The Ultimate Sweet Chili Chicken Recipe: Sticky, Sweet, and Simply Irresistible

Are you on the hunt for a weeknight meal that’s brimming with flavour yet astonishingly simple to prepare? Perhaps a dish that captures the magic of your favourite takeaway, but is created with fresh, wholesome ingredients right in your own kitchen? If that sounds like what you’re after, we have the perfect recipe for you.

Here at our kitchen, we believe that making spectacular food shouldn’t be a chore. That’s precisely why we’ve poured our efforts into perfecting this Sweet Chili Chicken Recipe. It masterfully balances sweet, tangy, and spicy notes, resulting in an irresistibly glossy sauce that beautifully coats each piece of tender chicken. Say goodbye to uninspired dinners; this dish is a true celebration of taste that will have your family and friends asking for more. Allow us to walk you through each straightforward step to create this culinary masterpiece.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Incredibly Flavourful: This recipe boasts a wonderfully complex taste profile, perfectly marrying the sweetness of honey, the zesty kick of vinegar, and the gentle heat of chili. It’s a true delight for the senses!
Ready in Under 30 Minutes: We’ve crafted this recipe with busy schedules in mind. From the initial prep to serving, you can have this delightful meal on the table faster than it takes to decide on a takeaway.
Completely Customisable: You are the chef, and you get to decide on the heat! We’ll guide you on how to effortlessly tailor the spice level to please everyone, from dedicated spice enthusiasts to those with a milder palate.
Healthier Than a Takeaway: When you cook at home, you have complete control over the ingredients. We also provide instructions for a superb baked version, which reduces oil without compromising on flavour. For more inspiration, why not browse our collection of Healthy Chicken Recipes?
Uses Simple Pantry Staples: You won’t find any hard-to-find ingredients here. In fact, you likely already have everything required to whip up the delicious sweet chili sauce in your kitchen cupboards.

The Ingredients You’ll Need

The true charm of this dish is rooted in its simplicity. We’ve organised the ingredients into two main sections: the chicken itself and that vital, wonderfully sticky sauce. While we wholeheartedly encourage making the sauce from scratch to get the flavour just right, a quality shop-bought sweet chili sauce can certainly work if you’re short on time.

For the Crispy Chicken

600g boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs), cut into 1-inch cubes
60g cornflour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 large eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons vegetable or rapeseed oil, for frying

For the Homemade Sweet Chili Sauce

120ml water
100g caster sugar
60ml rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari for a gluten-free option)
2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon ginger, freshly grated
1-2 teaspoons red chili flakes (adjust to your spice preference)
1 tablespoon cornflour mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water (a cornflour slurry)

Step-by-Step Guide to Perfect Sweet Chili Chicken

Right, let’s get down to the cooking! By following these easy steps, you’ll be well on your way to crafting a meal that’s sure to be remembered. We feel that the journey should be as delightful as the dish itself.

Prepare the Chicken: In one medium bowl, whisk together the 60g cornflour, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. In a second bowl, add the cubed chicken and the beaten eggs, tossing until every piece is evenly coated. Now, transfer the egg-washed chicken into the cornflour mix and toss once more until each cube is well-dusted. This dual-coating technique is our little secret for an exceptionally crispy finish.
Make the Sweet Chili Sauce: While the chicken is resting, it’s time to create that luscious sauce. In a small saucepan, combine the water, caster sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, minced garlic, grated ginger, and red chili flakes. Warm the mixture over a medium heat, stirring continuously until the sugar dissolves completely and it begins to simmer gently. For more insight into creating Asian-style sauces, you might find resources like this guide from BBC Good Food on making chili sauce from scratch quite useful.
Cook the Chicken: Warm the oil in a large wok or frying pan over a medium-high heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, carefully place the coated chicken pieces into the pan in a single layer. It’s important not to overcrowd the pan, so cook in batches if you need to. Fry for about 3-4 minutes per side, until the chicken is a lovely golden-brown and cooked through. Transfer the cooked chicken to a wire rack to allow any excess oil to drain away.
Bring It All Together: Carefully pour any remaining oil from the pan. Return the pan to the stove and pour in your prepared sweet chili sauce, bringing it back to a simmer. Next, whisk in the cornflour slurry. Keep stirring for another minute or two as the sauce thickens to a beautiful, glossy consistency. Add the cooked chicken back into the pan and gently toss until every piece is enveloped in the delicious glaze. This is the key to creating our perfect Sticky sweet chili chicken. Serve immediately.

