Peanut Butter is more than Just a Sandwich Spread

Today is National Peanut Butter Day. The moment I realized that, my mind wandered back many, many years. When Hubby and I were newly weds (back in the stone age), we belonged to a Dinner Party Club.

Okay, it wasn’t exactly a formal, organized club. It was just a group of friends that got together once a month for dinner. The hosting couple rotated, as did the location. If it were your time to host, you made the main meal, while others brought salads or desserts or wines. The first time I ever had peanut butter in a sauce was at one of these rotating dinner parties. Ronni was a red-headed hippy. She created all sorts of adventurous suppers. I remember hers was pork skewers dipped in a creamy peanut butter sauce.

We are more chicken people. Yet these cutlets are in keeping with the spirit of my old friend.

Asian Peanut Butter Chicken Cutlets over Rice
Rice for Serving
1 1/2 Cups White Rice

Note: Rice will double in size, so 1 1/2 cups of uncooked rice will provide the 3 cups of steamed rice for this recipe.

Steam the rice for serving according to your rice steamer instructions. While the rice steams, prepare the chicken and the sauce.

Chicken Cutlets
1 1/2 lbs boneless Chicken Cutlets
3/4 cup Milk
3 1/2 tablespoons Creamy Peanut Butter
1 Egg
Kosher Salt to taste
Black Pepper Pepper
3 cups crushed Corn Flakes
Vegetable Oil as needed

Note: The corn flakes are plain, not frosted.

Place chicken cutlets in a large zip-lock bag.

Whisk together the milk, peanut butter, and egg. Season with a little salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the chicken, close the bag and let soak.

While chicken is soaking, make the sauce.

Peanut Butter Sauce
1/2 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
3 tablespoons Soy Sauce
3 tablespoons Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Water, or more as needed
Drizzle of Honey

Place peanut butter, soy sauce and brown sugar in a glass measuring cup or other microwavable container. Start with 1/2 cup of water and add more if needed to reach desired consistency. Microwave this mixture for 30 seconds and then whisk to thoroughly combine. Microwave another 30 seconds until hot. At this point you can add more water if necessary to make the mixture a little thinner.

Note: The sauce can be done ahead of time, then reheated when ready to serve.

When ready to cook the cutlets, crush corn flakes in a shallow dish. Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat.

While the oil heats, coat the chicken pieces in the crushed flakes. Fry in the hot oil, flipping once, until browned on both sides and cooked through.

Serve over steamed rice, drizzled with sauce.

Author: Rosemarie's Kitchen

I'm a wife, mother, grandmother and avid home cook.I believe in eating healthy whenever possible, while still managing to indulge in life's pleasures. View all posts by Rosemarie's Kitchen