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4.9 from 285 votes

Asian Chilli Chicken

Recipe video above. A quick chicken dinner that's an explosion of (spicy!) Asian flavours! Make this with chicken breast, boneless thighs or tenderloins.Spiciness level: Spicy but not blow-your-head-off spicy! Remember, I like to think I'm a Spice Monster, but in reality I can't handle the heat (literally!). To dial it back, reduce chilli flakes and see Note 2 about reducing Sriracha.

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 287 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients

Chicken:
  • 500g / 1lb breast fillets, skinless and boneless (2 large) (Note 1 other cuts)
  • 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
  • 1 1/2 tbsp rice flour, or all-purpose/plain flour (Note 2)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp oil , vegetable or canola
Sauce:
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 garlic cloves , finely minced
  • 2 tsp ginger , finely minced
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes / red pepper flakes (reduce for less spicy)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 3 tbsp Sriracha (sub ketchup for not spicy, Note 3)
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce , light or all purpose (Note 4)
  • 1/4 cup honey (sub brown sugar)
  • 3 tbsp lime juice (sub 2 tbsp rice vinegar)
Garnishes (choose):
  • Green onion (finely sliced), sesame seeds, fresh chilli, lime wedges

Instructions

Chicken:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Season: Cut each chicken breast in half horizontally to form 4 steaks total. Sprinkle each side with salt, pepper and rice flour, shaking off excess.
  2. Pan-fry: Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add chicken and cook for 2 minutes. Turn and cook the other side for 2 minutes, then remove to a plate.
Sticky Chilli Sauce:
  1. Sesame oil: Allow the skillet to cool a bit then return to the stove on medium. Add sesame oil and heat.
  2. Garlic and ginger: Add garlic and ginger, cook for 15 seconds.
  3. Chilli flakes: Add chilli flakes and cook for 30 seconds until garlic is golden.
  4. Sriracha, soy and honey: Turn heat up to medium-high. Add water, sriracha, soy sauce and honey, stir well, scraping the base of the pan to dissolve all the golden bits into the liquid.
  5. Simmer for 2 minutes until it reduce to a thick syrup. Add lime juice, then simmer for a further 30 seconds until it thickens back to a thick syrup.
  6. Coat chicken: Turn heat off. Return chicken to pan, turning to coat in sauce.
  7. Serve chicken, topping with remaining sauce in skillet, garnished with green onions, sesame seed and extra lime wedges, if desired.

Notes

  • Chicken – Boneless and skinless thighs and tenderloins also work, use 500g/1lb. Do not cut in half, use whole pieces.
  • Internal temperature of cooked chicken:
  • Rice flour – Yields a nice, crispy crust onto which the sticky chilli sauce clings. Without it, the sauce just slips off the chicken. It's not a big deal if you don't have it – sub plain/all purpose flour. Rice flour is just slightly crisper. :)
  • Sriracha – This adds spiciness as well as other flavours such as vinegar and garlic into the sauce, plus it thickens the sauce.
  • Soy sauce – Use all purpose or light, do not use dark soy sauce (colour and flavour too intense). More on different soy sauces here.
  • Storage – Lean meats like breast and tenderloin are always best served freshly made. But it will keep for 3 - 4 days in the fridge. Best to reheat in the microwave, and gently, so you don't overcook it!
  • Nutrition per serving, assuming all sauce is consumed.
  • Thighs will take longer to cook through, about 4 minutes on the first side, 3 minutes on the second side;
  • Tenderloins are (typically) smaller so they should take the around the same time as breast. 
  • Breast and tenderloin: 65°C / 150°F
  • Thigh: 75°C / 167°F
  • If you want less spicy, sub some of it with ketchup. If you sub all of it, the dish becomes quite sweet so add a dash of extra lime to compensate (it's also totally not what this recipe is intended to be, but it's still tasty!)
  • If you want spicy but don't have sriracha, also sub with ketchup plus any other hot sauce to taste, or cayenne pepper or more chilli flakes.

Nutrition Information

Calories 287cal (14%) Carbohydrates 21g (7%) Protein 27g (54%) Fat 11g (17%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 80mg (27%) Sodium 948mg (40%) Potassium 522mg (15%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 18g (36%) Vitamin A 59IU (1%) Vitamin C 13mg (14%) Calcium 15mg (2%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 287

% Daily Value*

Calories 287cal 14%
Carbohydrates 21g 7%
Protein 27g 54%
Fat 11g 17%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 80mg 27%
Sodium 948mg 40%
Potassium 522mg 11%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 18g 36%
Vitamin A 59IU 1%
Vitamin C 13mg 14%
Calcium 15mg 2%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.