Description
This sweet chili chicken is a quick, crowd-pleasing dinner featuring juicy chicken coated in a sticky, sweet-and-spicy sauce. Ready in 30 minutes, it’s perfect for busy weeknights and easily customizable for different diets.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 3/4 cup sweet chili sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari/coconut aminos for gluten-free)
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp brown sugar (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated (optional)
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tbsp oil (vegetable, canola, or avocado)
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced (optional garnish)
- Sesame seeds (optional garnish)
- Fresh cilantro or basil leaves (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces and pat dry with paper towels.
- In a mixing bowl, toss chicken with cornstarch, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.
- In a small bowl, whisk together sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Taste and adjust sweetness or heat as needed.
- Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot.
- Add chicken pieces in a single layer. Cook for 4-5 minutes without stirring, then flip and cook another 4-5 minutes until golden and cooked through (internal temp 165°F). Cook in batches if needed.
- Pour sauce over chicken. Stir to coat, scraping up any flavorful bits from the pan. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until sauce bubbles and thickens.
- If sauce is too thin, let simmer another minute or add a cornstarch slurry (1 tsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water).
- Turn off heat. Sprinkle with green onions, sesame seeds, and fresh cilantro or basil if using.
- Serve hot over steamed rice, noodles, or greens. Add lime wedges for brightness if desired.
Notes
For gluten-free, use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. Chicken thighs stay juicier than breasts. Cornstarch gives a glossy, sticky finish. Add veggies like bell peppers or snap peas for extra nutrition. Sauce thickens quickly—watch closely during the last simmer. Leftovers taste even better the next day.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 6 ounces cooked chicken with sauce
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 15
- Sodium: 800
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 28
Keywords: sweet chili chicken, easy dinner, 30-minute meal, Asian chicken, skillet chicken, weeknight dinner, gluten-free option, spicy chicken, sticky chicken, meal prep