Thai Chicken with Bok Choy– Marinated in a rich and creamy peanut sauce, this easy and delicious oven-baked Thai Chicken Recipe with Bok Choy is full of delicious complex flavors, making this a year-round family favorite.
How do you determine if a recipe is easy versus difficult to make? Is it the cooking time, ingredient list, dishes, skills required? One thing I have learned over the years is that not all easy recipes are created equally for everybody.
This Thai Chicken is the perfect example of a recipe that may be easy for some people, while for others, seem completely daunting.
Rather than simply tell you guys that this recipe is easy, I thought it would be fun to play both sides and explain why this Thai chicken recipe is actually super easy to make, how you can make it easier, while also explaining the challenges.
Let’s start with the ingredients in this Thai Chicken and then chat about what makes this recipe super easy.
Ingredients in this Sheet Pan Thai Chicken with Bok Choy
- Cilantro
- Coconut milk
- Peanut butter
- Fish sauce
- Tamarind paste (optional)
- Limes
- Brown sugar
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Thai Red Curry Paste- store-bought or homemade
- Soy sauce
- Chicken
- Bok choy
- Olive oil
- Peanuts
- Thai red chiles (optional)
- Rice
What makes this Thai Chicken Recipe super easy
- The chicken and bok choy cook on the same baking sheet. Fewer dishes equals less cleaning.
- The marinade/sauce is blended in a food processor or blender. I love this because there is no need to chop and mince everything into tiny pieces. Simply dump and blend. And, if you have a Vitamix blender it practically cleans itself once the job is done.
- You don’t have to prepare everything all at the same time.
- The ingredient list is relatively simple. There are a couple ingredients like tamarind paste or Thai red chiles that may not be available to the masses, but those ingredients are not mandatory.
- Leftovers actually taste really great. So, make extra and meal prep!
What makes this Thai Chicken Recipe challenging
I have no problem being totally transparent with you guys. After all, the last thing I want is for you to make one of the recipes that I claim to be the easiest thing ever, just to find that it was the most complicated thing on earth.
The same can be said for a recipe that I claim to be one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten, just to find out you hate it. But that’s different, since, I may actually really feel that it is the best pasta in the world and tastebuds can’t really be reasoned with.
- The ingredient list is long. Yes, this Thai Chicken has a lengthy ingredient list. Fortunately, most of these ingredients are super easy to find.
- It’s not a dump and walk away kind of recipe. There are several stages. Fortunately, each stage is easy and most can be done ahead of time.
Tips & Tricks to make this Thai Chicken even easier
- Prepare the marinade/sauce ahead of time. As in the night before. Just 10 minutes is all it takes to prepare the marinade, but doing it the night before will make your life so much easier. All you’ll have to do the next day is add the chicken to a baking sheet, and bake.
- Prepare the rice or preferred carb the night before, too. As you can see, I’m a huge fan of meal prepping. It takes a little forethought, but it makes life so much easier.
- Use chicken breasts or tenders for faster cooking time. Chicken breasts take approximately 25 minutes to cook, but always check that a digital meat thermometer registers 165 degrees F.
- Purchase PREMADE Thai Chicken Peanut Sauce. Don’t worry, this is a judgment-free zone. Homemade is great, but sometimes storebought is better.
How to make Thai Chicken
- Prepare the marinade and sauce. Place all ingredients for the marinade into the bowl of a large food processor or blender and process until smooth and creamy. Season to taste.
- Marinate the chicken. Transfer chicken pieces and 1 cup of the sauce/marinade to a large zip-lock bag. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes to overnight. Reserve the remaining marinade/sauce in a sealed container.
- Cook the chicken. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place chicken pieces on a large baking sheet, skin-side-down, and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, flip the chicken over and cook for an additional 20-30 minutes, or until fully cooked.
- Cook the bok choy. Remove chicken from the oven and increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F. Scatter the boy choy over a baking sheet and roast for approximately 10 minutes, or until wilted, slightly charred at the edges, and cooked. If you prefer, you may also try this easy 10 Minute Garlic Bok Choy Recipe.
- Serve. Serve with cooked rice, quinoa or noodles.
If you try making this Easy Sheet Pan Thai Chicken with Bok Choy, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.
For more bok choy recipes check out,
- Ginger Garlic Noodle Soup with Bok Choy (Bok Choy Soup) <— reader favorite!
- Easy Sheet Pan Thai Chicken with Bok Choy
- Sweet Chili Tofu with Coconut Rice and Bok Choy
- Spicy Stir Fried Tofu with Bok Choy
- Udon Noodle Soup with Bok Choy and Poached Egg
For more Asian-inspired recipes check out,
- Easy Korean Beef Bibimbap Recipe (Mixed Rice)
- Easy Thai Fried Rice Recipe (Khao Phat Kaphrao)
- Bulgogi Korean BBQ Beef Lettuce Wraps
- Pho Recipe- How to Make Vietnamese Noodle Soup
- Kimchi Ramen Noodle Soup (30 minutes)
RECIPE CARD
Sheet Pan Thai Chicken with Bok Choy
Ingredients
For the marinade and sauce
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro
- 1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
- 1 cup peanut butter
- ¼ cup fish sauce
- 2 teaspoon tamarind paste - optional
- 2 limes - juiced
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger - minced
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- 2 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
- ¼ cup soy sauce
For the chicken and bok choy
- 3 pounds chicken - (I used chicken thighs and drumsticks)
- 1 pound baby bok choy
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 small bunch cilantro - minced
- Chopped peanuts - for serving
- Thai red chiles - thinly sliced
- Cooked Rice - for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the marinade and sauce. Place all ingredients for the marinade into the bowl of a large food processor or blender and process until smooth and creamy.
- Transfer chicken pieces and 1 cup of the sauce/marinade to a large zip-lock bag. Coat chicken in the sauce and allow the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes to overnight in the refrigerator. Reserve remaining marinade.
- When ready to cook, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place chicken pieces on a large baking sheet, skin-side-down. After 20 minutes, flip the chicken over and cook for an additional 20-30 minutes, or until fully cooked.
- Remove chicken from the oven and increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F. Scatter the boy choy over a baking sheet and roast for approximately 10 minutes, or until wilted, slightly charred at the edges, and cooked.
- Serve chicken with rice or quinoa, if desired, or pack into individual meal prep trays drizzled with remaining Thai peanut sauce. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts, sliced red chili, or brushed with olive oil mixed with fresh minced cilantro.
Jessica's Notes
- Nutrition information is calculated using full-fat canned coconut milk and regular, full-fat peanut butter. You can easily cut down on calories and fat in this recipe by using low-fat coconut milk.
- Prepare the marinade/sauce ahead of time. Just 10 minutes is all it takes to prepare the marinade, but doing it the night before will make your life so much easier. All you’ll have to do the next day is add the chicken to a baking sheet, and bake.
- Prepare the rice or preferred carb the night before, too. As you can see, I’m a huge fan of meal prepping. It takes a little forethought, but it makes life so much easier.
- Use chicken breasts or tenders for faster cooking time. Chicken breasts take approximately 25 minutes to cook, but always check that a digital meat thermometer registers 165 degrees F.
- Purchase PREMADE Thai Chicken Peanut Sauce. Don’t worry, this is a judgment-free zone. Homemade is great, but sometimes storebought is better.
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
The nutritional information for calories etc., how many servings is that for?
This recipe is delicious!
Thank you!
Thank you, Ilse, this recipe is listed for 6 servings, and the nutritional information is for a single serving 🙂
This is such a great-tasting chicken! I never thought I could make chicken taste soo good
How do you use the pre made peanut sauce?
Hi Suzanne,
When using the pre-made peanut sauce listed in the notes section of the recipe card, you can start at step two of the recipe card instructions 🙂
You don’t mention that you must cook the leftover sauce as it has been in contact with raw chicken. Did i miss something?
Hi Dorothy,
No worries, in step #2 it shows to only use 1 cup for the chicken, and the reserve the remaining 🙂 :
”
Transfer chicken pieces and 1 cup of the sauce/marinade to a large zip-lock bag. Coat chicken in the sauce and allow the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes to overnight in the refrigerator. Reserve remaining marinade.
“
I have a question ! When you say a bunch of cilantro, are you implying that you use the stems and leaves or do you separate them and just use the leaves?
I am excited to make this!
Hi Laura! Great question. I mostly use just the leaves, but PLEASE don’t spend the time to pick each off leaf individually as cilantro stems aren’t as thick as, say, mint or parsley. Usually, I’ll chop off and discard the stems just below where the bulk of the leaves start – Does that make sense? Ha! Hope this helps 🙂