This recipe for sweet chilli chicken is perfect for busy weeknights when you’re craving takeaway. Made with tender, juicy pieces of coated chicken cooked in a sweet, savoury and sticky sweet chilli sauce, you’ll be impressed with just how simple this recipe is to make, and how quickly it disappears off the table!
Sweet chilli sauce has always been one of my favourite flavours. I used to put it on everything growing up, so it’s no surprise that I’m constantly looking for ways to bring it into my cooking. This recipe was inspired by that nostalgic flavour and then adapted from my reader favourite honey soy chicken recipe, as this method of cooking the chicken is so easy but results in some of the most tender and delicious chicken you’ll ever eat.
The chicken is coated and pan-fried until golden (no deep frying!), then simmered in the most addictive sweet, savoury and sticky sweet chilli sauce. It’s simple, full of flavour, and lighter than what you’d get from a takeaway shop. Serve it over rice with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and dinner is done!
I’m so excited for you to make this recipe. It’s incredibly easy yet it tastes like you ordered takeaway (but for a fraction of the price!). It also tastes just as good reheated making it perfect for leftovers the next day or even for meal prep.
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Key Ingredients
I consider this sweet chilli chicken recipe to be the perfect pantry staples recipe as the ingredients needed are usually things that I keep on hand or add to my weekly grocery shop.
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Chicken thigh – I always prefer to use boneless, skinless chicken thigh meat for this recipe as it gets super tender and full of flavour. You can use breast if that’s all you have but the meat won’t be quite as juicy so I do recommend using thigh fillets.
- Spices – to really enhance the flavours in this chicken, I like to season it with a little smoked paprika and garlic powder, both are essential pantry staples!
- Cornflour – also known as corn starch in the US, this is going to coat our chicken and help give it that light and crispy coating.
- Eggs – used to coat the chicken and help give it that coating that makes you think of takeaway without being a heavy batter.
- Sweet chilli sauce – this is a staple sauce in my fridge! I find the supermarket brand sweet chilli sauce is fine for this recipe, otherwise you can use Thai sweet chilli sauce.
- Soy sauce – adds that salty, savoury flavour that balances the sweetness of the sauce.
- Rice wine vinegar – helps cut the sweetness and richness of the sauce to provide balance.
- Honey – enhances the sweetness of the sauce which is essential for the flavour.
- Sesame oil – optional but if you have it, add it, as it just adds a little extra depth of flavour.
- Garlic – for flavour. I use two cloves as it’s a supporting flavour but if you want it to have a stronger garlic flavour then simply use more.
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Step-By-Step Instructions
Just like with my honey soy chicken recipe, you only need one pan to make this easy sweet chilli chicken making clean up so much easier!
Step 1: In a small bowl, mix together the sweet chilli sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, honey, sesame oil, and minced garlic and set it aside.
Step 2: Add the chopped chicken to a large zip-lock bag and sprinkle over the smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and cornflour. Seal the bag and toss until the chicken is evenly coated.
This is my preferred method for coating the chicken as it ensures a really even coating, but if you don’t have a zip lock bag or even just a freezer bag, then you can do this step in a bowl.
Step 3: Heat a little oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. While the oil is heating, crack the eggs into a shallow bowl and whisk. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, dip each piece of chicken into the egg, allowing any excess to drip off, then place into the hot pan.
Cook the chicken for 2–3 minutes on each side, or until golden and crispy. It’s okay if the chicken isn’t fully cooked through at this stage. Transfer the chicken pieces to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken, adding more oil if needed between batches.
Step 4: Once all the chicken is golden, wipe out any excess oil and any leftover egg bits from the pan with a paper towel and return all the chicken to the pan. Pour in the prepared sauce and reduce the heat to medium-low.
Step 5: Stir to coat the chicken evenly, then let it simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the sauce is thick and sticky and the chicken is cooked through.
👉Tip! Use a meat thermometer to know when the chicken is cooked! Once the internal temperature reaches 75°C / 165°F in the biggest piece, it’s done!
Step 6: Serve the sweet chilli chicken over cooked rice and top with sesame seeds and sliced spring onions or chives.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
While I do think this recipe is at its best fresh as the sauce hasn’t had time to absorb into the chicken, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the leftovers making this a great meal prep recipe or just to enjoy the next day for lunch.
To store, allow the chicken to cool before adding to an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the cooked chicken for up to 2 months.
To reheat, microwave it for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through, until hot and steaming.
Recipe FAQs
As the sweet chilli chicken is quite rich, it is perfect served with steamed white rice or jasmine rice. If you want to add some veg, keep it simple with some stir-fried greens like bok choy or steamed broccolini. You can also serve it with a simple quick pickled cucumber which would be delicious (use the recipe from my hot honey chicken bowls).
Yes, you can use chicken breast if you prefer. Just be careful not to overcook it, as breast meat can dry out faster than thighs.
This recipe is definitely on the sweeter side of sweet chilli and therefore has a mild spice level. If you like, you can make it spicier by adding a little sriracha, chilli flakes, or fresh chilli to the sauce.
If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with @eightforestlane as I would love to see.
More chicken takeaway recipes:
Easy BBQ Chicken Pizza
Crispy Chicken Burgers
Cashew Chicken and Broccoli
Chicken Satay Noodles
Sweet Chilli Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 600 grams chicken thigh cut into 1.5inch sized pieces
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup cornflour/cornstarch
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil or canola oil, for cooking
For the sweet chilli sauce:
- ½ cup sweet chilli sauce
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil optional
- 2 cloves garlic minced
To serve:
- Cooked rice
- Sesame seeds
- Sliced spring onions or chives
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the sweet chilli sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, honey, sesame oil, and minced garlic. Set aside.
- Add the chopped chicken to a large zip-lock bag or bowl. Sprinkle over the smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and cornflour. Seal the bag (or mix well in the bowl) and toss until the chicken is evenly coated.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
- While the oil is heating, crack the eggs into a shallow bowl and whisk. Working in batches, dip each piece of chicken into the egg, allowing any excess to drip off, then place into the hot pan. Avoid overcrowding the pan.
- Cook the chicken for 2–3 minutes on each side, or until golden and crispy. It’s okay if the chicken isn’t fully cooked through at this stage. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken, adding more oil if needed between batches.
- Once all the chicken is golden, wipe out any excess oil from the pan with a paper towel. Return all the chicken to the pan and pour in the prepared sauce. Reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Stir to coat the chicken evenly, then let it simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the sauce is thick and sticky and the chicken is cooked through.
- Serve the sweet chilli chicken over cooked rice and top with sesame seeds and sliced spring onions or chives.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
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