Peanut Butter & Coconut Chicken Traybake with Cucumber Salad Recipe
A flavorful and easy peanut butter & coconut chicken traybake infused with turmeric, ginger, and chili, served alongside a refreshing cucumber salad with lime and coriander, perfect for a wholesome weeknight meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Fusion (Asian-inspired)
- Diet: Halal
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
- 6 spring onions, chopped into thirds
- 15g ginger, peeled and finely grated
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated
- 1 ¼ tsp ground turmeric (divided)
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- Salt and pepper, to season
Peanut Sauce
- 4 tbsp crunchy dark roast peanut butter
- 400ml can coconut milk
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- Remaining ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Cucumber Salad
- 1 cucumber, peeled in stripes, deseeded and cut into chunks
- 1 lime, zested and juiced
- ½ red chilli, finely sliced
- 10g coriander leaves, plus extra for garnish
- Salt, to season
To Serve
- Salted peanuts
- ½ red chilli, finely sliced (additional garnish)
- 1 lime, juiced (additional garnish)
- Cooked white rice
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: In a large bowl, combine the chicken thighs with spring onions, grated ginger, garlic, 1 tsp ground turmeric, chilli flakes, coriander seeds, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly to coat the chicken well in the spices. For enhanced flavor, chill the marinated chicken for 1 hour if time permits.
- Preheat the Oven: Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan)/gas mark 8 to prepare for roasting the chicken and vegetables.
- Initial Roasting: Place the marinated chicken and spring onions into a deep roasting tin. Roast in the preheated oven for 15 minutes to begin cooking and develop color.
- Make the Peanut Sauce: While the chicken roasts, whisk together the crunchy peanut butter, coconut milk, soy sauce, and the remaining ¼ tsp ground turmeric in a bowl. Season lightly with salt and pepper, adjusting flavor as needed.
- Roast with Sauce: Remove the chicken from the oven and pour the prepared peanut sauce over it, ensuring even coverage. Return to the oven for a further 15-18 minutes until the chicken is golden, thoroughly cooked, and the sauce has reduced and is bubbling.
- Prepare Cucumber Salad: Mix the cucumber gently with lime juice and zest, sliced red chilli, and coriander leaves. Season the salad with salt and chill until ready to serve to allow flavors to meld.
- Garnish and Serve: Once the chicken is cooked, sprinkle over extra coriander leaves, salted peanuts, finely sliced red chilli, and squeeze over additional lime juice. Serve the peanut butter & coconut chicken traybake with plenty of cooked white rice and the fresh cucumber salad on the side.
Notes
- Chilling the marinated chicken for an hour enhances the depth of flavor but can be skipped if short on time.
- Use skin-on bone-in thighs for juiciness and flavor; boneless can be used but may cook faster.
- Adjust chilli flakes and fresh chilli to your desired heat level.
- Salted peanuts add a nice texture and salty contrast; substitute with roasted unsalted peanuts if preferred.
- This dish pairs well with jasmine or basmati rice to soak up the rich sauce.
Keywords: peanut butter chicken, coconut milk chicken, traybake recipe, Asian-inspired chicken, healthy chicken dinner, cucumber salad, turmeric chicken
