This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, see our privacy policy.
A fabulous Thai-inspired dinner with melt in your mouth tender chicken – it’s super easy and quick!
If you've surmised that I love to cook, you're definitely right. In fact, most of the time, being in the kitchen is one of my favorite things to do. But there's something you might be surprised about...
There are many days when late afternoon rolls around and I'm just not in the mood to fuss with dinner. I may have been busy in the kitchen all day working on projects for the blog, but when Scott asks, "What's for dinner?", I've been told I often look at him with a blank (deer-in-the-headlights) stare.
That's when he says, "Let's go out for dinner." or "What if we get take-out?", and there are days when I can't resist. We have lots of wonderful restaurants within a close radius of our home, so it's easy for us to take this route. But going out, and even ordering out, is expensive and dinners out often aren't super healthy, so I try not to succumb too often.
That's when a meal like this 30 Minute Sticky Thai Chicken is the perfect prescription. I love having a few recipes like this in my arsenal that I can put together in no time flat. I keep my freezer stocked with frozen chicken breasts, the kind that are individually wrapped. I can pull a few out, stick them in a bowl of water and within 20 minutes, they're thawed and ready to go.
I also love to have a bag of mini bell peppers in my crisper drawer. They're so pretty, come in a variety of hues and are delicious in salads, sandwiches, soups and chilis as well as in meals like this. The rest of the ingredients for this 30 Minute Sticky Thai Chicken are staples you can keep in the pantry or refrigerator.
The sauce is comprised of sweet chili sauce, honey, soy sauce, fish sauce, ginger, lemongrass and fresh lime juice. It's complex; sweet, salty and spicy all combined. It's also super simple, especially if you keep tubes of ginger and lemongrass paste in the freezer (by the way, this is not a sponsored post, I just love this stuff). Most people aren't aware of the fact that they can be stored in the freezer. I just take them out about 10 minutes before I want to use them. They thaw enough that I can easily remove the amount I need. These tubes are available at most decent-sized grocery stores, as well as at the large box grocers. If I have plenty of time, I purchase fresh ginger and lemongrass, and do the chopping myself, but these little tubes taste really fresh and are great for quick and easy meals.
The only thing I don't usually have on hand for this recipe are the pea pods, but, if I'm thinking ahead just a bit, they're easy enough to pick up at the market. Either sugar snap peas or snow peas work well.
I use an old Chinese tenderizing trick on the chicken as boneless, skinless chicken breasts tend to dry out and turn a bit rubbery when cooked in dishes like this. The technique's called velvetizing and is common in Asian cuisine. Chicken breasts are sliced thin and marinated in a mixture of egg white, cornstarch, rice vinegar and a touch of oil. It only takes 20 minutes, but the result is magical. In this dish, after marinating, the chicken is slipped into to the hot bubbling sauce. Then, just cover the pan, turn off the heat and wait a few minutes as the thinly sliced chicken cooks - when you take the first bite, you'll totally understand why it's called "velvetizing"!
The veggies are barely cooked, as they're just added to the hot sauce at the last minute. They keep their vibrant color and are a fresh, crisp contrast to the tender chicken.
Do you have days when you don't feel like cooking? What if you could whip up an incredibly delicious dinner in 30 minutes? Probably quicker than you could run out and pick up some take-out! Check the recipe below, make sure you're stocked with a few basics and you'll be good to go. It's a beautiful, eye appealing dish and everyone will think you spent hours. I won't spill the beans if you don't!
- For the marinade:
- 1 egg white
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 2 medium boneless skinless chicken breast thinly sliced
- For the sauce:
- ⅔ cup sweet chili sauce
- ½ cup honey
- 1 tablepoon low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh lemongrass
- 2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- ½ cup low sodium chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- For the veggies:
- 5-6 mini bell peppers thinly sliced
- 4 ounces sugar snap peas or snow peas sliced in half diagonally
- For garnish:
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- ¼ cup peanuts chopped
- lime wedges
-
Whisk together cornstarch, egg white, rice vinegar and 1 teaspoon oil. Add sliced chicken and stir to coat. (I like to use my hand for this.) Place in refrigerator for 20 minutes.
-
Meanwhile, combine sweet chili sauce, honey, soy sauce, fish sauce, ginger, lemongrass, lime juice and oil in a medium-large skillet. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a very low simmer.
-
Whisk together chicken broth and cornstarch. Slowly add mixture to sauce in skillet, stirring constantly till sauce is smooth and combined.
-
Remove chicken from refrigerator and drain in a colander. Bring sauce in pan to a boil. Drop chicken slices into sauce in a single layer. Stir gently to immerse chicken in sauce and separate any pieces that may have stuck together. Cover, remove from heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
-
Uncover, add sliced peppers and pea pods. Stir gently to combine. Serve immediately with jasmine rice. Garnish with chopped cilantro, roughly chopped, salted peanuts and fresh lime wedges.
This dish is medium spicy. If you like your food quite spicy, increase the amount of sweet chili sauce (it's called "sweet" but it's got a fair amount of heat) and decrease the honey in proportion. If you like dishes with LOTS of heat, add a few teaspoons of Sriracha sauce to the sauce ingredients.
If, on the other hand, you don't like things spicy at all, decrease the sweet chili sauce and increase the honey. Just keep the same total amount.
Terry says
Why is the prep time 9 hours and 14 minutes? Am I missing something?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Terry, no you're not missing anything. When I switched recipe plugins a while back, it messed up all the times on my recipes. I'm going back and correcting them but. with over 1,000 recipes, it's taking a while. I'll go ahead and fix this one now.
therese says
I made this last night and loved it. I used fresh lemongrass (never used before and bought some for another dish), and it all was wonderful. I never knew about the "velvetizing" of the chicken. Learn something new everyday, and I love it! I always hated tough chicken breast in my stir fry's.
