Sweet Chili Chicken

4.52 from 331 votes
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Ready in under 30 minutes, this sweet chili chicken is an easy and delicious meal for any day of the week. It's so simple yet so flavorful—crispy chicken coated in Thai sweet chili sauce served over steamed rice.

Sweet chili chicken bites in a bowl.
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I always welcome a little bit of heat in my meals, and this sweet chili chicken recipe adds even more flavor with its sticky, sweet chili sauce. It has the perfect balance of sweet and spicy, making it something even the pickiest eaters can enjoy.

Looking for Chinese-style chicken recipes? Try Sweet and Sour Chicken or Honey Sesame Chicken for dinner next time.


Thai Sauce For Chicken

Mae Ploy brand Sweet Chili Sauce in a bottle.

I love Thai recipes and I am addicted to Thai sweet chili sauce. This sweet, sticky, slightly spicy, orange sauce is perfect for crispy chicken pieces. But it goes well with just about anything, such as:

You can also use it as a dipping sauce for appetizers, like chicken wontonschicken lettuce wrapsshrimp cake, and salmon patties.

You won’t regret buying a bottle of this Thai sauce, especially if you’re constantly making Asian recipes at home!


What Goes Into This Recipe

Ingredients for Sweet Chili Chicken, such as chicken thigh, Thai sweet chili sauce, egg white, baking powder, garlic, lime, corn starch, oil, salt, white sesame, water, all-purpose flour and cilantro.
  • Chicken – use skinless, boneless chicken thighs or breasts. I prefer using thighs because they are juicier and more flavorful, but breasts work just as well.
  • Cornstarch – aside from flour, adding cornstarch to the batter gives the chicken a crispier coating.
  • Baking powder – another secret ingredient that helps give the chicken a light and crispy texture.
  • Thai sweet chili sauce – use a good bottled sweet chilli sauce. I like using the Mae Ploy brand. You can buy this in the Asian food aisle of regular supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores.
  • Lime juice – adds a tangy, refreshing element to the sauce.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.


How To Make Sweet Chili Chicken

If there’s one thing I love about this sweet Thai chili chicken, it’s how amazing the flavors are for such a simple recipe. It’s sweet and slightly spicy with a hint of bright acidity from the lime juice.

And you don’t even need hours to prep this dish! The batter makes the chicken super crispy, and the sweet chili sauce is so delicious that you’ll want to lick your plate clean.

Here’s how to make this 30-minute sweet chili chicken at home:

Raw chicken pieces combined with the batter.

Mix all the batter ingredients until everything’s combined, then add the chicken to the batter.

Deep fried chicken pieces.

Heat up a wok or skillet with about two inches of oil. Once the oil’s hot and shimmering, deep-fry the chicken until it’s golden brown and crispy. Transfer the chicken to a dish lined with paper towels to soak up any extra oil.

Deep fried chicken covered in Sweet Chili sauce.

Clean out the wok or skillet, then heat it over medium heat. Add a little more oil and sauté the garlic until it’s fragrant. Toss in the fried chicken, then pour in the sweet chili sauce, lime juice, and a pinch of salt. Stir everything together until the chicken is coated in the sauce.

Sweet Chili Chicken garnished with sesame seeds and cilantro leaves.

Serve the chicken right away, garnished with white sesame seeds and cilantro leaves. It’s so good—enjoy!


Cooking Tips

A piece of Thai sweet chili chicken on a chopstick.
  • I never skip the cornstarch and baking powder when making this dish—they’re essential for getting that perfectly crispy coating on the chicken.
  • I always use ice-cold water when mixing the batter to make the chicken as crispy as possible. The best part? It stays crispy even after being coated with sauce!
  • I’m careful not to over-stir the batter. I just mix it until everything is incorporated, and I don’t worry about a few lumps—they’re totally fine.
  • Before deep-frying, I make sure the oil is hot enough. This keeps the chicken from turning greasy and ensures each piece is fully cooked.
  • For an extra sweet and spicy kick, I sometimes add red pepper flakes or a splash of Sriracha to the sweet chili sauce.
  • For a tangy twist, I love squeezing a little lime juice into the sauce. It balances out the sweetness perfectly!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is sweet chili chicken spicy?

Yes, this sweet chili chicken recipe does have a bit of heat to it. But it’s not overwhelmingly spicy like other Thai dishes. The sweetness of the sauce helps balance out the spiciness, making it a perfect blend for those who can’t handle too much heat.

Is sweet chili the same as sweet and sour?

No, sweet chili and sweet and sour are two different sauces. Sweet chili sauce, used in Thai dishes, has a thick consistency with a sweet and spicy flavor. On the other hand, sweet and sour sauce lacks that spicy kick and is more commonly used in Chinese cuisine.

Do I have to deep fry the chicken?

No, you don’t have to deep fry the chicken, but I highly recommend it. You can pan-fry or bake it in the oven for a healthier option. However, deep-frying will give you that crispy texture that pairs perfectly with the sticky sweet chili sauce.

How many calories per serving?

This recipe has only 282 calories per serving.

Sweet Thai chili chicken, ready to serve.

What To Serve With This Recipe

This sweet chili chicken stir fry is best served with steamed rice. For a quick and wholesome Thai weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes:

I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on FacebookPinterest, and Instagram for new updates.


