Remember my ginger peanut meatballs that everyone loves and adores? Well, a couple of years back I decided to use a somewhat similar peanut sauce for this creamy, dreamy Thai chicken peanut couscous and OMG it’s just so damn good. I actually initially tested this recipe nearly 4 years ago, and then completely forgot about it in my archives, so I just had to bring it to the blog and re-share it for you.
This chicken couscous with Thai peanut flavors is the most wonderful hearty, cozy meal packed with everything you could ever want: tender chicken, plenty of veggies, pearl couscous and the most creamy delicious coconut peanut sauce that will make ya wanna lick your bowl clean. Don’t forget the fun garnishes like chopped peanuts + cilantro, it helps bring everything together.
What you’ll need to make this Thai chicken couscous
This delicious and nourishing Thai-inspired peanut chicken couscous is easier to make than you think and packed with incredible Thai flavors. Here’s everything you’ll need to make it:
- For the chicken: you’ll just need some olive oil, chicken breast, salt & pepper to cook up your chicken.
- For the peanut couscous: the star of this dish is the creamy, flavorful peanut couscous. It’s made with garlic, light coconut milk (from the can), chicken broth, natural, creamy peanut butter, soy sauce, fresh ginger, chili paste or sriracha and pearl couscous.
- Add-ins: we’re simmering the couscous with carrots, broccoli, and red bell pepper for a boost of veggies.
- To garnish: top your bowl with fresh green onion, cilantro, honey roasted peanuts and a little hot sauce if you’d like.
Customize this dish
- Make it vegetarian or vegan. Feel free to swap the chicken for chickpeas or tofu to keep this dish vegetarian.
- Change up your veggies. This Thai chicken couscous is great for customizing with what you have on hand. I think spinach and/or mushrooms would be delicious.
- Add a kick of heat. If you love spice like me feel free to add 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (or a little more) to the peanut couscous. Yum!
Choose the right couscous
In this chicken couscous recipe, we’re using pearl couscous, which is a much larger grain than regular couscous. Pearl couscous has a texture similar to mini gnocchi or pasta, whereas regular couscous, when cooked, tends to have a texture similar to grits.
Be sure to opt for pearl couscous in this recipe so that the texture holds up well.
Can I use a different grain?
I think this recipe would work okay using white basmati rice or quinoa in place of the couscous, but please note that I have not tested it this way. Using pearl couscous really adds a wonderful texture that can’t be replicated with another grain. Please note that you’d likely need much less quinoa if you choose to replace it, and any other grains may have different cooking times.
Can I swap the peanut butter?
While this recipe will work using another nut butter like cashew butter, I’d highly recommend sticking with peanut butter to give this dish that peanut sauce flavor it was created to have.
How to make Thai peanut chicken couscous
- Brown your chicken. You’ll start this recipe by simply cooking your chicken on all sides so it’s golden brown. No need to cook it all the way through.
- Make the peanut sauce. In the same skillet, you’ll stir together the coconut milk, broth, peanut butter, soy sauce, ginger & chili paste.
- Couscous & veggie time. Once your peanut sauce is smooth you’ll stir in the couscous and veggies.
- Add your chicken. Finally, stir in your chicken, bring the couscous to a simmer, then reduce the heat and cover the pan for 15 minutes.
- Finish it off. Once the couscous has simmered covered for about 15 minutes you’ll want to remove the lid and let it do so uncovered for a few minutes more to let it thicken up.
- Garnish & serve. Top with your fav garnishes and extra hot sauce and serve!
Storing tips
Store any leftover chicken couscous in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Simply reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
More one pan meals to try
- Sheet Pan Moroccan Chicken with Sweet Potatoes & Cauliflower
- One Pan Ginger Chicken Meatballs with Peanut Sauce
- One Pan Thai Coconut Yellow Curry Chicken & Rice
- One Pot Moroccan Chicken Stew with Sweet Potato & Couscous
- One Pot Vegan Coconut Curried Brown Rice with Tofu
Get all of our delicious one pan meals here!
I hope you love this creamy, one pan Thai peanut chicken couscous! If you make it be sure to leave a comment & a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
One Pan Creamy Thai Peanut Chicken Couscous
Ingredients
- For the chicken:
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
- Freshly ground salt and pepper
- For the peanut couscous:
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (15 ounce) can light coconut milk
- ¾ cup low sodium chicken broth (or sub water)
- ½ cup creamy natural peanut butter (just peanuts + salt)
- 2-3 tablespoons gluten free soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon chili paste or sriracha
- Optional for a spicy peanut sauce: 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (plus ¼ teaspoon more if you love it a little extra spicy!)
- 1 cup pearl couscous
- Add-ins:
- 2 large carrots, thinly sliced
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- 1 red bell pepper, julienned
- To garnish:
- Green onion (green part only), diced
- Fresh chopped cilantro
- Honey roasted peanuts, chopped
- Hot sauce, if desired
Instructions
- Place a large deep skillet over medium-high heat and add in oil. Once hot, add the chicken, season with salt and pepper and cook, about 5-7 minutes total. You don’t need to cook chicken all the way, just about halfway through so it’s nice and golden brown with flavor. Transfer chicken to a bowl or plate and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and add in the garlic, cooking for 30 seconds, then add in the coconut milk, chicken broth, peanut butter, soy sauce, ginger and chili paste to the same skillet. Whisk together until well combined and smooth. Stir in the couscous, carrots, broccoli and bell pepper; then add the chicken back into the pan; bring to a simmer. Cover the pan, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring every so often to prevent couscous from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- After 15 minutes, remove the lid and gently simmer for 5-10 more minutes uncovered to soak up any excess liquid.
- Garnish with chopped honey-roasted peanuts, green onion, and cilantro. Serves 4.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eat
This post was originally published on March 3rd, 2021, and republished on January 24th, 2023.