I freeze fresh ginger since I don't use it all in one go. I pull it out of the freezer, scrap a spoon over the skin to remove (comes off easily) and then can easily cut and chop up the ginger to the amount I need. Being frozen, it's really quite easy to work with.
Gayann ONeal says
I just finished making this, and it is a definate winner! The trick to tenderize the chicken is genius! The only thing I did differently, was to simmer the chicken in the sauce, instead of taking it off the heat to make sure it cooked through. I am definately making this for my Supper Club,!! Thanks so much!
Chris Scheuer says
So glad you liked it Gayann!
Kenzie says
I just made this recipe for my family. It was great! One thing, though: a very, very odd smell filled the kitchen (and the whole house) while I was making it and for a good while after. I'm not sure what caused it either. My guess is the lemongrass paste I used, but I can't be certain. I would love to make it again, but the smell was less than desirable. Can anyone help?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Kenzie,
I have a feeling, it might be the fish sauce. To me, fish sauce has a terrible smell but adds wonderful flavor, go figure! You could skip it and add a bit more soy sauce. They both add a bit of savory, salty flavor. The final result will not be quite the same but close. The fish sauce gives it more of an authentic “Thai” flavor. I don’t think it was lemongrass as that’s a pretty nice aroma and once you add it the other ingredients in the sauce, that should disappear. I’m glad you enjoyed it despite the odd aroma!
Muna Kenny says
I love Thai food, but it is expensive, or reasonably priced for small portion. I will give your recipe a try, it looks delicious and the color combination made it gorgeous 🙂
Susan says
I adore Thai food! This looks so beautiful with the mini bells peppers, Chris! Pinning!
TheKitchenLioness says
Chris, what a colorful dish indeed and what a nice and uncomplicated recipe to have on hand for all those busy days/evenings!
Hope you are enjoying a wonderful Advent!
Andrea
Emily says
I appreciate this recipe . It is easy to make and tasty.
Chris Scheuer says
So glad you enjoyed it Emily!
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
This is a great recipe to have in your repertoire for bury nights. It is especially good at this time of the year when life becomes hectic. Lovely, colorful dish.
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
This recipe would be an absolute lifesaver, and I love the Thai flavors!
Abbe @ This is How I Cook says
This is a dish I love! I often don't plan ahead and rely on staples to make dinner. This is perfect and perfectly yummy!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says
Beautiful dish, Chris and definitely speaking to me with the Thai flavours! And thanks for reminding me about velveting the chicken!
Adina says
I love this recipe and I will velvetize my chicken breasts next time, I love it at the Chinese restaurant, but never tried myself. I am making this dish soon.
Madonna/aka/Ms. Lemon says
Looks delicious Chris.
Maureen | Orgasmicchef.com says
What a treat this would be. I haven't tried the velvetising but I keep telling myself I'm going to. This is gorgeous! Love how the peas stand out.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Maureen. It's so simple too!
Sandra says
I echo the comments about how amazing these pictures are! I need a quick and easy meal recipe like this is my stash and I can't wait to "velvetize" my chicken.
Chris Scheuer says
It makes such a difference in the taste and eating experience of enjoying chicken Sandra!
Jenna says
I didn't know you can store ginger paste in the freezer, what a great tip Chris! We are actually having sticky chicken in the crockpot tonight, but yours looks much better than mine 🙂
Chris Scheuer says
Isn't that a fun thing to know, Jenna? I'm thrilled to have those tubes right in my freezer - so convenient!
Katie Epp says
Can you put it back in to the freezer to refreeze after you've taken out what you need?
Chris Scheuer says
Yes Katie, you definitely can. I just let it thaw enough to be able to squeeze out what I need then return it to the freezer. It will keep fresh a long time. I love this stuff as I’m often in a hurry 🙂
Vicki Bensinger says
Chris this looks beautiful, tasty, and the colors of all those veggies are so vivid - nice work on the photo Scott. I'd like to have a plateful right about now.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Vicki! I was a really fun dish to style and shoot - hard to go wrong!
sue|theviewfromgreatisland says
You've got my number with this dish, Chris. We love our take out here, but you are so right, it's pricey and not always that high quality. I am going to make this for sure, I love the colors!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Sue!
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
Those colours are just making me happy, Chris. I am very sure it tastes amazing too.
Chris Scheuer says
It's so fresh Angie!
Shashi at RunninSrilankan says
I have lots of days when I don't feel like cooking - especially round the holiday season - but, dishes like this is what makes me stay home and whip something up. This is gorgeous Chris! And that velvetized chicken must have been decadent to chomp on - way better than any take out would be!
Chris Scheuer says
It truly is Shashi! Sometimes I have to remind myself, "i can make this twice as fast and three times as cheaply" as takeout (or take away as they say in London)!
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert says
We are such fans of Thai inspired dishes - and this one sounds perfect! Love everything in the sauce and the colors are fantastic! Pinning!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Tricia! At this time of the year, meals like this are like a breath of fresh air! We love them too!
Monique says
You couldn't have a more appetizing photo than that first one..every pod..perfection..I love asianish meals..looks great!
Chris Scheuer says
That's so sweet Monique - Scott loved shooting this one because of the colors and textures.
John/Kitchen Riffs says
Excellent food styling! We'll do take out or a dinner out to escape the kitchen sometimes, too. Much prefer to cook at home, though, and with this half hour beauty? Easier to stay in that go out! This is wonderful -- thanks.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much John! It really comes together fast, and when we're going crazy with the blog and life, that's just what the doctor ordered!