One-Skillet Sweet Chili Chicken made as a cozy, dependable bowl with balanced seasoning and practical prep.
Weeknight Sticky-Sweet Chili Chicken (One-Skillet)
A fast, dependable skillet dinner that crisps up bite-size chicken thighs and finishes in a glossy sweet-chili–soy glaze—ready in about 30 minutes.
This one-skillet dinner solves the weeknight dinner dilemma: crave-worthy flavor with minimal fuss. Tossing the chicken in a little cornstarch before it hits a hot pan gives you a golden, slightly crunchy exterior that stands up to the sweet, saucy finish—no soggy bites here.
Cooked in a single 12-inch skillet, the browned chicken bits left in the pan become the flavor base for the peppers and onions. Sweating and letting those vegetables pick up some color adds natural sweetness and a tiny lick of char that plays beautifully against the sticky Thai sweet chili sauce and a splash of reduced-sodium soy for balance.
Garlic and fresh ginger come in at the end of the veg step so their fragrance stays bright without burning, and the sauce only needs a minute or two to thicken and coat everything. Serve it over steamed rice or toss with noodles for a saucy bowl; a handful of scallions or sesame seeds finishes it with texture and lift.
If you want to speed things up, cut the chicken and toss it with cornstarch ahead of time, or make extra sauce to have on hand. Leftovers reheat well—warm gently so the glaze stays glossy—and the recipe scales nicely if you’re feeding a crowd or packing lunches for the week.
Ingredients
How to Make One-Skillet Sweet Chili Chicken
- Trim excess fat from chicken thighs and cut into 1-inch pieces; pat dry, then season with kosher salt and black pepper and toss with the cornstarch until evenly coated.
- Heat a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot, add the canola oil, then add the chicken in a single layer (work in two batches if needed) and sear until golden and mostly cooked through, about 4–5 minutes; transfer chicken to a plate and leave any browned bits in the pan.
- Reduce heat to medium, add the red onion (thinly sliced) and both bell peppers (cut into 1/2-inch strips) to the same skillet and cook, stirring, until softened and starting to brown, about 4–5 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and grated ginger to the vegetables and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Whisk together the Thai sweet chili sauce, reduced-sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar and the juice of the lime in a small bowl, then pour the sauce into the skillet and scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon.
- Return the seared chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet, toss to coat in the sauce, and simmer over medium-low until the sauce thickens slightly and the chicken reaches 165°F, about 3–5 minutes (add a splash of water if the sauce reduces too quickly).
- Taste and adjust: add a pinch more salt or a squeeze of lime if needed; remove from heat.
- Garnish with sliced green onions, chopped cilantro and toasted sesame seeds and serve straight from the skillet over steamed rice, cauliflower rice, or a bed of greens for a one-bowl meal.
Recipe Card
One-Skillet Sweet Chili Chicken
One-Skillet Sweet Chili Chicken made as a cozy, dependable bowl with balanced seasoning and practical prep.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Trim excess fat from chicken thighs and cut into 1-inch pieces; pat dry, then season with kosher salt and black pepper and toss with the cornstarch until evenly coated.
- Heat a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot, add the canola oil, then add the chicken in a single layer (work in two batches if needed) and sear until golden and mostly cooked through, about 4–5 minutes; transfer chicken to a plate and leave any browned bits in the pan.
- Reduce heat to medium, add the red onion (thinly sliced) and both bell peppers (cut into 1/2-inch strips) to the same skillet and cook, stirring, until softened and starting to brown, about 4–5 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and grated ginger to the vegetables and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Whisk together the Thai sweet chili sauce, reduced-sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar and the juice of the lime in a small bowl, then pour the sauce into the skillet and scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon.
- Return the seared chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet, toss to coat in the sauce, and simmer over medium-low until the sauce thickens slightly and the chicken reaches 165°F, about 3–5 minutes (add a splash of water if the sauce reduces too quickly).
- Taste and adjust: add a pinch more salt or a squeeze of lime if needed; remove from heat.
- Garnish with sliced green onions, chopped cilantro and toasted sesame seeds and serve straight from the skillet over steamed rice, cauliflower rice, or a bed of greens for a one-bowl meal.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 35
- Saturated Fat
- 7.5
- Sodium
- 820
- Fiber
- 3
- Unsaturated Fat
- 23.5
- Protein
- 34
- Fat
- 31
- Cholesterol
- 150
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 560
- Sugar
- 18