I’m currently pregnant and struggling with food aversions and legit haven’t cooked in months! I saw this recipe on Instagram and it actually looked super good which has been a rare occurrence. It looked easy enough and the raw chicken was the only “offensive” step. I decided to give it a try and it was as easy as the video made it look and tasted pretty good too! Loved that most of the ingredients are easy to have on hand and that it got me eating my veggies finally. While cooking I worried it was going to be a little too veggie forward, because carbs are still king but it ended up being perfect. Thanks for posting this! Felt so good to finally feel like myself and be in the kitchen again!
So glad you gave this one a try! Totally get the “carbs are king” haha 🙂 Great way to sneak some veggies in, too!
Made this for dinner it was delicious!! Wonderful creamy texture, Israeli couscous is really the perfect grain for this dish. The only change I would make is to put more peanut butter, it didn’t have as strong of a peanuty taste as I would want!! Amazing recipe Moniue!
Absolutely! And yes feel free to add a bit more 🙂
Great simple recipe. I LOVE peanuts in my Thai food so in addition to the peanut butter I always add chopped or halved peanuts
This is my new go to dinner. It’s so easy to make and delicious!
So happy to hear that!
We enjoyed this recipe overall – the pearl couscous was new to us and fun to try. I loved that the whole dinner was cooked in one pan. The sauce was very peanuty and creamy but lacking something for us – next time I think we will add some fresh lime juice and maybe a little honey or even hoisin for depth.
Yum those additions would be delicious. Let me know what you choose to use. Glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Just made this using tofu,,delicious! I am a flight attendant and always bring my own food to work-will be looking forward to lunch tomorrow!
Perfect! Such a great go-to dinner or lunch 🙂
Nothing wrong with this. Any veggie would be good, I didn’t have the peanuts, and admit it would’ve been better with that little hint of sweetness, but was also good without. Def will have again.
Glad you enjoyed! And yes, this one’s great for customizing with your fav veggies.
Hi! Excited to cook this tonight. It looks like all my favorite flavors and textures in one dish!
Question, do you think this would freeze well?
Thanks!
Such a great dinner! I haven’t tried freezing this one so I’m not 100% sure how the couscous will turn out once re-heated. I suspect it should be fine – let me know if you give it a try!
Super easy and delicious!
Glad you liked it!
This was one of the nicest easy recipe I’ve ever done., I used tricolour quinoa as I’m gf. I used 3/4 of a cup of quinoa and added an extra cup of chicken broth as I find quinoa sucks up alot if moisture in a recipe like this
Love it! Glad you enjoyed!
Really liked this recipe! I didn’t have honey roasted peanuts so used regular roasted peanuts. Definitely didn’t add enough cilantro – the bites with it were the best! I added the cayenne but we really like spice so next time I think I’ll add some slices chillies. Will definitely make this again!
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed 🙂
I made the One Pan Creamy Thai Peanut Chicken Couscous last night- WOW. Full of flavor, creamy, and delicious! We added some Cayenne Pepper for a kick, Definitely adding this to our favorites! Easy to make and you can add/swap in any veggies you’d like!
LOVED it!
Amazing! So glad you enjoyed!
This was delicious! I added 1-2tsp of red curry paste and used chickpeas in lieu of chicken. Hearty, cozy, flavorful, YUM. I love all your pearl couscous recipes soooo much!
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed (and same!!)
Making this for the second time! My husband and I both loved this recipe!
So happy to hear that!
This is so yummy! I substituted chick peas for the chicken and it worked great. I loved all the flavors and texture the chopped peanuts brought. I will be making this again.
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed!
This was delicious! And, once you prep the ingredients, it comes together so easily and quickly. Adding this to our regular recipe rotation.
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed!
This is absolutely delicious! I’ve never made something from you that hasn’t been good, but this is one of the best. My husband already wants to make it again. Thank you for tasty and healthy recipes!
So glad you both loved it!
I made this for my husband for dinner tonight & he really enjoyed it! He said it was more like a 4 and a half out of 5 stars… and I think the only reason he didn’t give it 5 out of 5 is because it wasn’t his favorite (that goes to the One Pan Thai Coconut Yellow Curry Chicken & Rice). Can you tell we love the one pan meals around here?
So glad you both enjoyed! Love that chicken & rice, too 🙂
So delicious! Took your suggestion and added spinach in place of broccoli because we are planning to have broc in tomorrow’s dinner. Also used cashew butter because someone finished the peanut butter – argh!! Still turned out amazing! Can’t wait to try again with the full peanut flavor.
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed even with a couple swaps 🙂
The only item I changed from the ingredient list above was I used almond butter instead of peanut butter. I loved the vegetable combination, but my husband and I felt it needed more shazamm! I had the green onion and cilantro with regular roasted peanuts for the toppings but we also added fresh squeezed lime and sriracha. It just seemed the sauce was a tad bland, so we had to also add extra salt.
Hi! It doesn’t seem like it would but using a different nut butter really does change the flavor of this dish. Peanut butter has a lot more flavor when combined with these ingredients, so I’d recommend sticking with that next time!
I food prep on Sundays and last weekend I made the four new recipes all from Ambitious Kitchen. One Pan Creamy Thai Chicken Peanut was so good and the sauce was full of flavor! My family ate it so fast that I will have to make it again soon! I also made the cheese-stuffed ground turkey meatloaf, ground turkey sloppy joes, and chicken chili. Thank you for the new recipes that were so good! My husband loved everything I made. I love this site!!
Amazing! So glad you’re finding dinners here that you love 🙂
Delicious, hearty and super easy & convenient to make! I added chopped basil to boost up the Thai profile of the dish. I’ll be making it again!
Great idea! Glad you loved it!
I can’t wait to make this for dinner tomorrow. Thank-you for this wonderful recipe!
Hope you love it!
This was so delicious! I used 3/4 cup of quinoa as suggested because I didn’t have couscous, and added an extra 1/4 c or so of broth. I was nervous at first that it was going to be too soupy but after 15 minutes of simmering the quinoa soaked everything up and the flavor was fantastic! Thanks for another great recipe, Monique!
