Sweet and Spicy Thai Chicken (Printable)

Tender chicken glazed in Thai sweet chili sauce with honey, lime, and ginger. Quick 35-minute meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 2 tbsp cornstarch
03 - 0.5 tsp salt
04 - 0.25 tsp black pepper
05 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil

→ Sauce

06 - 0.33 cup sweet chili sauce
07 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
08 - 2 tbsp fish sauce
09 - 2 tbsp honey
10 - 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
11 - 2 cloves garlic minced
12 - 1-2 tsp sriracha or Thai chili paste
13 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated

→ Garnish

14 - 2 green onions thinly sliced
15 - 1 tbsp sesame seeds
16 - 0.25 cup fresh cilantro chopped
17 - Lime wedges

# Directions:

01 - Toss chicken pieces with cornstarch, salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl until evenly coated.
02 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer and cook for 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside.
03 - Whisk together sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, honey, lime juice, garlic, sriracha, and ginger in a small bowl.
04 - Pour sauce into the skillet and bring to a simmer. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened.
05 - Return chicken to the skillet and toss to coat in the sauce. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until chicken is well-glazed and heated through.
06 - Remove from heat. Garnish with green onions, sesame seeds, cilantro, and serve with lime wedges if desired.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in minutes but tastes like it simmered for hours
  • Perfect balance of sweet heat that keeps everyone coming back for seconds
  • Weeknight fancy without the weeknight stress
02 -
  • Crowding the pan steams the chicken instead of searing it, work in batches if needed
  • The sauce thickens fast once it hits the hot pan, have your chicken ready to toss back in
  • Fish sauce smells strong in the bottle but disappears into the dish, leaving only savory depth behind
03 -
  • Room temperature chicken cooks more evenly, take it out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking
  • Let the sauce cool slightly before tossing to prevent the cornstarch coating from sliding off

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