Quick & Easy Sweet Chili Chicken

Quick & Easy Sweet Chili Chicken

Crispy chicken tossed in a delicious sweet chili sauce with a mild kick and a hint of lime! This quick and easy sweet chili chicken is made with minimal ingredients. This main dish is ready in 30 minutes and it's better-than-takeout!

If you're not a fan of shallow frying, I also share how to air fry the chicken in the Notes section below.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese

Servings

Calories per serving 350 kcal

Ingredients

1 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs or chicken breast
⅓ cup cornstarch or potato starch, add more if needed
⅓ cup vegetable oil or any neutral oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 green onion finely chopped for garnish (optional)

Sauce

½ cup sweet chili sauce
1 tablespoon sriracha optional
1 tablespoon honey plain kind
1 tablespoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar / white vinegar
1 teaspoon lime juice or lemon juice, freshly squeezed
½ teaspoon lime zest or lemon juice, freshly grated

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients as listed above. Set aside.
Dice each chicken thigh into 1.5-inch pieces and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Season the chicken with salt, garlic powder and black pepper. Then add the cornstarch and toss until evenly coated ensuring no bald spots. Feel free to add more cornstarch if needed.
Heat vegetable oil in a large heavy bottomed pan or wok on medium heat. Fry chicken in small batches until golden brown and crispy, about 6-7 minutes in total. Flipping over halfway. (If you prefer to air fry the chicken, please see below Notes section for instructions)
Remove fried chicken from pan and transfer to a wire rack or a paper towel lined paper towels to remove excess oil.
Transfer chicken to a large bowl. Pour the sauce over top. Gently toss to mix. Garnish with green onions. Enjoy!

Notes

To air fry the chicken:

Lightly spray the air fryer basket with neutral oil. Place coated chicken into the air fryer basket in a single layer, giving each piece enough room. Do not overlap. You will need to air fry in batches.
Then lightly spray the chicken with more oil.
Air fry at 400 F for 10-14 minutes until desired crispiness. No need to flip over.

Storage & Reheating

Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat: microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pan on medium heat.
Freezer friendly? Sweet chili chicken can be stored in a freezer friendly bag after cooling down and frozen up to 3 months. If possible, I recommend storing the fried chicken separate from the sauce. To reheat, defrost it and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a pan.

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