Perfect! So glad you loved it!
I used jasmine rice instead of couscous (couldn’t find it at the store) and just cooked the rice before and added it in per the recipe. It was delicious! My 9 month old even enjoyed it! Highly recommend and will make again!
Perfect! So happy to hear that!
I highly, highly recommend – this dish was so incredible! It was so flavorful and an absolute crowd pleaser. The chicken was perfectly cooked and the flavor was so delish. Even better – it was extremely easy to make! This is permanently on the dinner rotation – definitely try this ASAP!
So glad you loved it! One of our favs, too 🙂
I found the peanut taste to be too strong, but will likely make it again and reduce by half.
It is meant to be nice and strong to give the dish flavor, but let me know how it goes reducing it!
Love this recipe! Super delicious, nutritious, and easy to make!
So glad you like it!
My husband instantly asked for this dish to make it into our regular rotation. It is a filling way to get tons of veggies with great Thai flavor.
So happy to hear that! One of our fav veggie-packed dinners, too 🙂
Super easy to make and really delicious! Will definitely keep this recipe!
Glad you enjoyed!!
As with everything from Ambitious Kitchen, this dish is excellent! Subbed in green beans for the broccoli. Added more siracha. Currently eating leftovers – cold right from the refrigerator – delish!
So thrilled to hear that, Noreen! Glad you’re enjoying it 🙂
Can we freeze these dishes?
Absolutely! 🙂
This has become a staple in our house! I’ve also made it for company multiple times, and everyone loves it! So good and easy!
I’m so happy to hear that, Jennifer! One of my fav meals, too 🙂
This is such a good meal! Made it veg/vegan by using chickpeas and my husband and I loved it! Didn’t change anything else about the recipe, added broccoli, red pepper and carrot! Reheated beautifully the next day with a splash of almond milk. Thanks for a new favorite!!
SUCH a great idea to use chickpeas in here! So happy that you loved it!!
This was delicious and will definitely be a staple from now on. My 1.5 year old loved it and had seconds. I omitted the Sriracha when plating hers but then added it in for my husband and I. Thank you for another great recipe, Monique is always my go to for family friendly dishes!
Oh I’m so glad that you guys all loved this one, Breanna!! Yay!
Made this today for the first time, won’t be the last. My boys loved it too, creamy, spicy, nutty goodness, all in one pan. What’s not to love?!?
I’m SO happy you guys all loved it, Tara! Isn’t it the best weeknight din?!
This was so delicious, super creamy and flavorful. The fact that it’s one pan makes it that much better!
One pan meals are so amazing, right?! I’m glad to hear you loved it! 🙂
So delicious and flavorful! Another great recipe! Thank you
You’re welcome, so happy you loved it!
Ultimate comfort food! Use whole fat coconut milk as it’s always in the house. Most creamy dish.
So easy and so good! Love the use of couscous for a different take on stir fry. Makes for a great texture and very filling. Makes great leftovers too!
Delicious but a lot to prep! I def don’t have any issues making it on the weekends but it’s a lot for a week night. Would love a slow cooker or instapot version. Everyone in my family loved it!
Yum!
Delicious!
This recipe was the first time ever for me to try pearl couscous, and since then, it’s one of my favorite grains. LOVE the peanutty, rich flavor and creamy texture of this recipe .. cannot wait to make it again!
This is probably my most favorite meal I have ever made with my own two hands. I’m a big fan of spice so added the paprika but probably will honestly add even more next time. Love a good spicy peanut chicken dish and this one tops any I’ve had in a restaurant.
Another delicious recipe- I used noodles instead of couscous because I am a noodle fiend but that’s the only change I made. This was so comforting and creamy and I will make it again ❤️
This was a pretty quick meal to make and my family enjoyed it. I will make it again!
So glad you guys loved it!
This is such an amazing dish. We subbed the chicken with tofu, and was so tasty. Will do it again for sure!
Nice, tofu’s such a great protein sub in here! Happy you guys enjoyed it!
Delicious! I always go here for amazing meals for the family. I’m usually not a coconut milk fan, but this added with the PB is a hit!
Flavor blast! Easy peasy to make and full of flavor. Can’t wait for the leftovers tomorrow. I actually used rotisserie chicken because I bought one to make Monique’s Best Chicken Soup & mama needs so short cuts this weekend. Was so so perfect.
This recipe was delicious!! I couldn’t find the pearl couscous at my local grocery store so I ended up using the kind thats texture is more like grits. I will order the correct couscous for next time- but in a pinch it was still delicious!
That’s a fine swap! I prefer the pearl texture, so hope you can try it with that soon. Happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Wow. This is amazing. I think I bought the wrong couscous but this was still so delicious and packed with Thai flavours. I will be making this again. Thanks for such a great recipe !
Haha glad it still tasted amazing! Thanks, Nelly 🙂
WOW this recipe is SCRUMPTIOUS. Ive had it for 4 meals in a row now and I’m so sad I finished it all!! I used crunchy PB, which added more texture. I would also recommend adding the bell peppers and broccoli into the pot when you’re closer to being done so the veggies don’t get too soggy. The added cayenne gave it the perfect kick!!! Highly recommend topping it with the roasted peanuts as well. 10/10!!!!
Yaaaay! I’m so thrilled that you’re loving it, Megan 🙂 And good call on the veggies.
AMAZING! I waited until the last few minutes to add the red pepper because I like them to have a little crunch. The cayenne adds the perfect spice. When I meal prep this I use already cooked shredded chicken to save some time and it works great. Delicious recipe and I make it all the time!
I had been eyeing this recipe since it is reminiscent of the Spicy Thai Peanut Chicken Sweet Potato Noodle Stir Fry which is one of my favorites and finally made it over the weekend. Per my hubby, this is now one of his new favorites! Wonderful flavor and great mixture of veggies, carbs and proteins to make it the perfect meal! I only had full fat coconut milk which made it extra creamy and I always tend to be heavy on the veggies. Only complaint is the prep can take a lot of time, lol, but once that was done, the meal came together quickly with only one pan to clean! Love it!
