Sticky Sweet Chili Chicken (Printable Version)

Tender chicken in a glossy sweet-spicy chili glaze ready in 40 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
05 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

→ Sweet Chili Sauce

06 - 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce
07 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
08 - 2 tablespoons honey
09 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
10 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
11 - 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
12 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

→ Garnishes

13 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
14 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

# Directions:

01 - In a bowl, toss chicken pieces with cornstarch, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
02 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer and cook for 5–7 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, add garlic and ginger. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
05 - Return the cooked chicken to the skillet. Toss to coat in the sauce and simmer for 2–3 minutes, until sauce thickens and becomes sticky.
06 - Remove from heat. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Serve hot over steamed rice or with stir-fried vegetables.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce clings to every bite of chicken creating that perfect sticky texture that makes restaurant style takeout seem totally unnecessary
  • Everything comes together in one skillet and the sauce doubles as a glaze so cleanup is practically nonexistent
02 -
  • Do not overcrowd the pan when searing the chicken or it will steam instead of getting that gorgeous golden crust
  • The sauce continues to thicken off the heat so remove from heat when it still looks slightly looser than you want
03 -
  • Cut the chicken into uniformly sized pieces so everything cooks at the same rate and nothing dries out
  • Let the chicken rest for a minute after removing from the pan before tossing in sauce so the juices redistribute

Go Back