Description

This Sweet Chili Chicken recipe features tender chicken breasts marinated in a flavorful blend of sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger, coated with crispy cornstarch and pan-fried to golden perfection. Finished with a rich glaze and garnished with fresh green onions and sesame seeds, it’s a perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and savory, served best over jasmine rice or noodles.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken and Marinade

1.5 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup sweet chili sauce (store-bought or homemade)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, minced

Coating

1/4 cup cornstarch
Salt and pepper, to taste

Cooking

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Garnish and Serving

2 green onions, sliced
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Rice or noodles, for serving (jasmine rice, basmati rice, or noodles of choice)

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Instructions

Marinate the Chicken: Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. In a mixing bowl, combine sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, minced garlic, and minced ginger. Add the chicken pieces, coating thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours for best flavor.
Prepare the Coating: In another bowl, lightly season the cornstarch with salt and pepper. This will give the chicken a crispy exterior when cooked.
Coat the Chicken: Remove the chicken from the marinade with a slotted spoon, letting excess drip off. Dredge each piece evenly in the cornstarch mixture, ensuring full coating.
Heat the Oil: In a large skillet or wok, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking.
Cook the Chicken: Fry the coated chicken pieces in a single layer for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Cook in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding and maintain oil temperature.
Remove and Drain: Transfer cooked chicken to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil and keep crispiness.
Glaze the Chicken: Reduce skillet heat to medium and add remaining marinade to the pan. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly to create a glaze.
Combine Chicken and Sauce: Return fried chicken to the skillet and toss to coat evenly with the glaze. Cook an additional 2-3 minutes to meld flavors.
Adjust Seasoning: Taste the glaze and add extra sweet chili sauce or sriracha if additional spice is desired.
Serve: Transfer glazed chicken to a serving platter. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Serve hot over jasmine rice, basmati rice, or noodles to soak up the sauce.

Notes

Marinating for at least 30 minutes enhances flavor but can be shortened to 15 minutes if pressed for time.
Coating chicken in cornstarch creates a crispy texture upon frying.
Do not overcrowd the pan during frying to ensure even browning and maintain oil temperature.
Adjust spiciness by adding extra sriracha or sweet chili sauce according to preference.
Serve with your choice of rice or noodles to complement the flavorful sauce.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 200g)
Calories: 350 kcal
Sugar: 10 g
Sodium: 600 mg
Fat: 14 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 22 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 30 g
Cholesterol: 70 mg