I’m so glad that you guys love this one! Glad it was worth the prep time 🙂
So easy and fresh! I love this recipe.
This was a perfect cold day dinner! So creamy and comforting. My ten month old baby even had a huge portion!
Love that!! Happy you guys enjoyed it 🙂
This looks fabulous and perfect to make next week after all the holiday indulgences.
Yes, so nourishing!
So good. My 6yr and 1yr ate it for dinner earlier in the week. I’m making it again tonight!!
I’m so glad you’re all loving it — yay!!
One-pan Thai peanut chicken couscous was delicious. Everyone loved it. I managed to find right Israeli couscous and yes, perfect texture. I used carrot matchsticks instead of sliced carrots to save time. It made a perfect presentation. I made Asian cucumber salad as a side. Perfect match. Thanks! Lynn
I’m so glad you all loved it! And that Asian cucumber salad on the side sounds amazing 😍
So easy and so damn flavorful. My husband was skeptical and now is obsessed.
Oh I’m SO glad you both love this one, Alexis! Yay!
Wow!!!! New favorite hands down. Super simple especially if you have your chicken prepped ahead of time. 😮💨
Omg thank you! I’m so happy you loved this one 🙂
I wanted to make this for meal prep this week and am so happy with how it came out. It came out with just enough for 5 dinners for me (which is awesome). Really nice balance of the PB flavor and not too spicy at all (without the Cayenne) for someone like me who isn’t always a huge fan of HOT food. Texture is BOMB with the couscous. Thanks so much Monique!
This was amazing and flavorful. My 6 year old gave it 2 thumbs up. He loves broccoli and peanut butter and he thought they were so good together. It wasn’t overly complicated and the instructions were simple to follow. I love that it’s packed with veggies.
Amazing!! So happy you all loved it and that it was easy to follow. Thanks for the review, Kristen 🙂
My husband eats everything, he didn’t eat this. The texture wasn’t good either. I tried to salvage it. It needed acid so I used lime juice, sweetness so I added monk fruit “sugar” and needed salt, not more soy sauce. Onion would’ve helped too. The idea was nice but I followed the directions perfectly and then tried to adjust to save it. I had green onion and cilantro and it still was not good.
So sorry you guys didn’t love this one! I’m surprised because it’s a popular recipe, but I appreciate the feedback 🙂
These are great with a splash of lemon juice and cilantro on top. Brings it up a notch!
Such great additions at the end! Love it! So happy you enjoyed this recipe 🙂
This has become a staple in our house. So delicious!
I’m so glad you guys love it! Thank you!
Delicious! I used regular couscous because that’s what I had on hand and it turned out great! The veggies were a little crisp still so maybe next time I’ll chop them up smaller or maybe cook a little bit longer. Thanks for a great recipe!
So glad you loved it, Marie! The veggies may have just needed a little more time. Happy the regular couscous worked well, though!
Really great recipe! It was easy to follow, included a bunch of veggies and didn’t involve a lot of dishes so clean up was easy! Best of all- the whole family ate it! This will definitely be added into our dinner rotation!
Delicious! The family loved it! My 9yo son wasn’t sure when he looked at it (this is a recurring theme), but after the ole “try it before you judge it” line- he gobbled it up! AK is our go-to for family recipes. Thank you for nailing the ingredients & flavors!! Makes me enjoy cooking!
Hahaha I’m SO glad he ended up enjoying it 🙂 Thanks for the review, Jessica!
LOVE this recipe! Definitely saving to make again, but I would note that it took me longer than 50 minutes total — maybe I’m a slow prepper! 🙂
Delicious recipe!
This recipe was a huge hit. I left out the chili paste so that it wouldn’t be too spicy for my 18 mo but my husband and I simply added it at the end and everyone loved it! So easy and love that it is one pot.
Ahh this is amazing. SO glad you all are loving this recipe. I appreciate your comment ❤️
This sounds amazing and I plan to make it next week! One suggestion I have for this and all your printable recipes: please add the suggested storage time to the final step of the instructions or in the Recipe Notes section. There is just the 2 of us, and becoming lighter eaters as we get older, so having an idea of how long the leftovers can be refrigerated would be very helpful!
This dish was amazing! We switched out spinach for the broccoli but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. We’ll definitely make it again!
You always create the most yummy recipes! I am gonna try this with the quinoa, since that’s all I have on hand, I can’t wait to taste this!
With bold flavors of peanut, spicy Thai chili sauce, and savory chicken, this dish is sure to be a hit with the whole family! The couscous provides a hearty base for the peanut chicken and gives the dish a unique texture. Loved your recipe!!
– Jack from Skilletguy.com
Delicious and easy to make! Followed the steps as described and it turned out great. I ended up using a Dutch oven to cook it all in and couldn’t be happier with the result. I let it cook in the Dutch oven for 16 minutes and then simmered uncovered for 7 minutes. Tastes incredible! I’d make sure the soy sauce, garlic, peanut butter and ginger are added generously since all the flavour comes from these ingredients
Absolutely delicious! Full of so much flavor. Loved it!
GENIUS! No Siracha on hand and prefer a milder dish but BOY the flavor! One pan, too! Easy assembly. THANKS!
I was so looking forward to this. So many great reviews. Mine seemed like way too much peanut butter. So heavy and way too rich. It didn’t come out looking like the pics either. Just beige mush😥
I usually love your recipes!
I am sorry to hear this one didn’t turn out as you had hoped, did you change anything about the recipe?
Do yourself a favor and make this incredibly delicious meal! I followed the recipe as written , except I did not include hot sauce. I used all the garnishes. The layers of flavor are fantastic! We all loved it! I love every recipe I have tried from AK but this one really hit it out of the park! Yummy!!!!