Our Favourite Baked Sweet Chili Chicken Variation

If you’re after a lighter alternative, this dish is equally fantastic when baked. The Baked sweet chili chicken method yields wonderfully tender, juicy chicken with a beautifully caramelised glaze, and it’s remarkably simple to do.

Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C Fan/Gas Mark 6) and line a baking sheet with baking parchment.
Get the chicken ready as outlined in step 1 of the main recipe (coating it in the egg wash and then the seasoned cornflour).
Spread the coated chicken pieces across the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Give them a light spritz with some cooking oil.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and has turned a pale golden colour.
As the chicken bakes, prepare the sweet chili sauce in a saucepan following step 2, and then thicken it with the cornflour slurry as noted in step 4.
Once the chicken is fully cooked, move it to a large mixing bowl. Pour the thickened, hot sauce over the chicken and toss gently until everything is well-coated. Serve straight away to enjoy the best texture.

Tips for the Best Thai Sweet Chili Chicken

To help you transform your dish from merely good to truly outstanding, we’ve put together a few of our most valued tips. These subtle tweaks can have a significant impact on the quality of your Thai sweet chili chicken.

Don’t Crowd the Pan

When frying the chicken, giving each piece adequate space is absolutely essential. Overloading the pan causes the oil’s temperature to drop, which leads to the chicken steaming instead of frying. This can result in a soft, soggy coating rather than a perfectly crisp one. We always recommend cooking in batches if your pan isn’t quite big enough.

How to Adjust the Spice Level

The adaptability of this recipe is one of its greatest strengths. For a gentler dish, simply use 1/2 teaspoon of red chili flakes, or leave them out altogether. If you adore heat and want a genuinely Spicy sweet chicken, feel free to increase the chili flakes to a full tablespoon or even add a finely diced fresh red chili into the sauce. We suggest tasting as you cook to achieve your ideal flavour balance.

What to Serve with Your Chicken

This wonderfully versatile main course pairs nicely with a wide range of accompaniments. Here are some of our top suggestions:

Steamed Rice: Light and fluffy jasmine or basmati rice is ideal for soaking up every last drop of the delicious sauce.
Noodles: Both egg noodles and rice noodles make a fantastic base for this dish.
Steamed Greens: A side of Tenderstem broccoli, bok choy, or green beans provides a fresh, nutritious contrast.
Rice Bowls: Transform this recipe into a well-rounded meal by serving it over rice with some steamed vegetables, much like we do in our popular Sticky Chicken Rice Bowls.

FAQ

Q: Can I use chicken thighs instead of breast?

A: Of course! Chicken thighs are an excellent substitute. They are naturally more succulent and forgiving than breast meat, ensuring they remain incredibly juicy after cooking. Simply trim off any excess fat and chop them into uniform, bite-sized chunks. The cooking time might need to be extended by a minute or two.

Q: How do I store and reheat leftovers?

A: You can store any leftover sweet chili chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. For reheating, we find it best to warm it gently in a frying pan over a low heat, which helps to restore some of the chicken’s crispiness. Microwaving is also an option, though the coating will be softer.

Q: Is this sweet chili chicken recipe gluten-free?

A: It can very easily be adapted to be gluten-free! All you need to do is replace the soy sauce with tamari or another gluten-free soy sauce alternative. It’s also wise to check that your cornflour and sweet chili sauce (if using a pre-made one) are certified as gluten-free.

Q: Can I make the sauce ahead of time?

A: Yes, preparing the sauce in advance is a brilliant way to save time. You can make the sauce (before adding the cornflour slurry) and keep it in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to a week. When you’re ready to cook, just heat the sauce in a pan and whisk in the slurry to thicken it.

A New Weeknight Favourite

So there you have it—a straightforward, versatile, and utterly delicious Sweet Chili Chicken Recipe that we are confident will earn a regular spot in your meal plan. It serves as a wonderful reminder that you don’t need to spend hours in the kitchen or order a takeaway to savour a meal that is bursting with dynamic and exciting flavours.

We truly hope you’ll head into the kitchen and give this recipe a go. Whether you opt for the classic crispy fried method or the lighter baked version, we are certain you will be thrilled with the outcome. Please don’t forget to let us know how you get on! Take a picture, post it online, or leave us a comment below. Happy cooking!