Sweet and Spicy Thai Chicken (Printable)

Tender chicken pieces in a sweet and spicy Thai glaze with garlic, ginger, and lime. Ready in 35 minutes.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 2 tbsp cornstarch
03 - 1/2 tsp salt
04 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
05 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil

→ Sauce

06 - 1/3 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 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
17 - Lime wedges

# How To Make It:

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 until well combined.
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.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce hits all your flavor buttons at once sweet, tangy, and just enough heat to make things interesting
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes but tastes like something you'd order from your favorite Thai spot
02 -
  • Cornstarch needs direct heat to activate, so don't skip the searing step or your coating will turn gummy instead of crisp
  • Fish sauce smells intense in the bottle but transforms into something savory and magical when cooked
03 -
  • Cut your chicken into uniform pieces so everything cooks at the same rate
  • Have all your sauce ingredients measured before you start cooking, the process moves fast once the pan is hot