Ahh thank you so much! Glad this recipe is hit ❤️
We absolutely love this recipe, it’s become a fried and true favorite at our house! I sub half the peanut butter for PB2 (less fat and I have too much of it in the cupboard), which I recommend if you have it!
Sooooooooo good!! I had saved this when it popped up on your story a little bit ago and finally had time to make it. I’m a teacher and my coworker walked into my room during lunch the other day and smelled it, and asked me to send it to her because it looked so good! She made it that night for dinner :)!!!
To die for. Made this for my BFF’s birthday. She loved it so much so she made it for her and her hubby. Yum yum.
Super tasty and easy to make! I used soy curls instead of chicken and it worked well. Also, I thought I had Israeli couscous but turned out I only had the regular small kind. So I used that and had to add more liquid, but it turned out well. I’m sure the bigger couscous would have a great consistency though! I served it with pita and my husband decided to put it IN the pita, which we all ended up doing and it made a great meal! (and great leftovers!)
OHH YUM! I am so glad this recipe turned out great for you, Sarah. Thanks so much for sharing your review, I appreciate it! ❤️
I started making this about 6 months ago and we have it at least 2x a month. This is hands down our favorite meal at home and we have made it for many family and friends who are equally obsessed.
Ah yay! This makes me so happy to hear, glad you’re loving this dish and it turned out great for you ❤️
I was excited to try this recipe but it turned out as a greasy brown gloop which I none of us could face eating – sorry! Made as per instructions / ingredients so not sure what went wrong. Perhaps too high oil content with both coconut milk & peanut butter, which separated out on heating.
Hi – I am curious what could have gone wrong, I have never had this happen before. What brand of coconut milk did you use?
I’ve made this so many times and it’s my go-to weeknight dinner. I don’t eat chicken and have subbed shrimp or sometimes just extra broccoli and it’s divine either way. I also add extra PB because I love the nutty flavor it adds.
DELISH! I am SO excited to hear that you are loving this recipe and you are able to adjust it to your preference. Thanks so much for sharing!
Fantastic! Creamy Thai-inspired peanut sauce with tons of veggies and chicken make this dish a winner. I’ve made multiple times and can’t get enough. Makes a lot too so plenty to serve a crowd. The couscous adds a great base. #AKRecipeoftheMonth
Amazing!! So glad you are loving this recipe and it turned out great for you, Sarah!
Hi Monique, this looks wonderful, but I’m unfortunately allergic to coconut. I KNOW it won’t be the same, but do you think heavy cream would work texture wise? Because of the allergy, I’ve never had coconut milk, so I have no idea.
Hi Cody – I wouldn’t recommend heavy cream, but it could work with unsweetened almond milk. Hope you enjoy and I can’t wait to hear how you like this recipe.
This is amazing! I made it last night and will deff be adding to our rotation. I swapped the chicken for chickpeas and it turned out great.
#AKRecipeoftheMonth
Yay! I am SO glad you glad you gave this recipe a try an it was a hit. Love the addition of chicken sounds perfect! Thanks for your comment, I appreciate it ❤️
Don’t love coconut milk – any suggestions for subs? Or does that change it too much?
Thanks.
Hi Meg – You could potentially use unsweetened almond milk but I will note that it’ll take away that amazing coconut flavor. Let me know how it turns out for you! Enjoy 🙂
It was a simple and delicious recipe! The taste profile can definitely be enjoyed by both big and small. I added the suggested spice ingredient and the kids didn’t think it was too much! “It has a kick” I would do half of spice ingredient if spice is not tolerable because it still adds some flavors. #AKRecipeoftheMonth
Thanks so much for sharing your feedback, Crystal. I am glad you and the family loved this recipe and it turned out great for you! 🙂
#AKRecipeoftheMonth Made this for dinner last night. Delicious and easy. The family was so confused about the pearl couscous since it’s new to us! Made with chickpeas and lots of heat. Thank you!
AMAZING! I am so glad you and your family are loving this dish and it turned out great for you 🙂
#AKRecipeoftheMonth
Made this tonight for dinner and it was delicious! Reminds me a lot of the Thai peanut ginger chicken meatballs that I ADORE! A little less spicy, but equally delicious.
Yay! So glad you’re loving this recipe and it turned out amazing of you!
This recipe was so flavorful and perfect for the fall weather we’re finally having! I swapped the chicken for tofu to keep it vegetarian but otherwise kept everything the same. I love that it can all be done in one pan. This will definitely be on the make again list!
#AKRecipeoftheMonth
WOO! Glad to hear this turned out great with tofu, Megan! Thanks so much for your comment 😀
#AKRecipeoftheMonth
Love that this can be modified to what I have! Often use chickpeas instead of chicken! Highly recommend adding cilantro and peanuts and lots of lime juice!
I just made this – easy and delicious. I used ground chicken because that’s what I had, added carrots, peas, and broccoli. The recipe is very flexible to put in whatever veg and protein you like. I’ll made it again, ty.
Yay! Glad to hear you’re loving this recipe and it turned out great for you!
#AKRecipeoftheMonth
Great recipe! Easy to adapt for vegetarian or to what you have at home! Highly recommend peanuts, cilantro, and lots of lime on top!
Woo! Glad to hear this turned out great for you, Addie ❤️
Absolutely loved this recipe! It was delicious! Whole family enjoyed it. Made it less spicy for the 1.5 and 4 year olds. Will definitely make again!! #AKRecipeoftheMonth
WOO! glad to hear this recipe is loved by the whole family. Thank you for your comment, I so appreciate it!
This recipe is on repeat in my household. It comes together so quickly and it’s amazing. Easy to switch out ingredients for what you have on hand. I love the spice so I always add some cayenne and plenty of sriracha when serving. I also add about 3X the ginger the recipe calls for because I love the depth of flavor the ginger gives. #AKRecipeoftheMonth
YUM! Glad to hear this recipe is a hit for you and your family. Love that you are able to adjust the spices per your preferences 🙂❤️
This was delicious! And it had a healthy dose of veggies. Love that it was one pan! And my kids loved it. Doesn’t get much better than that!
