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Main Course

Sticky Sweet Chilli Chicken

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Sticky Sweet Chilli Chicken is quick, easy & delicious. The perfect midweek meal that packs great flavour & is on the table within minutes. 

What is Sticky Sweet Chilli Chicken?

This recipe not only reminds me of my uni days, but it also reminds me of my lovely friend Zoe. We lived in the same halls at university and we would often cook meals together. Baked Sweet & Sour Pork was one of our favourites as well as this chicken.

I think we found the original recipe for this in a cookbook one of us had. Unfortunately I can’t remember which book; but we have both adapted the recipe over the years.

So what is it? Sticky Sweet Chilli Chicken is chicken coated in a delicious, sticky and mildly spiced glaze. I say glaze because it coats the chicken rather than being a sauce.

The perfect quick midweek meal

We all have those nights when you don’t have a lot of time but you still want a delicious homecooked meal. This Sticky Sweet Chilli Chicken is the perfect recipe.

Even with the marinating time, this is still a super quick meal to make.

To make it even quicker and easier, you can use jars of minced ginger and garlic. These are staples in my kitchen and I am not ashamed to say it!

They are great because you don’t have to waste time peeling the ginger and garlic. Peeling garlic is one of my least favourite kitchen jobs so I chose anything that gets me away from this!

Which cut of chicken is best to use?

You can use breast of thigh meat for this recipe; either work really well.

I tend to use thighs a lot in my cooking because they tend to not dry out as easily when cooking. However this Sticky Sweet Chilli Chicken cooks so quickly, breast works just as well.

How spicy is this sticky sweet chilli chicken?

This is quite a mild dish and should suit most people’s palates. Sweet chilli sauce has a mild warmth instead of a fiery heat.

If you do like your food a bit spicy, you can always add more sweet chilli sauce or even add a finely diced chilli.

If you’re making this recipe for children or someone that is really sensitive to spice; you might want to add less sweet chilli and replace it with ketchup.

Which Sweet Chilli Sauce is recommended to use?

I use my Sweet Chilli Jam because I always have a jar of it in the fridge.

If you didn’t have this, you can use your favourite shop bought chilli sauce. Chilli sauces can vary in heat, so if you are using a brand you haven’t tried before, I recommend tasting it first!

You can then adjust how much you want to add depending on how spicy it is.

What to serve this sticky Sweet Chilli Chicken with

I absolutely love to serve this chicken with Sticky Rice. It is my go-to rice for any Asian food. If you didn’t want to use sticky rice, Jasmine or long grain rice would also work well. 

As well as rice, I like to serve some simple steamed broccoli alongside the chicken. It is also quite nice to serve some prawn crackers on the side – make it feel like a takeaway!

When it comes to serving, I like to scatter over some sesame seeds and sliced spring onions. These provide extra flavour and crunch to the finished dish.

Sticky Sweet Chilli cooking steps

This really couldn’t be easier, there are just a few easy steps to follow. Full instructions are in the recipe card further down.

  1. Cut your chicken and add to a bowl with all of the marinating ingredients. Put it in the fridge while you get the rice on to cook
  2. Prepare your rice and get it on to cook. Prepare your broccoli (or other veg of choice) as well as slicing your spring onion for garnish
  3. Have a quick cup of tea/load the dishwasher/stop the kids bickering
  4. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and tip the chicken and marinate into the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes before turning and cooking for another 4-5 minutes
  5. Spoon your rice into bowls and top with the chicken, vegetables and garnish. Easy

Be careful, the glaze can spit

When you are cooking the chicken, be careful as the glaze can spit. If this starts to happen, you just need to turn the heat down a little bit.

This might not be the dinner you want to cook straight after you have cleaned you hob because there is always the risk of a little bit of splattering.

The glaze spits because it has a high viscosity – simply put because it is thick and sticky! It doesn’t spit a crazy amount, but I did just want to mention it as you don’t want to get splattered with hot glaze.

A naturally gluten free meal

One of the reasons we made this recipe so often at uni (apart from it being tasty) was because it is naturally gluten free. Zoe is a Coeliac so it was always an added bonus when we could make and eat the same meal.

Obviously you just need to check the soy sauce you’re using is gluten free because not all are.

How to make this chicken vegetarian and vegan

This recipe is really simple to make vegetarian or vegan. Obviously you need to swap the chicken; but the rest you can keep as it is.

Instead of chicken, use your favourite meat replacement protein. You should look for the chicken style pieces that aren’t breaded for this recipe.

You could also use tofu if you prefer. I would recommend using firm tofu and pressing it to get as much moisture out of it as possible.

Other recipes you might like

  • Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken
  • Baked Sweet & Sour Chicken
  • Chicken Chow Mein
  • Korean Chicken Wings
  • Ancho Chilli Chicken

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5 from 12 votes
Print

Sticky Sweet Chilli Chicken

Sticky Sweet Chilli Chicken is quick, easy & delicious. The perfect midweek meal that packs great flavour & is on the table within minutes. 

