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Sweet Chili Chicken
Sweet Chili Chicken are chicken bites coated in a thick sauce that balances flavors of sweet, tangy, and savory. A full meal in just 30 minutes!
A FAST, SWEET, SAVORY AND TANGY CHICKEN DINNER
This Sweet Chili Chicken is a quick dinner that tastes better than takeout in my opinion. Juicy pieces of chicken are lightly coated in cornstarch, pan-seared until golden brown, and then tossed in a sweet, savory, and slightly spicy chili sauce made with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and honey. The sauce thickens as it simmers, coating every bite without being overly sticky or sweet. Serve it over rice or noodles!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Can I make this dish less spicy? You can omit the red pepper flakes, but keep in mind that the sweet chili sauce has a little kick to it. Why is my chicken sticking to the skillet? The chicken may be sticking if you did not use all the oil, and if the pan was not hot enough. Test the pan before adding the chicken by using your tongs and adding a piece of chicken to the pan to make sure it sizzles. The chicken may stick a little bit, but make sure you have enough oil in your pan. Can I make this chicken ahead of time? Yes, you can prep the sauce ahead of time. I would prepare the chicken before serving. What do I do if my sauce is too thin? You can make a cornstarch slurry with 1 tablespoon of water and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Mix that and pour that into the hot sauce. You can also simmer this a little longer to get it to thicken. Can I double the sauce? Definitely! We are a saucy family, and we love having extra sauce to drizzle on top. What do I serve with Sweet Chili Chicken? We love serving this over rice or noodles like ramen or udon, along with the steamed broccoli. We will top with green onions and sesame seeds. What else can I add to this chicken dish? You can add broccoli, snap peas, and bell peppers. What kind of pan works best? We’ve cooked it in both a stainless steel skillet and a cast iron skillet, and they both work well; just make sure your stainless steel pan is heavy. How much oil is really necessary? One thing I am learning about when cooking with oil and different types of pans is there can be a learning curve. When cooking in nonstick versus stainless steel, stainless steel usually requires more oil to make the pan similar to nonstick so everything doesn’t just stick to the pan. So keep that in mind when making meals like this where the chicken has a coating. For a stainless steel pan, I would definitely use a couple more tablespoons (maybe even more) of oil than what I suggest with a nonstick pan. Also keep in mind that when cooking on stainless steel, you really gotta get it up to a good heat so nothing sticks. There is a learning curve when initially switching from nonstick to a stainless steel pan. How do I store leftover Sweet Chili Chicken? You can keep this in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can reheat the dish in the microwave or in the oven at 350˚F.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
chicken – I like to use the chicken tenderloins as they are easy to cut into cubes, but you can use any cut of chicken you like. Chicken thighs are another great option. You can also make this dish with shrimp, steak, or tofu. Additionally, you could make this even easier by using some popcorn chicken that you cook up in the oven or in the Air Fryer ahead of time. Then just make the sauce and coat the chicken with sauce. I’d think this is enough chicken to coat a 26-ounce bag of popcorn chicken or chicken bites. You’ll need to double the sauce if you want to use whole big bag of chicken bites or popcorn chicken.
cornstarch – The cornstarch will help create a crispy outer coating to the chicken and will also help thicken the sauce. It combines much smoother than just regular flour.
paprika – You can use sweet or smoked paprika if you have it on hand, as any of them will add a bit of flavor and brightness to the sauce.
garlic powder – This is a great way to get an extra layer of garlic into this dish.
onion powder – In place of the onion powder, you can use minced dried onion as well.
oil – avocado oil is great as it can stand up to high heat.
sweet chili sauce – You can use any type of sauce to this, whether you find a spicy or sweet one. Sweet chili sauce is sold everywhere now. Sometimes its called “thai sweet chili sauce”. It does have a kick of heat, so if you don’t like spice at all, this may not be the recipe for you. You could attempt this with a sweet and sour sauce as a substitute but I haven’t tested it that way to know for sure how it would turn out. I can’t stand much spiciness because of my acid reflux but I do not find this spicy but I know that is very subjective to peoples tastebuds.
