This Thai Sweet Chili Chicken is a great weekday dish to immediately satisfy your Asian takeout craving. It is addictively good, super easy to make, and healthier than the restaurant version. This recipe shares a few secrets to create the best sweet chili chicken in less time, yields the best result, and makes it less calorie dense. Here is how:
Cooking notes
Homemade sauce
In this recipe I used the homemade Thai sweet chili sauce. It is spicier than the bottled sauce and it gives the dish an extra kick. I highly recommend you make the sauce at home if you want a healthier, less sugary dish. And of course, the bottled sauce will work just as well if you don’t want to make your own.
Crispy chicken without deep frying
The reason you’ll want to use this recipe is that it creates super crispy chicken without deep frying. Simply use the formula: oil + salt + egg + cornstarch Not only does it season the chicken and make it more flavorful, but it also yields an extra crispy exterior, even after you coat it with sauce. I’ve tried the method on chicken breasts and chicken thighs, and they both produced juicy results.
No wok required!
If you don’t own a gas stove (like me), the best way to cook this dish is to use a large nonstick pan. Not only does it create crispy chicken with less oil, but the finished dish will taste as great as if you had cooked it in a wok. I wrote a lengthy post (wok vs. stir fry pan) to explain the reason. Long story short – your home stove usually cannot generate enough heat for wok cooking. So a large flat nonstick pan is your next best choice.
Cook some veggies in the same pan
I usually chop up some veggies and steam them before I cook the chicken. To make the cooking and cleanup faster, I often use my fast-steaming method: heat up 1/4 cup water in the frying pan until boiling, spread the veggies and sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook them for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. You can use broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, and/or carrots. I serve the veggies on the side and pour stir fry sauce over it. It tastes so good and balances the meal! When I serve the dish, I also cut up some lime wedges. I like to squeeze a bit of lime juice on the chicken to make it tangier. Oh my, I can finish two big bowls by myself! I hope you enjoy the dish and happy cooking!
More delicious takeout recipes
Sweet and Sour Chicken Kung Pao Tofu Beef and Broccoli Hunan Chicken Black Pepper Beef Sesame Chicken
If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and take a picture and tag it @omnivorescookbook on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with.
