Description
Sweet Chili Chicken is a delicious and easy-to-make dish featuring tender bite-sized chicken breasts coated in a crispy cornstarch crust and tossed in a flavorful sweet and spicy chili sauce. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, it combines aromatic garlic, warming ginger, and savory soy sauce for a well-balanced Asian-inspired meal served best with jasmine rice or noodles.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 1.5 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Marinade and Sauce
- 1 cup sweet chili sauce (store-bought or homemade)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, for cooking
Garnish and Serving
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- Cooked jasmine rice, basmati rice, or noodles, for serving
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. In a mixing bowl, combine sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, minced garlic, and minced ginger. Add chicken pieces, toss to coat evenly, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours to let the flavors infuse and tenderize the chicken.
- Prepare the Coating: In a separate bowl, season cornstarch with salt and pepper. This mixture will give your chicken a crispy exterior after cooking.
- Coat the Chicken: Remove chicken from marinade using a slotted spoon, letting excess marinade drip off. Dredge each piece thoroughly in the seasoned cornstarch until evenly coated.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add coated chicken pieces and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes depending on size. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
- Toss in Sauce: Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining marinade from the bowl to the skillet, letting it simmer gently until slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Return cooked chicken to the pan and toss to coat well with the glaze.
- Garnish and Serve: Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Sprinkle with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice, basmati rice, or your choice of noodles.
Notes
- For best results, marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes; up to 2 hours intensifies flavors.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove chicken from marinade so excess sauce doesn’t dilute the coating.
- Adjust the heat by adding chili flakes or using spicy sweet chili sauce if desired.
- Serve immediately for the crispiest texture.
- The recipe works well with chicken thighs if preferred, just adjust cooking time accordingly.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Pan-frying and sautéing
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 5-6 oz chicken with sauce)
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 36 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
Keywords: Sweet chili chicken, crispy chicken, Asian chicken recipe, easy dinner, quick chicken recipe, spicy sweet chicken
