Sweet Spicy Sriracha Chicken (Printable Version)

Tender chicken breasts coated in a sticky sweet and spicy honey sriracha glaze with garlic and ginger notes.

# Ingredient List:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 21 oz)
02 - ½ teaspoon salt
03 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
04 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch

→ Glaze

05 - ⅓ cup honey
06 - 2 to 3 tablespoons sriracha sauce
07 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
08 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated (optional)
11 - 1 tablespoon lime juice

→ For Cooking

12 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
13 - 2 green onions, sliced (for garnish)
14 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)

# Directions:

01 - Pat chicken breasts dry and season both sides with salt and black pepper. Lightly coat each piece with cornstarch and shake off excess.
02 - Whisk honey, sriracha, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger (if using), and lime juice in a small bowl; set aside.
03 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove and keep warm.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. Pour glaze into skillet and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes.
05 - Return chicken to skillet, turn to coat evenly with glaze. Simmer 2 minutes until heated through and well coated.
06 - Remove from heat, slice chicken, drizzle with extra glaze, and garnish with green onions and toasted sesame seeds.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The glaze creates a sticky, glossy coat that tastes far more restaurant-quality than the ten minutes of prep suggest.
  • It works on weeknights when you're tired but don't want to compromise on flavor or feel like you're settling.
  • The heat builds slowly and gently, so even people nervous about spice end up reaching for seconds.
02 -
  • Don't skip patting the chicken dry—I learned this the hard way by trying to brown wet chicken and ending up with steamed disappointment instead.
  • The glaze thickens as it cools, so if it seems too thin when it's simmering, trust the process and it'll tighten up beautifully on the plate.
  • Taste the glaze before adding it to the pan so you can adjust the heat or sweetness to your preference; this is the moment to be brave.
03 -
  • Make the glaze the morning of or the night before if you can—it gives the flavors time to get acquainted and tastes noticeably better than rushing it.
  • If your glaze breaks or looks separated, a quick whisk or even a few seconds in a blender brings it back together before it hits the pan.
Go Back