We loved this recipe! So easy to make and love that it is one pan to minimize clean up! Great way to get lots of protein and veggies in the same pot. Next time we’ll add the cayenne pepper for a little more kick – we added sriracha at the end but we always make without extra heat the first time to gauge how we like it. Great work AK team!
#AKRecipeoftheMonth
Amazing! SO happy to hear that you are loving this recipe and it turned out great for you ❤️
Made this for dinner with basmati rice on the side (I’m gf), and it was fantastic! Fam loved it!
Amazing! Happy to hear this recipe turned out great for you 🙂
I made the recipe almost as written, except I added some extra chicken (1.5 lb was the smallest package I could find at the store) and used cashews to top instead of peanuts. It was really good! I would definitely make it again although I would add a little more salt next time as it felt like it was missing a little something. I had to add a little extra chicken broth during the simmering step to keep it from getting too thick but that wasn’t a problem. I’ve never cooked with couscous before but this recipe is inspiring me to try more couscous recipes because I really liked the texture. #AKRecipeoftheMonth
Amazing! I am SO happy to hear that you are loving this recipe and it turned out fabulous for you! Couscous is such a fun ingredient and its perfect when you’re wanting to mix things up a bit 🙂
Our family absolutely loved this recipe! Even my picky toddler enjoyed it!! It was so quick to come together and it really made it easy with one pan. I even made it early in the morning before the day got started! My husband requested this to go into the rotation
#AKRecipeoftheMonth
This is amazing, Becky! So glad to hear this recipe is a hit for your whole family ❤️
This recipe was delicious and I will definitely be making it again ❤️ #AKRecipeoftheMonth
Yay! Happy to hear this recipe is a hit, Katie ❤️
Made this yesterday. It was awesome! Didn’t take a picture, but it was so flavorful! I used rotisserie chicken from Costco because I had it on hand. Had gone to the farmers market so used broccolini instead of broccoli and rainbow carrots. Used more vegetables than the recipe called for, so I added a little more stock and peanut butter for the extra volume. Husband loved it. It’s so easy- definitely going into the rotation! So glad I found Ambitious Kitchen. We’ll be exploring a lot more recipes.. I’m a big fan!
Ah yay! I am so glad you gave this recipe a try and are loving it. Using rotisserie chicken is SUCH a genius idea, glad it turns out great for you, Annie ❤️
Overall, a solid recipe that is simple enough to add into the weeknight rotation! I would recommend adding extra siracha to make it more savory vs sweet and I had to expand cooking time, but the chicken was tender, the vegetables just right and I LOVE a one pot meal!
YUM! One pot meals are the best. Glad you gave this recipe a try and it turned out great for you, Mary 🙂
Absolutely loved this dish. Used almond butter instead of peanut butter and coconut aminos rather than gf soy sauce. Using the Israeli couscous was a great change from the usual rice noodles. Completely forgot to garnish with honey roasted peanuts, will gave to remember that for next time! We will get having this again. #AKRecipeoftheMonth
YUM! Happy to hear that you loved this recipe and it turned out great for you, Kris 🙂
Oh my gosh this is SO GOOD!!!! So easy, fast, with convenient ingredients. I love pearl couscous and it has just the right amount of spice. I will make this again! #AKRecipeoftheMonth
PERFECT! I am happy to hear that this recipe turned out amazing for you, Maggie! Thanks so much for your comment, I appreciate it ❤️❤️
Oh my gosh- this was the best recipe ever The taste and texture of this dish was 10 out of 10.
Thank you!
Carl
Ah this makes me so happy to hear, Carl. Glad to hear you are enjoying this recipe and it turned it turned out great for you 🙂
#AKRecipeoftheMonth I made this for a girls dinner night! As they always are, this recipe was easy to make while my toddler was running around. I read comments on IG beforehand regarding making it GF with quinoa. I did substitute quinoa for the couscous. It was bad but I may try cooking the quinoa before adding it (not sure if that was what I was supposed to do haha). Looking forward to having some for lunch this week!
Hi Natasha – Did the quinoa not cook? Above I mentioned that you’ll probably need to adjust the amount of liquid if cooking with quinoa. Hope that helps.
This is one of my favorite flavor combination dishes … we’re heading into fall here in Colorado so hearty meals are called for, and this fits the bill! I used half vegetable and half chicken broth … ditto the gochujang and sriracha. I definitely included the cayenne pepper. I went with just carrots and broccoli. Garnished with cilantro and green onions. Delicious!
PERFECTION! Glad you’re loving this cozy fall dish and it turned out great for you, Rosalie ❤️
This recipe was a winner for the whole family. I used water instead of broth and didn’t find it lacked flavor at all. We ended up adding a splash or two more water because we let it sit on the stove too long and it got a bitter thicker than we prefer. It was still excellent. I’d definitely make this again!
Amazing! Happy to hear this recipe was loaded with flavor and it turned out great for you ❤️
This was my first time trying the #AKRecipeoftheMonth but it won’t be my last! I love a one pot meal; especially one that simmers so I can wash the cutting board and measuring cups while it cooks! But the flavor was SO good. I’ve never used couscous before and now I’m excited to find more recipes featuring it! I only had crunchy natural peanut butter but it worked like a charm. Can’t wait to see what next month’s recipe is!
WOO! This is seriously the best, Katie. I am so glad you found this recipe and gave it a try. Sounds like an absolute winner 🙂❤️
Such a great recipe and truly one pan! I used crunchy peanut butter instead, added red pepper flakes and used more couscous so I could use the entire bag I bought. I love this recipe so much and my partner did too! Will definitely be making it again!
Amazing! So happy to hear you both loved this recipe and it turned out great for you, Liz!
#AKRecipeoftheMonth
Wow, this was so good! The blend of flavors was perfect – a hit with the whole family! Followed the recipe as written. We just got back from vacation, and it felt so good to make such a nourishing meal filled with veggies and protein.
