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This Sweet and Spicy Chicken recipe is absolutely perfect! It’s a delightful dish that balances sweetness and heat in every bite. These battered chicken pieces are deep-fried to perfection then coated in the best sweet chili sauce. Pair it with your favorite sides for a complete, satisfying meal.
This Sweet and Spicy Chicken recipe is the perfect blend of sweet honey and fiery spices. It’s quick to make, easy to customize, and packs a flavorful punch in every bite.
There’s honestly nothing more satisfying than biting into a piece of juicy, fried chicken. If you’re looking for more recipes with crispy chicken, you have to try my Easy Crispy Honey Chicken Recipe, or my Honey Sesame Chicken Recipe. They’re so delicious and a crowd-pleaser.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Sweet and Spicy Chicken Ingredients
- How To Make Sweet and Spicy Chicken Recipe
- Tips to Perfect the Recipe
- How to Store and Reheat Sweet and Spicy Chicken
- Frequently Asked Questions
- What to Serve with Sweet and Spicy Chicken Recipe
- More Asian Inspired Recipes
- Sweet and Spicy Chicken Recipe Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Flavorful Balance: The sweet and spicy combination creates a unique and irresistible taste that appeals to a variety of palates.
- Versatile: This dish can be served with rice, veggies, or even as a filling in wraps, making it a versatile option for any meal.
- Quick and Easy: With simple ingredients and straightforward steps, this recipe is perfect for busy weeknights or last-minute dinners.
- Customizable Heat: Adjust the level of spice to suit your preferences, making it as mild or fiery as you like.
Sweet and Spicy Chicken Ingredients
- Tempura batter: to make the tempura batter, you’ll need all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, water, egg whites, and oil.
- Chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken. I prefer chicken tenders.
- Oil: you’ll need an oil with a high smoke oil to deep fry the battered chicken in.
- Sweet chili sauce: to make the sweet chili sauce for the chicken, you’ll need oil, minced garlic, chili sauce, and crushed red peppers.
- Garnish: for garnish, I’ll use sesame seeds and green onions.
How To Make Sweet and Spicy Chicken Recipe
Step 1: Make the tempura batter: In a medium bowl mix the ingredients to create tempura batter; flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, water, egg whites, and oil until smooth.
Step 2: Coat the chicken in batter: Add the chicken cubes and coat them well in the batter.
Step 3: Deep fry: Deep fry the chicken cubes until crisp and golden for 4-5 minutes.
Step 4: Make the sweet chili sauce and coat the chicken: Heat a medium pan, add oil and garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes. Add the chicken back to the pan, add sweet chili sauce, red pepper and toss the chicken until coated.
Step 5: Garnish: Finally, sprinkle some sesame seeds and green onions, toss and serve while it is still warm.
Tips to Perfect the Recipe
- Don’t Overcook: Cook the chicken just until it’s done to keep it juicy and tender.
- Marinate for Maximum Flavor: Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes to absorb all the flavors.
- Control the Heat: Start with less spice and gradually increase it until you reach your desired level of heat.
- Cook Evenly: Make sure to cut the chicken into uniform pieces for even cooking.
- Use a Hot Pan: Ensure your pan is hot before adding the chicken to get a nice sear and lock in the juices.
How to Store and Reheat Sweet and Spicy Chicken
Storing:
- Refrigeration: Place leftover sweet and spicy chicken in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Freezing: For longer storage, freeze the chicken in an airtight container or a heavy-duty freezer bag for up to 2-3 months.
Reheating: You can heat in the microware on medium power for 1-2 minutes, stirring halfway through, until heated evenly.
If you prefer using your stovetop, place the leftover food over medium low heat and add a splash of water or chicken broth to the pan to prevent the chicken from drying out. Heat until warmed through.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is made with red chili peppers, rice wine vinegar, garlic, sesame oil sometimes and a sweetening ingredient such as a sugar or honey.
If you like to yes. You can add steamed broccoli, asparagus, sugar snap peas or sautéed bell peppers.
Yes, you can bake the marinated chicken at 400°F (200°C) for about 20-25 minutes or until fully cooked and then follow the instructions to complete the dish.
to save time, you can prepare the marinated chicken ahead of time and cook it just before serving.
What to Serve with Sweet and Spicy Chicken Recipe
- Steamed Rice: The mild flavor of steamed white or brown rice complements the bold flavors of sweet and spicy chicken, soaking up the sauce and balancing the heat.
- Stir-Fried Vegetables: Fresh vegetables like broccoli, bell peppers, snap peas, and carrots provide a crisp, fresh contrast to the tender chicken, adding both texture and nutrition to the meal.
- Noodles: Egg noodles, rice noodles, or even soba noodles serve as a hearty base that pairs well with the sweet and spicy sauce, making the dish even more satisfying. Try my Chili Garlic Oil Noodles Recipe.
More Asian Inspired Recipes
- Baked Teriyaki Salmon
- Honey Shrimp With Walnuts
- Sizzling Shrimp Recipe
- Mongolian Chicken
- Chinese Sesame Chicken
This Sweet and Spicy Chicken recipe is a perfect blend of flavors. It’s an irresistible dish that’s easy to make, customizable and easily pairs perfectly with a variety of sides.
If you try this recipe or any of my other recipes, please leave a star rating in the comment section below because I love hearing from my readers. Also follow me at Cookin’ With Mima on FACEBOOK |INSTAGRAM |PINTEREST for all of my latest social posts and recipes.
Sweet and Spicy Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
For the Tempura Batter:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup water, chilled
- 2 whole egg whites
- 2 tbsp oil, canola
- 1 lb. chicken tenderloins, cubed
- canola oil, to deep fry
For the Sweet Chili Chicken
- 1 tbsp oil, sesame or vegetable
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- ¾ cup sweet chili sauce, any brand
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper, more or less
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
- 2 tbsp green onion, chopped
Instructions
- In a medium bowl mix the ingredients to create tempura batter; flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, water, egg whites and oil until smooth.
- Add the chicken cubes and coat them well in the batter.
- Deep fry the chicken cubes until crisp and golden for 4-5 minutes.
- Heat a medium pan, add oil and garlic. Saute for 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken back to the pan, add sweet chili sauce, red pepper and toss the chicken until coated.
- Finally sprinkle some sesame seeds and green onions, toss and serve while it is still warm.
Video
Notes
- Don’t Overcook: Cook the chicken just until it’s done to keep it juicy and tender.
- Marinate: Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes to absorb all the flavors.
- Cook Evenly: Make sure to cut the chicken into uniform pieces for even cooking.
- Use a Hot Pan: Ensure your pan is hot before adding the chicken to get a nice sear and lock in the juices.
We did it for cooking class it took a long time but it was worth it!(we ate it with rice) I’m definently looking for more dishes here!!
Now this is epic!
Thanks for the review. Glad you enjoyed it!
I have chili sauce but couldn’t find sweet chili sauce what can I add to make it sweet
You can add honey and chili sauce, and a little dash of rice vinegar. There are recipes online on how to make sweet and chili sauce. It’s pretty easy to make.