Course Main Course
Cuisine International
Keyword Chicken, Sweet Chilli
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Marinating time 30 minutes
Servings 2
Calories 345 kcal
Author Curly

Ingredients

  • 2 chicken breasts diced
  • 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
  • 1 tsp garlic finely chopped
  • ½ tsp ginger grated
  • 2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
  • 1 tsp sunflower oil

Instructions

  1. Dice the chicken and add to a bowl along with all of the ingredients apart from the oil
  2. Cover and leave in the fridge for 15-30 mins
  3. Heat a large frying pan over a low – medium heat and add the sunflower oil
  4. Add the chicken to the pan and leave to slowly cook on one side before turning. If the pan starts to spit, turn it down
  5. After about 10 minutes, the chicken should be cooked. Turn the heat up to high for 1 minute to let the sauce thicken slightly
  6. Serve over sticky rice and an extra drizzle of sweet chilli sauce if you fancy it

Recipe Notes

Nutritional information is given as a guide only and my vary.

Nutrition Facts
Sticky Sweet Chilli Chicken
Amount Per Serving
Calories 345 Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 145mg48%
Sodium 1592mg69%
Potassium 928mg27%
Carbohydrates 14g5%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 12g13%
Protein 50g100%
Vitamin A 155IU3%
Vitamin C 4mg5%
Calcium 11mg1%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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22 Comments

Previous Post: « Apricot & Almond Flapjacks
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jacqui says

    March 20, 2018 at 9:07 pm

    5 stars
    I do so like quick, easy and tasty recipes like this. Thank you for linking to #CookBlogShare

    Reply
    • Cat says

      March 20, 2018 at 9:27 pm

      Me too – especially during the week!

      Reply
  2. jenny walters says

    March 23, 2018 at 9:41 am

    This is making my mouth water!I love sticky chicken.Food is even more delicious when linked witth memories.I try to do that for the children x

    Reply
    • Cat says

      March 25, 2018 at 11:13 am

      I think when you have a memory that is attached to food it’s even tastier 🙂 x

      Reply
  3. Tula says

    August 26, 2020 at 7:45 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe was easy to follow and tasted delicious we swapped the chicken for quorn. Will defo be making again! Xx

    Reply
    • Curly says

      August 26, 2020 at 10:25 pm

      Fantastic idea. So pleased you liked it 🙂

      Reply
  4. Kate - Gluten Free Alchemist says

    February 16, 2021 at 3:45 pm

    5 stars
    Super-easy and super-yummy. I could dive straight in and not come out again xx

    Reply
    • Curly says

      February 16, 2021 at 3:51 pm

      Haha thanks Kate!

      Reply
  5. Michelle Rolfe says

    February 16, 2021 at 4:04 pm

    5 stars
    Yum! This one looks ideal for my youngest to make for dinner, sweet chilli chicken is one of her favourites. And I might get a night off cooking! 🙂

    Reply
    • Curly says

      February 20, 2021 at 12:23 am

      It is so simple and quick, I hope she likes it and you get a night off!

      Reply
  6. Lesley says

    February 17, 2021 at 11:16 am

    5 stars
    I love a quick and tasty dish like this, particularly if it involves chilli!

    Reply
    • Curly says

      February 20, 2021 at 12:24 am

      Love a bit of spice!

      Reply
  7. Julia says

    February 18, 2021 at 11:22 pm

    5 stars
    Absolutely loved this sticky sweet chili chicken bowl. The heat is just perfect! Definitely a keeper recipe. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    • Curly says

      February 20, 2021 at 12:28 am

      Thank you so much Julia 🙂

      Reply
  8. Chloe Edges says

    February 20, 2021 at 8:06 pm

    5 stars
    This is delicious and really easy to put together too!

    Reply
    • Curly says

      February 20, 2021 at 8:25 pm

      Thank you 🙂

      Reply
  9. Sisley White says

    February 24, 2021 at 12:11 pm

    Absolutely yummy! I can’t think of anything I’d like to enjoy more right now. Thank you for a great recipe and joining up to #CookBlogShare.

    Reply
  10. Elaine says

    July 28, 2021 at 6:38 pm

    5 stars
    Tasty speedy recipe! What more could you ask for?

    Reply
    • Curly says

      July 28, 2021 at 9:16 pm

      Perfect for when you need a quick, tasty meal 🙂

      Reply
  11. Toni says

    January 16, 2022 at 8:13 am

    5 stars
    Omg this recipe was so tasty!! A very big hit in our house

    Reply
    • Curly says

      January 16, 2022 at 3:13 pm

      So pleased you liked it Toni!

      Reply
  12. Shirley says

    February 24, 2022 at 3:28 pm

    5 stars
    Loved it!!! Quick, easy and very tasty. Husband enjoyed it too but suggested a bit more chilli for his liking.

    Reply

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Hi, I'm Cat aka Curly. I'm a home cook that likes nothing better than a day in the kitchen baking and cooking. Whether its sweet or savoury, in my mind food is always the answer. Meet Curly

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