Ahh this is great, Christina. I am so glad you are loving this recipe and it turned out fabulous for you ❤️
Delicious! I love any meal that come together in one pan and this one didn’t disappoint. The spicy peanut sauce is a keeper and I plan to use it for other things as well. All around a perfect weeknight meal!
#AKRecipeoftheMonth
I really liked the gentle spice level combined with the richness from the peanuts! It was a little on the dry side (maybe from the peanut butter?) so my only critique is that I’d maybe prefer a drizzle of spicy peanut sauce as opposed to it drying out while cooking. Still, very good!
#AKRecipeoftheMonth
Hi Laurelin – What type of Peanut Butter did you use? Glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, but sorry it was a bit dry.
Great weeknight dinner! Followed recipe as is, be sure to stir stir stir to avoid couscous from sticking to the pan. Reminded me of Monique’s One Pan Ginger Chicken Meatballs with Peanut Sauce which is a family favorite in my household. #AKRecipeoftheMonth
YUM! Glad you’re loving this recipe, yes, super similar to that recipe also, but without the couscous!
Made this tonight! It was so good! Veggie packed and delicious peanut flavor! Love that is was a one pot meal, makes for easy clean up too! #AKRecipeoftheMonth
WOO! Happy to hear that you gave this recipe a try and are loving it, Sarah ❤️ One pot meals are a serious game changer and my fave!
My husband loved this recipe! For some reason, I found the flavors to be kinda muted, but I added some salt, and it pulled the flavors out. Now I am thinking that some lime juice probably would have done the same thing! Thank you for the recipe!
I forgot the hashtag on my above comment for entry! AKRecipeoftheMonth
Glad to hear you loved this recipe, Rebecca. Thanks for your feedback!
I made this last night for dinner as my son was coming over. We both love pretty much anything Thai inspired. I followed the recipe exactly since it was my first attempt and it was perfect! My son went nuts over it and I loved it myself. It’s just packed with healthy goodness. I used a chili sauce/sriracha blend and added 1/4 teaspoon cayenne and it gave it a nice kick, but not over the top. There will be many “NEXT” times for this dish! Thanks AK!
YUM! This is so great to hear, Mary Kay. Glad to hear this recipe is a hit 🙂
Made for lunch meal prep for the week-so tasty! #AKRecipeoftheMonth
The best meal prep! Glad to hear you’re loving this recipe, Alison ❤️🙂
I chose this recipe for a dinner serving 10 people because I needed a vegetarian and non vegetarian option. It was pretty good but I definitely should have added more spice to it to make it a bit better. Of the 10 people, some loved it and some thought it was just okay. The vegetarian option I made with chickpeas and I would try it with tofu next time. The texture was too close to the couscous. I personally really like the chicken and couscous combo. Those pearl couscous really make it a great dish.
Thanks so much for sharing your feedback, Jenni. I am so glad you gave this recipe a try and it was a hit for everyone.
Loved it! Never had Israeli pearl couscous before but I think this will become a staple at our house. Thanks for introducing us to good things! #AKRecipeofthemonth
Ahh this is so great, Samantha. I am so glad you gave this recipe a try and it is a hit. Israeli Couscous is such a fun ingredient!
Out of this world!! So creamy. So delicious. I needed to extend the cook time a bit (20 mins instead of 15 and 15 instead of 10), but it came out PERFECT. I used all of the suggested veggies and added mushrooms. I was cooking it for a friend who doesn’t like spice and kept it at just the 1 tablespoon of sriracha, and she loved it! Such a great recipe. #AKrecipeofthemonth
Fabulous! I am so happy you’re loving this recipe and it turned out great for you ❤️
This couscous recipe is a winner! The flavors were great and I always forget how underrated pearl couscous is. I stuck with using the carrots, broccoli, and red pepper, but I can’t wait to make this as a fridge clear out meal! #RecipeoftheMonth
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Amazing! So glad you’re loving this recipe and it turned out great of you – it is SO good as leftovers too!
one dish?! yes please! loved all the veggies. want to try it with quinoa next time.
Amazing! Glad you’re loving this one – let me know what you think of it with the quinoa! Hope you love it!
I loved this recipe! It has all my favorite flavors, especially peanut butter. It’s the perfect weeknight dinner.
#AKRecipeoftheMonth
WOO! Glad you’re loving this recipe and it turned out great for you, Cara ❤️🙂
#AKRecipeoftheMonth
This was delicious. I made the recipe as written w but doubled it so there was enough for my extended family.
Amazing! I am so glad this recipe is a hit for the whole family, Carla 🙂
This recipe was delish! We used regular coconut milk since we had that on hand and thought it turned out great. The sauce reminded us a lot of our favorite chicken satay sauce recipe. We will be adding this to our normal rotation!
#AKRecipeofthemonth
Yay! I am so glad you gave this recipe a try and are loving it ❤️
#AKRecipeoftheMonth this was delicious!! I ate two times in one day! I’m a big fan of “easy” meals and making them as macro friendly as I can. With that being said I made some swaps, peanut powder instead of peanut butter and RightRice (protein rice) instead of couscous! Still so delicious and creamy. The coconut is so subtle. I’ll definitely keep this in my rotation! Also thinking it could be good on salmon!
Absolutley! I am so glad you are enjoying this recipe and it turned out great for you with your subs 🙂
I loved the flavors and textures of this dish! I had to cook longer than the 15 to make sure carrots and couscous were cooked. I also added more broth, soy sauce and sriracha. I added the cayenne as well. Topped with cilantro and cashews and more sriracha – so cozy and good! #AKRecipeoftheMonth
Glad you enjoying this recipe and it turned out great for you and you enjoyed it 🙂
This was honestly super delicious. I do not usually make a recipe more than once but I will definitely make this one again!
#AKRecipeoftheMonth
Ah yay! I am SO glad you’re loving this recipe and it is a hit for you!