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4.52 from 331 votes

Sweet Chili Chicken

Ready in under 30 minutes, this sweet chili chicken is an easy and delicious meal for any day of the week. It's so simple yet so flavorful—crispy chicken coated in Thai sweet chili sauce, served over steamed rice.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 3 people
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Ingredients  

  • 12 oz. skinless boneless chicken breast, or thigh, cut into small pieces
  • oil, for deep-frying
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 tablespoons Thai sweet chili sauce, bottled
  • 1 teaspoon lime juice
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon white sesame
  • 1/2 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves

Frying Batter:

  • 1 egg white
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 cup water, ice cold
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil
  • 1 pinch salt

Instructions 

  • Mix all the ingredients for the batter until well combined, then add the chicken to the batter.
  • Heat a wok or skillet with about two inches of oil. Once the oil is fully heated, deep-fry the chicken until golden brown. Transfer the chicken to a dish lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
  • Clean the wok or skillet and heat it over medium heat. Add the oil and stir-fry the garlic until aromatic. Then, add the fried chicken, followed by the sweet chili sauce, lime juice, and salt. Stir well to coat the chicken with the sauce.
  • Dish out the chicken and garnish with white sesame seeds and cilantro leaves. Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

  • I never skip the cornstarch and baking powder when making this dish—they’re essential for getting that perfectly crispy coating on the chicken.
  • I always use ice-cold water when mixing the batter to make the chicken as crispy as possible. The best part? It stays crispy even after being coated with sauce!
  • I’m careful not to over-stir the batter. I just mix it until everything is incorporated, and I don’t worry about a few lumps—they’re totally fine.
  • Before deep-frying, I make sure the oil is hot enough. This keeps the chicken from turning greasy and ensures each piece is fully cooked.
  • For an extra sweet and spicy kick, I sometimes add red pepper flakes or a splash of Sriracha to the sweet chili sauce.
  • For a tangy twist, I love squeezing a little lime juice into the sauce. It balances out the sweetness perfectly!

Nutrition

Serving: 3People, Calories: 282kcal, Carbohydrates: 38g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 108mg, Sodium: 362mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Please rate and comment below!

About Rasa Malaysia

Bee is a recipe developer and best-selling cookbook author, sharing easy, quick, and delicious Asian and American recipes since 2006. With a strong following of almost 2 million fans online, her expertise has been featured in major publications, TV and radio programs, and live cooking demos throughout the United States and Asia.

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189 Comments

  1. Meg says:

    Hi Can I use any other sweet chili sauce? Would it make a difference to the flavour?
    Thanks

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      You can use another brand of sweet chili sauce but the taste may not be entirely the same.

  2. Fir says:

    Will adding cold water to the frying batter make it splatter when frying?

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      No

  3. shayne says:

    Hi! Great recipe it was very good and easy to make. Are there any additional spices you could add to enhance flavour? Thanks

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      If you want it spicier, you can always add some cayenne pepper to the chicken.

  4. shayne says:

    Hello, great recipe! Is there any additional spices you could add to enhance the dish? Thanks

  5. Juliane says:

    This is the best sweet chilli chicken recipe I’ve ever tried!
    I have a question, though: can I keep the frying batter in the fridge overnight? I had a lot of it leftover (I made less chicken, and I do regret) and I was wondering if I could use it tomorrow with other sauce (i’m thinking maybe teriaki).
    Cheers!

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Yes you can. Thanks for trying my sweet chili chicken recipe. And yes you can try my chicken teriyaki recipe, too. :)

      1. Erlinda says:

        I just made some Fir our dinner it was delish

        1. Rasa Malaysia says:

          Glad that you tried my sweet chili chicken.

  6. Imelda says:

    Hi Bee, thanks for this recipe. I like it and easy to make. I used the leftover frying batter to fry onion so had also onion ring for addition :).

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Hi Imelda, thanks for trying my recipe, glad that you liked it and that’s a great idea for onion rings. :)

    2. Denise M. says:

      5 stars
      Excellent idea for using extra batter, I’m doing it next time, thank you.

  7. Carol says:

    Hi Bee,

    Can I replace the all-purpose flour with plain flour?

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Yes

  8. Emily says:

    Thanks for this great recipe! I made a variation of it to make it a tad healthier. I mentioned it on my blog today because I enjoyed it so much. Check it out if you get a minute. Thanks for the recipe inspiration!

  9. Anna Roscigno says:

    wow, I’ve tried a bunch of your recipes (have the e-book) and now have to add this one to the rotation as well!! How simple it is blows my mind and really the batter is just awesome. I have loved this sauce and have used it as dips before but never thought to use it like this. AMAZING!! YUM!

    Thank you thank you!!

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Hi Anna, thanks so much for being a fan and thanks for buying the cookbook. You will be an amazing cook for Asian food in no time!!

  10. Cassidy Johnston says:

    LOVE this recipe! We live on a cattle ranch 30 miles away from the nearest Asian (ish) food, and when it’s not feasible to run to town to get takeout, I make this! My cowboy husband absolutely loves it. We’re having it AGAIN for dinner tonight :)

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Hi Cassidy, thanks for the comment. I am so glad you like this recipe. You should try more recipes from my site, you just need to buy the sauces and you can make a bunch of Asian food at home! :)