This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my privacy policy.
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.
A little bit of heat is always welcome 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, so it’s 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 This Recipe
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:
Step 1. Mix all the ingredients for the batter until well combined. Add the chicken to the batter.
Step 2. Heat up a wok/skillet with about two inches of oil. As soon as the oil is fully heated, deep-fry the chicken until golden brown. Transfer the chicken out to a dish lined with paper towels to soak up the excess oil.
Step 3. Clean the wok/skillet and heat it up on medium heat. Add the oil and stir-fry the garlic until aromatic. Transfer the fried chicken to the wok, followed by the sweet chili sauce, lime juice, and salt. Stir well to coat the chicken with the sweet chili sauce.
Step 4. Dish out, and garnish with the white sesame and cilantro leaves. Serve immediately.
Cooking Tips
- Don’t skip the cornstarch and baking powder. These ingredients help achieve that crispy coating on the chicken.
- Use ice-cold water when mixing the batter to have the crispiest chicken possible. And it will stay crispy even after being coated with sauce!
- Don’t over-stir the batter. Mix it just until everything’s incorporated. It’s okay to have some lumps in the batter.
- Before deep-frying, make sure that the oil is hot enough to prevent the chicken from becoming greasy. It also helps ensure that the chicken pieces are fully cooked.
- For an extra sweet and spicy Thai chicken, you can add red pepper flakes or Sriracha sauce to the sweet chili sauce.
- Add a little bit of lime juice to the sauce for a nice, tangy flavor that will cut through the sweetness.
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
- Don’t skip the cornstarch and baking powder. These ingredients help achieve that crispy coating on the chicken.
- Use ice-cold water when mixing the batter to have the crispiest chicken possible. And it will stay crispy even after being coated with sauce!
- Don’t over-stir the batter. Mix it just until everything’s incorporated. It’s okay to have some lumps in the batter.
- Before deep-frying, make sure that the oil is hot enough to prevent the chicken from becoming greasy. It also helps ensure that the chicken pieces are fully cooked.
- For an extra sweet and spicy Thai chicken, you can add red pepper flakes or Sriracha sauce to the sweet chili sauce.
- Add a little bit of lime juice to the sauce for a nice, tangy flavor that will cut through the sweetness.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can I make this in an air fryer & if so, how would I adjust the recipe?
Yes I think you can.
I thought it would be difficult to make, It took more time to fry the chicken since I had 6 larger thighs and you want to cook in batches. I had canola oil about 1 1/2” deep in my frying skillet. I did sprinkle a little pepper and Johnny’s seasoning in my batter. Not much though! As the chicken was finished frying I put the pieces in a paper towel lined cake pan in a 325 degree oven to ensure the chicken was fully cooked and to keep it hot. I followed the recipe without cilantro on hand. I substituted with parsley. I was concerned it would be too spicy but it was perfect for us. I did add some cashews at the very end of cooking as I was stirring everything together, just before serving. The chicken and sauce was really good and the crunch of cashew added some texture. I only used them because I was going to make cashew chicken sometime and didn’t have the sauce ingredients. Glad I threw them in. I also made a white rice and broccoli. When you pate your dishes, pour the sweet chili chicken over the rice. You can add the cooked broccoli to it or serve on the side. My husband loved this dish. The chicken and sauce was delicious. Hope you’ll try it.
So simple and so SOOOOO yummy!!
I usually have to make 2 or sometimes 3 different meals because my kids are so picky, but all 4 of them loved this! I put it over rice and added broccoli and they raved about it! I doubled the sauce since I added it over rice. Thanks so much!
Hi Tonya, awesome, thanks for trying my recipes. Please try more recipes on my site: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/
I love love love this recipe. It’s hard to find something that the whole family will eat, but this recipe is it. I make it all the time. Thank you.
That’s awesome. Please try more recipes on my site!
Hi Bee,
I was hoping to try your recipe but I am absolutely new to oil frying foods, so I was wondering, how high a heat should be used to initially cook the chicken? Medium? High?
Thank you!
Please watch the video on the recipe. The oil has to be fully heated before you start frying.
Lovely recipes.
Incredible! I doubled it and it was practically eaten straight out of the wok before I could garnish and serve it.
Hi Lisa, awesome please try more recipes on my site: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/
Omg! Tried this recipe n it was the best I have made so far!!!! So thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!!???????
Can I use a different flour? Almond or coconut flour?
I don’t know you can try.
I have made this numerous times, but I make bulk with about 3-4 chicken breasts & freeze. I reheat in the oven to get the crispness back. I absolutely love this recipe as you can change up the sauce as required. Many thanks for a fabulous & easy versatile recipe.
Thanks Maureen.
can i use chili sauce instead of sweet chili sauce
Yes, you can, and add some sugar if you like.
This chicken was absolutely DELCIOUS!!! It was good just fried even without the sweet chili sauce but divine in that sauce. I left out the garlic because I just detest the flavor of garlic but that was the only change I made. Will be fixing this regularly!
Hi Cindy, thanks for trying the recipe, please try more recipes on my site: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/
followed the receipe,. it was sok delicious my teenagers say it was so good they wont be ordering from local thai restaurant anymore..served with egg fried rice spring onion . and washed down with japanese asahi beer..lovely!