This was SO GOOD! The spicey peanut sauce is so flavorful and has a lot of depth. I used two cans of chickpeas instead of chicken to make it vegetarian which worked great! I think tofu would also work well. I made this for my meal prep work lunches this week and will definitely make again. I did burn some of my couscous so be on top of stirring it. Also, if eating as leftovers the sauce thickens/hardens in the fridge, I think because of the natural peanut butter, but thins out once reheated.
#AKRecipeoftheMonth
Ahh this is great. I am so glad you’re enjoying this recipe and it turned out great for you. Loved that it turned out great vegetarian style!
The elements of this dish were so complementary and satisfying. The creaminess from the peanut butter and the crunchiness of the veggies worked so well with each other. It was a perfect comfort meal for a rainy Friday night! #AKRecipeOfTheMonth
Aww yay! I am so glad you are loving this recipe and it turned out great for you, Shannon!
I loved the creamy peanut flavor of this dish. It was nice and easy to make al in one pan! The recipe was easy to follow and the ingredients were all easy to find.
#AKRecipeoftheMonth
Perfect! I am so glad you’re loving this recipe and it turned out great for you!
10/10. This was DELICIOUS! The sauce was so good and the couscous cooked perfectly. Nice change up to rice! Made it for #AKrecipeofthemonth and was not disappointed!
Yay! I am so glad you gave this recipe a try and it turned out amazing for you ❤️
Made this for the first time today and feedback was mixed. I must say several hours later and I still am tasting the peanut… if I make it again I’ll use half the peanut butter.
Thanks so much – glad you’re loving this dish and it turned out amazing for you. What type of peanut butter did you use?
I used up leftover Thanksgiving turkey in this delicious recipe. This dinner was so good!
Oh love this! Glad you enjoyed it and it turned out amazing for you.
This was so stinking good! After all of the delicious and heavy food of the holidays, I was looking for meals with lots of veggies as I menu planned and this fit the bill there! This was the perfect, cozy, creamy meal for a snowy night! Our 9yo gave it two thumbs up and a “favorite” designation after the first bite!
We’re not big on spicy food, so I just used the tablespoon of Sriracha called for in the recipe and that was perfect for us. The only change I made was to use full fat coconut milk, so I did add a little water. We used the suggested garnishes, along with a squeeze of lime juice.
Love that! This is the perfect dinner for packing in the veggies (but still cozy and hearty!)
One of our favorite recipes. I’ve made it at least a dozen times. I follow the recipe exactly, and it turns out perfect every time!
So happy to hear that! We love this one for cozy weeknight dinners 🙂
We absolutely love this recipe. It is so creamy and comforting. Packed with veggies. Easy weeknight meal!
One of my favs!!
This was delicious! I didn’t have chili paste so I used Thai red curry paste. Loved all the veggies and the pearl couscous. Will make it again!
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
What a great and easy meal to meal prep! The flavors are punchy and exciting and it’s relevantly quick to throw together once everything’s prepped. Here are some of my modifications:
– I reduce the peanut butter from 1/2 cup to about 2 heaping tablespoons (I like to use a sweeter peanut butter, not Jif, but that little touch of sweetness plays so well with the savoriness of the dish)
– I coat my chicken thighs in about a tablespoon of cornstarch before searing for an extra crispy crust. I also season them with salt, pepper, garlic, cayenne and curry powder.
– I sub out almond milk mixed with some corn starch to get the same thickening power and creaminess from the coconut milk with less of the fat. Tastes pretty similar, and it’s way lighter in general.
– I add a stir fry vegetable mix to it to add more veggies. (any stir fry veggie mix is fine, as long as it’s nothing fried or like that). I also like adding spinach and green onion at the end for extra veggies.
– I add more water to make up the difference for added veggies.
Again, such a great base recipe to experiment on! It’s a staple for someone who’s single who just wants to eat well!
Love that! Those swaps sound delicious. Glad you enjoyed!
Very generous portions and the sauce was pleasantly delicious! Will make this again and I wouldn’t change anything!
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
So delicious and easy!! Subbed tofu for chicken and it turned out great. Easy clean-up too 🙂
Such a great dinner!
So delish! Was a great option for a healthy quick weekday dinner. I added extra chili powder to give it extra heat. Will definitely be making this again!
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed!
This is definitely a make again recipe !
So colourful and delicious. 😋
However, using pearl couscous was fine and tasty, but I think I shall use brown rice or quinoa in the future for overall better sensory experience and nutritional value.
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
This was delicious! And so freakin easy. I made it even lazier using a frozen veggie mix of broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots alongside the pepper. Perfect! I fried up some tofu and tossed that in as the protein, worked great! Served up with our overgrowth of Thai basil. YUMMY!
Love that!! Such a great dinner 🙂
This recipe was amazing!! so easy to follow and came out delicious!! we garnished with lime juice and it made it unbelievable!!
Love that!! Glad it was a hit!
This was pretty easy, the peanut butter flavor was overwhelming. I couldn’t really taste much else. Next time I would drop to 1/3 or even 1/4 cup.
So strange! What brand of peanut butter did you use? Was it just peanuts + salt?
This recipe was easy to follow and do delicious! And we had leftovers for another day. Will definable be adding to my dinner menu in the future.
Amazing! Glad you enjoyed!
If making this with leftover turkey that’s already fully cooked, would you add it at the same point? Thank you!!
You can add it at step 3 so that it simmers and warms up with everything!
Hello, this recipe sounds delicious!
Can I make it with buckwheat groans?
Hi! I haven’t tested it, so I’m not 100% sure how it will change the cook time, texture, etc. Let me know if you experiment!
This is delicious – topped with lime juice.
Love it! Glad you enjoyed!
This recipe is amazing! We sub the chicken for tofu and make is several times a year. It also makes a ton so it’s great for lunch leftovers during the week.
Amazing!
The flavor is there, but the implementation makes the veggies really overcooked. I’d recommend putting the veggies in about halfway through the simmering.