Sweet Chilli Chicken

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!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian-Style, Australian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 40

Servings servings

Calories 526kcal

Author Sally

Equipment

large frying pan

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

Storage Instructions: 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.

Gluten Free Option: use gluten free soy sauce and make sure to double check the label of your sweet chilli sauce to confirm its also gluten free.

Nutrition