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Chinese Takeout-Style Peanut Chicken with Bok Choy

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Chinese
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Wok or large skillet A wok is ideal for this kind of high-heat, quick stir-fry, but a wide non-stick or stainless steel skillet will do in a pinch.
  • Mixing bowls For marinating the chicken and mixing the peanut sauce.
  • Knife and Cutting Board To prep your chicken and vegetables.
  • Tongs or spatula For tossing ingredients during the stir-fry.
  • Rice cooker or pot If you’re going the rice route.

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken and Marinade

  • 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp cornstarch

For the Peanut Sauce

  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter unsweetened, natural works best
  • ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce adjust to taste
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1- inch piece of fresh ginger grated
  • ¼ cup warm water to loosen the sauce if needed

For the Stir-Fry

  • 2 tbsp neutral oil canola, vegetable, or peanut oil
  • 3 heads baby bok choy quartered lengthwise
  • 1 small red bell pepper thinly sliced
  • 1 scallion sliced for garnish
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds optional
  • Crushed peanuts for garnish

For Serving

  • Steamed jasmine rice or butter rice
  • Or cooked noodles like rice noodles or egg noodles

Instructions
 

Marinate the Chicken

  1. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken pieces with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, and cornstarch. Mix well and let it marinate while you prep the other ingredients—about 10 minutes is perfect. Using chicken thighs here gives you maximum juiciness and flavor, which is ideal for bold sauces like this.

Make the Peanut Sauce

  1. In a separate bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin, chili garlic sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Add a splash of warm water to thin it out to your desired consistency—it should be pourable but not runny. This sauce draws on flavors from peanut butter noodles thai and classic peanut chicken wraps, giving it that fusion-style richness.

Sear the Chicken

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in your wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and let it sear for a couple of minutes before stirring. Cook until golden brown and cooked through—about 5–7 minutes total. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Stir-Fry the Veggies

  1. Add the remaining oil to the pan and toss in the bok choy and red bell pepper. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, just until the bok choy greens wilt and the stems begin to soften. You want them to stay crisp-tender.

Combine Everything

  1. Return the chicken to the pan. Pour the peanut sauce over everything and toss well to coat. Let it simmer for 1–2 minutes so the sauce clings to the chicken and veggies, creating that glossy, takeout-style finish. If the sauce thickens too much, splash in a bit more water.

Garnish and Serve

  1. Serve immediately over steamed jasmine rice, butter rice, or noodles (especially good if you’re after asian chicken noodles or peanut noodles with chicken vibes). Garnish with sliced scallions, crushed peanuts, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds if you like.