Description
A quick and easy weeknight dinner featuring tender chicken thighs coated in a glossy, sweet, and savory sticky sauce made from scratch. This restaurant-quality meal comes together in under 30 minutes using simple pantry staples.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Neutral oil (vegetable or canola) for frying
- 1/4 cup honey
- Soy sauce (low-sodium preferred)
- Rice vinegar (unseasoned)
- 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- Red pepper flakes, optional
- 2 cups cooked steamed rice (Jasmine or short-grain)
- Green onions, sliced for garnish
- Toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels and cut into 1.5-inch pieces. Season with salt and pepper, then toss with cornstarch until lightly coated.
- In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes.
- Heat neutral oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer (cook in batches if necessary) and sear for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Pour the sauce mixture into the same pan and simmer for 1-2 minutes until it begins to thicken.
- Return the cooked chicken to the pan and toss to coat evenly in the sauce. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until the sauce is glossy and clings to the chicken.
- Serve immediately over steamed rice, garnished with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds.
Notes
Ensure chicken is completely dry before coating with cornstarch to achieve a crispy sear. Do not crowd the pan, or the chicken will steam instead of brown. For a thicker sauce, add a slurry of 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water to the simmering sauce. Low-sodium soy sauce is recommended to control salt levels.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl with rice and
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 22
- Sodium: 680
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 32
Keywords: sticky chicken, chicken bowl, weeknight dinner, easy chicken recipe, Asian chicken, honey garlic chicken, quick meals, family dinner