soy sauce – The soy sauce adds saltiness and a lot of Asian depth to this dish. To make this dish gluten-free, you can use coconut aminos. I would recommend a low sodium soy sauce.
rice vinegar – This is one of my favorite ingredients, as it adds just a bit of acidity. If you don’t have rice vinegar on hand, you can use white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or white white vinegar.
red pepper flakes – This will add just a little bit of heat. You can omit this or add more if you like more heat. You can also replace this with cayenne pepper.
garlic (fresh) – You can stick with garlic powder if preferred, but fresh garlic is a game changer.
ginger (fresh, grated) – Fresh ginger adds so much flavor, texture, and warmth to this dish. You can find ginger paste in tubes now in the produce section, they will be in a refrigerated area. They work great for a dish like this!
honey – This is where the additional warm sweetness comes into play for this recipe. You can replace the honey with maple syrup. I’ve tried using light brown sugar instead of honey, and while it does sweeten the dish, the honey adds so much more flavor. Honey helps with thickness and acts as a glaze. But it also helps balance out the other flavors. I don’t think it makes this dish sticky sweet at all.
HOW TO MAKE SWEET CHILI CHICKEN:
To a bowl or ziploc bag, add the chicken, cornstarch, paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Make sure the chicken is fully coated. Set aside.
Over medium heat, add the oil. After a few minutes, when the oil is hot, add the seasoned chicken. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the juices run clear. Flip the chicken over halfway through to get both sides golden brown.
You can add additional oil if the chicken starts to stick. If using a nonstick pan, you may not need additional oil but if using a stainless steel pan, you may need more oil. To the skillet, add the remainder of the ingredients. Stir for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce is thicker.
Top with sesame seeds and green onions.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Sweet and Sour Chicken
Honey Garlic Chicken
Easy Sesame Chicken
Bang Bang Chicken
Asian Lemon Chicken
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Sweet Chili Chicken
Sweet Chili Chicken are chicken bites coated in a thick sauce that balances flavors of sweet, tangy, and savory. A full meal in just 30 minutes!
Course Dinner, Main CourseCuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes minutesCook Time 10 minutes minutesTotal Time 30 minutes minutes
Servings 4
Calories 354kcal
Author Brandie Skibinski
IngredientsFor the chicken:1 pound chicken tenderloins cubed (can use boneless chicken thighs)¼ cup cornstarch½ teaspoon paprika¼ teaspoon black pepper¼ teaspoon garlic powder¼ teaspoon onion powder2 Tablespoons oil avocado, light olive oil, etc.For the sauce:½ cup sweet chili sauce¼ cup low sodium soy sauce2 Tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)4 garlic cloves, minced2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated (or ¼ teaspoon ground ginger)2 teaspoons paprika2 Tablespoons honeyFor topping (optional)2 Tablespoons sliced green onions1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
InstructionsTo a bowl or ziploc bag, add 1 pound chicken tenderloins, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon onion powder. Make sure the chicken is fully coated. Set aside. Over medium heat, add 2 Tablespoons oil. After a few minutes, when the oil is hot, add the seasoned chicken. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the juices run clear. Flip the chicken over halfway through to get both sides golden brown. You can add additional oil if the chicken starts to stick. If using a nonstick pan, you may not need additional oil ,but if using a stainless steel pan, you may need more oil.To the skillet, add 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce, , ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce, 2 Tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 4 garlic cloves, minced, 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated, 2 teaspoons paprika and 2 Tablespoons honey. Stir for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce is thicker.NOTE: Chicken will have an internal temperature of 165F degrees when ready. Top with 2 Tablespoons sliced green onions and 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds.
Notes
Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
NutritionCalories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 11g | Sodium: 1036mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 24g
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