Thai Peach Chicken (Printable version)
Tender chicken in a sweet and spicy Thai sauce with ripe peaches and colorful bell peppers.
# Ingredient list:
→ Chicken
01 - 1.3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 1 tbsp cornstarch
03 - ½ tsp salt
04 - ¼ 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
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
18 - ⅓ 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
# Directions:
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 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. Pour sauce over the chicken and vegetables.
07 - 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 Tips:
01 -
- The way sweet peaches and savory fish sauce create this incredibly complex flavor profile that tastes like you spent hours on it
- Its one of those rare dishes that works equally well for casual weeknight dinners or when you want to impress friends without the stress
02 -
- I learned the hard way that overly soft peaches will completely dissolve into the sauce, so choose fruit that gives slightly when pressed but still feels firm
- The sauce will look thin when you first add it, but trust the simmering process, it thickens beautifully as the cornstarch from the chicken activates
03 -
- If you want meal prep friendly version, cook everything but stop before adding the peaches and basil, then add those fresh when reheating
- The fish sauce might smell strong in the bottle, but it transforms in the cooking process into something deeply savory and essential