This quick and easy spicy chicken will be ready before your rice! Use it in a rice or grain bowl, a taco, or lettuce wrap or alongside simple steamed greens or vegetables.
I call this kind of recipe a “back pocket” recipe. It’s the kind of recipe you just want to have handy for any night when time and/or cooking energy is short, but you don’t want to compromise on delicious.
Not only is this spicy chicken quick, easy and delicious, it can be the base for anything from a rice bowl to a noodle bowl to just a tasty protein with a simple salad.
This easy spicy sauce is also great with salmon! Or pork. Or tofu. Or just stir-fried vegetables. You really can’t go wrong!
Here I’ve used always moist and flavourful boneless, skinless chicken thighs. All they need is to be cut into bite-sized pieces, tossed in some cornstarch and quickly fried up in a hot pan. While the chicken is cooking, mix up the easy sauce. Add the sauce once the chicken is cooked and just allow it to cook down until reduced and syrupy.
This spicy chicken is great with rice and/or steamed greens or vegetables. In fact, it will be ready before your rice is :)
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Ingredient Notes
Here are the ingredients you will need for this recipe. The notes include substitution suggestions, where appropriate.
✓ Chicken: As noted above, you can use chicken, salmon, tofu, pork or just about anything that can be stir-fried here.
If using chicken, my first choice will always be thighs and in this case, boneless, skinless chicken thighs. These are almost impossible to dry out while cooking and the dark meat of the thighs has a lot more flavour, in my opinion. Alternately, you can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Be sure to cut the chunks fairly small, so that they cook quickly and don’t dry out.
✓ Cornstarch: Using cornstarch here will give your chicken a nice bit of crispness on the outside, that while not the same a fried breading by any stretch, does provide a nice bit of coating that definitely has shades of that, without the frying. If you don’t have or want to use cornstarch, try another starch, like arrowroot or potato starch, if you have it. If you have none of those, a coating of flour is ok, though it won’t produce the same sort of crispness and may impart a “flour” taste.
✓ Cooking Oil: Use whatever cooking oil you prefer. I like to use a vegetable or canola oil, as it takes higher heat well.
✓ Rice Vinegar: Unseasoned rice vinegar is recommended, if you have it only because we are already adding salt and sweet to the mix (through the honey), so you don’t necessarily need those seasonings in your vinegar. That said, if you only have seasoned rice vinegar, you can go ahead and use that.
✓ Soy Sauce: Use either regular or sodium-reduced soy sauce, as you like.
✓ Sambal Oelek: Sambal Oelek is an Asian condiment that I am never without! It’s great for so many dishes and is easily available at most grocery stores these days. It’s definitely worthy of a place in every kitchen. Sambal does pack a heat punch though, so always remember that a little goes a long way :) As written, 1 Tbsp will give you good heat, but not screaming heat. You can probably go up to 2 Tbsp if you have teflon tastebuds :) Likewise, if you are a bit heat-averse or for feeding kids, start with 1 tsp and see how it tastes after it has reduced. You can always stir a bit more in if you want at that point.
An alternative to Sambal Oelek would be Asian Chili Garlic Sauce. I find the Asian Chili Sauce not quite as potent, so you would want to use a bit more for the same heat equivalent. I can’t really recommend an alternative beyond that, as I can’t think of another sauce that would yield the same flavour profile.
✓ Honey: Any runny honey will work well here. Honey is acting as a sweetener here, as opposed to adding flavour, so I tend to stick with just regular honey.
✓ Sesame Oil: I love a splash of sesame oil in sauces like this, but if you don’t have sesame oil in your pantry, feel free to omit. It will still be a lovely sauce.
✓ Garnishes: Diced green onion and a scattering of sesame seeds are great, optional, but recommended garnishes for your spicy chicken.
Cook’s Notes
A hot pan is the secret to both cooking quickly and getting a nice bit of browning and flavour. I love my cast-iron skillet for this job, but you can use any skillet that can take high heat.
