Description
Zesty sweet chili chicken brings explosive flavor to your dinner table with minimal effort. Tender chicken coated in a tangy-sweet sauce creates a crowd-pleasing meal that comes together faster than ordering takeout.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
Coating and Seasoning:
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Sauce and Garnish:
- ⅓ cup sweet chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon ginger
- 2 green onions
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Thoroughly dry 1.5 lbs chicken thighs with paper towels to eliminate excess moisture.
- Blend ¼ cup cornstarch, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper in a shallow dish.
- Completely dredge each chicken thigh in cornstarch mixture, gently tapping off any surplus coating.
- Warm 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until surface looks rippled and glossy.
- Carefully place coated chicken thighs into hot skillet, cooking for 5-6 minutes per side until achieving a deep golden-brown crust.
- While chicken sizzles, finely mince 3 cloves garlic and 1 tbsp ginger.
- Transfer perfectly browned chicken to a clean plate, keeping it nearby.
- In the same skillet, sauté minced garlic and ginger for exactly 30 seconds until releasing aromatic fragrances.
- Pour ⅓ cup sweet chili sauce, 2 tbsp soy sauce, and 1 tbsp rice vinegar into skillet, quickly stirring to combine.
- Return chicken pieces to skillet, carefully coating each with the glossy sauce mixture.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes until sauce reaches a slightly thickened consistency and chicken is thoroughly reheated.
- Slice 2 green onions into delicate, thin rings.
- Plate the sauced chicken and generously garnish with sliced green onions and 1 tbsp sesame seeds.
- Serve piping hot for maximum flavor and texture enjoyment.
Notes
- Patting the chicken dry ensures a crispy, golden-brown exterior that helps the cornstarch coating stick perfectly.
- Use a meat thermometer to check that chicken reaches 165°F internally for safe cooking without drying out the meat.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular soy sauce with tamari and ensure your sweet chili sauce is certified gluten-free.
- When sautéing garlic and ginger, watch carefully to prevent burning, which can make the sauce taste bitter.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 337 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 670 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg