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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.
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
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 wontons, chicken lettuce wraps, shrimp 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
- 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:
Mix all the batter ingredients until everything’s combined, then add the chicken to the batter.
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.
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.
Serve the chicken right away, garnished with white sesame seeds and cilantro leaves. It’s so good—enjoy!
Cooking Tips
- 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
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.
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.
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.
This recipe has only 282 calories per serving.
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 Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Other Recipes You Might Like
Sweet Chili Chicken
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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was delicious. The chicken cooked up very crispy. Great flavor. Easy , healthy and yummy.
Thanks!
This looks great, but I’m trying to avoid deep fried food. Would it be possible to put the chicken in the sauce and then bake it???
Sure, you can do that.
I can guarantee this recipe is a child pleaser, and the sauce isn’t very spicy at all. My grandkids have been using Mae Ploy sweet chili sauce as their ONLY chicken or shrimp dipping sauce for at least a decade–they grab it when I fix Tonkatsu and plonk it on fish, and been known to use it to dress up a turkey sandwich. No one in my small town carries it, so I order from Amazon regularly. Your recipe makes it a little easier than constantly refilling dip cups.
Hi Janet, awesome, thanks for loving this Sweet Chili Chicken recipe.
Can you use an egg replacer? I have an egg allergy and would love to make this, but unsure if it would work.
You can skip the egg.
Can you put this in prep meal containers and store in the freezer then re – heat?
Of course!
Where did the recipe go? Its not loading… Can you fix it please??!
Brittany – the recipe is at the bottom of the page, please scroll down.
Hi Bee, I just had this chicken dish and it is the bomb! This recipe was so easy, and came out perfect. I am a foodie, so I practice a lot of Asian recipes, and this Thai Sweet Chili Chicken can’t be beaten for ease, and yumminess in my opinion. My hubby didn’t say a word till he ate his last bite, Best chicken ever. 10 stars! I have tried several recipes on your site and all were delicious! Thank you Bee. Xx
Shell
Hi Shellee, you just made my day. I am so happy that you guys love this sweet chili chicken. Do try out more recipes on my site, they are all good: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/
It’s super awesome, my whole family loved it!
Hi Bee, can we fry up the chicken a day or two in advance and keep them in the fridge/freezer? Would they still be crispy? Thanks!
The batter calls for oil. Is that correct?
Yes.
Is this mean extremely spicy? I love spicy food, but my husband, not so much!
Thank you
No, it’s not spicy at all. Just very mild.
This is like the third time I’ve made this and I CAN’T STOP EATING IT! This is so, so fantastic, so delicious, it’s almost an out-of-body experience. I use sweet rice flour in place of the regular flour so my celiac husband can have it as well. Personally, I think it’s lighter that way and the crunch is even more like tempura. I think Ming Tsai says the same thing. Every bite I had was the perfect bite. I tripled the sauce because I tripled the chicken but the batter didn’t need to be expanded. You are a true genius!
Hi Paula, thanks for trying my sweet chili chicken recipe. Please try more recipes on my site, they are all awesome: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/