitamin C: 92mg, Calcium: 152mg, Iron: 5mg, Net Carbs: 14g
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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