This chicken re-heats well, so don’t hesitate to quickly cook up a large batch and refrigerate or freeze as a base for future recipes.
Top Tip! Try this delicious sauce with thawed salmon chunks, firm tofu pieces, pork pieces or even with variety of vegetables for a quick and easy stir fry.
Ways to enjoy your spicy chicken
Make a bowl: Start your bowl with a layer of rice, quinoa or other grains. Top with some spicy chicken and raw or steamed vegetables.
Make it a stir fry: Before cooking your chicken, stir fry some vegetables in hot oil, then remove to a bowl. Cook your chicken per the instructions and then return your vegetables to the pan at the end to re-warm (or simply serve on top or alongside your chicken).
Try a noodle bowl: Soak some noodles in hot water (like shelf-stable udon) and add to your chicken at the end of cooking to warm. Serve in a bowl topped with grated carrot and lots of green onion. *You can use any noodle, but for a quick meal, go for a noodle that doesn’t need boiling, but rather one that just needs softening by soaking in hot water before using.
Put it in a taco: Add your spicy chicken to a warmed tortilla and top with lots of vegetables.
Use it in a lettuce wrap: Add some spicy chicken and cooked rice on top of large Boston lettuce leaves, top with grated carrot, green onion and sesame seeds for delicious and easy lettuce wraps.
Enjoy simply: Enjoy your spicy chicken along with a salad or simple, steamed greens or vegetables.
Recipe
15-Minute Spicy Chicken
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs boneless and skinless or see Notes*
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 3 Tbsp cornstarch
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil
Spicy Sauce:
- 5 Tbsp rice vinegar unseasoned recommended
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp Sambal Oelek or less or more, to taste or **See Notes
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
Garnish:
- Diced green onion
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Heat a skillet on the stovetop over medium high heat.
- Cut chicken into quite small, bite-sized pieces and place into a large bowl (cutting the pieces small ensure that they cook through quickly). Season with a bit of salt and freshly ground pepper. Sprinkle with cornstarch and toss well to evenly coat all the chicken.
- Add the oil to the hot pan and allow to heat briefly, then add all the chicken to the pan and distribute evenly. Allow to sit undisturbed for about a minute, then toss and allow to sit undisturbed for another minute. Continue cooking, tossing regularly, until chicken is cooked through and evenly golden.
- Meanwhile, combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
- Pour sauce into skillet and stir to combine. Allow to simmer, tossing occasionally, until sauce thickens and coats the chicken.
Glenn says
Great simple recipe – thanks so much. I substituted the Rice Wine Vinegar for Chinese Black Vinegar on the second cook. It gave it a real “Kung Po” taste.
Jennifer says
So glad you enjoyed it, Glenn. I like the sound of the black vinegar. I must seek some out!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
Can’t beat a 15 minute dinner Jennifer! I definitely need to give this recipe a try.
Jennifer says
Thanks Mary Ann :)
Tricia B says
You know how to make me drool Jennifer! This is going on the menu now. I love all these flavors and chicken is always the answer to the weeknight question :) Thanks so much!
Jennifer says
Thanks so much, Tricia. This is one of my favourites. Really nice sauce with salmon, too.
Milena says
I love the sound of ‘ready before your rice’! The chicken looks scrumptious! On the hunt for sambal oelek chili paste now, cannot miss out on the exciting flavor profile:)
Jennifer says
Thanks Milena! It’s super easy to find in groceries here, so hopefully you’ll find it easily. It’s the perfect thing for adding a touch of heat to so many dishes.
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
Who doesn’t love a quick dinner that looks and tastes this good! Love the chili and sesame oil here. We’d love this meal in our home!!
Jennifer says
Thanks so much, Dawn :)
annie@ciaochowbambina says
You had me at 15-minutes! This, I know, is super tasty! Can’t wait to make it!!
Jennifer says
Thanks Annie and yes, fast and tasty is always a winner in my books :)