If you're craving bold flavors with the right sweetness and heat, this Chinese sweet and spicy chicken is the perfect dish! It is not an actual traditional Chinese dish, most people associate sweet and spicy chicken with Americanized Chinese food. It is so popular that many restaurants serve it as a specialty. This delicious Chinese sweet and spicy chicken recipe is easy to make and has a wonderful combination of sweet and spicy flavors that will have you coming back for more!
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Want to spice up your chicken routine? Keep reading to learn how to make this dish in your kitchen.
Simple ingredients you'll need
For the chicken:
- Oil: For frying. You can use vegetable oil or olive oil.
- Chicken thighs: Skinless chicken thighs or skinless chicken breasts both work well. I used chicken thighs in this recipe. Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes.
- Cornstarch: For the crispy coating.
- Baking powder
- Eggs
- Salt and black pepper
Sauce ingredients:
- Minced garlic
- Rice vinegar: Rice vinegar balances out the sweetness of other ingredients like honey and brown sugar.
- Light soy sauce: Feel free to use low sodium soy sauce if you are concerned about sodium intake.
- Sriracha sauce: Sriracha sauce gives the dish a spicy kick.
- Chili garlic sauce: Chili garlic sauce is slightly different from sriracha sauce; it adds a bold, spicy flavor with a hint of garlic. If you don't have chili garlic sauce, try the Sambal Oelek. Sambal oelek is a spicy Asian chili paste made from ground red chili peppers, salt, and vinegar. Sambal oelek is very similar to chili garlic sauce, but it doesn't contain garlic. You can find it in most Asian grocery stores.
- Brown sugar
- Honey
To serve:
Jalapeno: Slice it into thin rings for garnish.
Toasted sesame seeds: for garnish.
Chopped green onions: Optional.
Step-by-step cooking instructions
Prepare the chicken: Coat the chicken pieces in corn starch, baking powder, and eggs, ensuring they are evenly covered. This helps create a crispy outer layer when fried. Sprinkle salt and black pepper over the chicken mixture and mix it again to combine. Set aside.
Deep fry the chicken: Heat cooking oil in a large skillet or a wok over medium-high heat. Fry the chicken pieces until they turn golden brown and crispy, about 4-5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Make the sauce: In a small bowl, mix the rice vinegar, light soy sauce, sriracha sauce, chili garlic sauce, brown sugar, and honey. Whisk everything to combine.
Stir-fry the garlic and simmer the sauce: Heat the same skillet, add the minced garlic, and Stir-fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the pre-mixed sauce mixture. Let the sauce simmer for 4-5 minutes over medium-high heat until thickened.
Combine chicken and sauce: Toss the fried crispy chicken pieces back into the skillet with the sauce. Stir to coat the chicken evenly and fully, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Serve: Garnish this dish with toasted sesame seeds and jalapeno slices. Serve hot and enjoy!
Pro tips
The secret to making this dish is getting the right amount of sweetness and spice—not too much! The sauce should be thick, sticky, and not runny. There are a few other things to keep in mind:
- For best results, fry the chicken using an air fryer for a lighter version.
- You can adjust the heat by varying the chili garlic sauce and sriracha sauce or adding red chili flakes for extra heat.
- This is an easy weeknight dinner that can be prepped in advance—just store the fried chicken pieces and the sauce separately and toss it all together next time you need a quick meal!
What should you serve with sweet and spicy Chinese chicken?
Here are a few great ways to serve Chinese sweet and spicy chicken, such as:
- Over white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice: These classic options help soak up the delicious sauce and balance the heat with your favorite type of rice.
- With stir-fried or steamed vegetables: Pair the sweet and spicy chicken with your favorite stir-fried vegetables or steamed broccoli to add freshness and crunch.
- With noodles: Serve the chicken over your favorite Asian-style noodles for a satisfying meal. It is perfect as an alternative to rice.
Final thoughts
Chinese sweet and spicy chicken is a delicious and versatile dish that can be easily made at home. By following a few key techniques, anyone can create a mouth-watering version of this classic dish. I love to hear from you. Leave comments below to let me know how your sweet and spicy chicken turned out. Enjoy your Chinese sweet and spicy chicken—that's better than Chinese takeout!
The Best Chinese Sweet And Spicy Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- oil for frying
- 2 pounds chicken thighs cut into 1-inch cubes
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 eggs
- salt and black pepper
For the sauce:
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 4 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sriracha sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ tablespoon honey
To serve:
- 1 small jalapeno finely sliced for garnish
- toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Coat the chicken pieces in corn starch, baking powder, and eggs, ensuring they are evenly covered. This helps create a crispy outer layer when fried. Sprinkle salt and black pepper over the chicken mixture and mix it again to combine. Set aside.
- Deep fry the chicken: Heat cooking oil in a large skillet or a wok over medium-high heat. Fry the chicken pieces until they turn golden brown and crispy, about 4-5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Make the sauce: In a small bowl, mix the rice vinegar, light soy sauce, sriracha sauce, chili garlic sauce, brown sugar, and honey. Whisk everything to combine.
- Stir-fry the garlic and simmer the sauce: Heat the same skillet, add the minced garlic, and Stir-fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the pre-mixed sauce mixture. Let the sauce simmer for 4-5 minutes over medium-high heat until thickened.
- Combine chicken and sauce: Toss the fried crispy chicken pieces back into the skillet with the sauce. Stir to coat the chicken evenly and fully, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Serve: Garnish this dish with toasted sesame seeds and jalapeno slices. Serve hot and enjoy!
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