Sticky Chicken will be your new favorite chicken dinner. This dinner is made in about 20 minutes and is so much better than takeout!
One of our favorite things to eat is an easy chicken stir fry with a delicious sauce over rice. They are usually so quick and easy to make with tons of great flavor.
This Sticky Chicken is just like that. It reminds you of something you would get from an Asian-inspired food stall at the mall, only a million times better.
Sticky Chicken Sauce Ingredients
This Sticky Chicken recipe is an Asian-inspired stir fry that everyone will love. It has a very simple sauce recipe that combines a few ingredients for a delicious, sticky-sweet flavor. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post to see the full recipe, including all measurements.
- Soy sauce: Adds a salty, savory kick that’s essential to the flavor of Sticky Chicken. For a gluten-free alternative, use a gluten-free soy sauce, coconut aminos, or tamari.
- Apple cider vinegar: Brings a tangy acidity to the sauce. Rice vinegar would be good in this recipe too if you have that on hand.
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic will give you the best flavor in Sticky Chicken.
- Honey: Adds a touch of sweetness to balance the acidity and spice of other ingredients and a “sticky” component known in Sticky Chicken. It caramelizes beautifully, helping the sauce cling to the chicken.
- Fresh grated ginger: I absolutely love the flavor and zing that ginger adds to recipes. Read more on your options for grated ginger below.
- Chile paste: Adds some heat to the sauce. It blends into the sauce easily and adds a subtle kick without overpowering the dish. Read more on chili paste below.
- Corn starch: Thickens the sauce and helps it coat the chicken.
How to Make Sticky Chicken
Here is a brief overview of how this Sticky Chicken recipe comes together. For the full recipe, including all measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Make your rice. I love serving this over rice. Begin the rice before you prepare the rest of the dish so that it is finished when the chicken is. A quick way to do this is to make my Instant Pot Rice.
- Make the sauce. Whisk together the soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, garlic, honey, ginger, chile paste, and cornstarch.
- Cook the chicken. Heat the olive oil and then add the chicken, cooking until no longer pink, about four minutes.
- Put it all together. Pour the sauce over the chicken and cook for an additional one to two minutes or until the sauce thickens.
Instant Pot Rice
Spice Level
This recipe gets its spice from the chili paste. You guys know how much I love chili paste from my Noodle Stir Fry and my Chicken Lettuce Wraps. It keeps in your refrigerator forever and is good in so many things.
You will note that the recipe calls for one tablespoon. That gave this recipe a pretty decent kick. If you are averse to spice, I recommend you cut that in half and taste the sauce to see if you’d like to add more. If you want to make this dish more spicy, you can add more chili paste.
Chili Paste
Buying Ginger
This recipe calls for fresh ginger. You have two buying options. You can buy a stick of ginger root and grate it, or you can buy a tube of pre-grated ginger.
The tube of ginger is generally more expensive, but it is so convenient that we often go that way. Additionally, we don’t end up wasting a big piece of ginger root. You can find it with the produce in your grocery store.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Store any leftover sticky chicken and its sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. I recommend storing the rice separately from the chicken. Reheat only the portion you plan to eat in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through. Always use your best discretion when reheating and eating leftovers.
What to Serve with Sticky Chicken
We love this recipe over rice and with a side of steamed broccoli to make it a full meal. You will definitely want a veggie and rice to add to make sure there is enough dinner. The flavors in these salads will be the perfect accompaniment. You can also serve it with cauliflower rice for an extra serving of vegetables and a lower-carb option than regular rice.
If you try this sticky chicken recipe or any of my other recipes, I’d be so grateful if you came back and left a comment letting me know!
Sticky Chicken
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup soy sauce (120 grams)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger see note
- 1 tablespoon chile paste
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces (453.6 grams)
- scallions for garnish
- sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- I recommend serving this over rice and with some steamed broccoli to make this a full meal. Begin the rice before you prepare the rest of the dish so that it is finished when the chicken is. My Instant Pot Rice is a great choice.
- Whisk together the soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, garlic, honey, ginger, chile paste, and cornstarch.1/2 cup soy sauce, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 4 garlic cloves, 3 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger, 1 tablespoon chile paste, 1 tablespoon corn starch
- Set a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Heat the olive oil and then add the chicken, cooking until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Pour the sauce over the chicken and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes or until the sauce begins to thicken.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Serve over rice and garnish with sesame seeds and cut-up scallions.scallions for garnish, sesame seeds for garnish
Recipe Video
Notes
Sharon says
I wish you would post the nutritionalinfo on your recipes
I’m sorry about that Sharon. A lot of my recipes do have nutritional information. The lack here was an oversight. It is in the recipe card now.
Carl+Pirro says
Thanks for the recipe Lisa, will give it a try.
I hope you love it!
Melody Wright says
Lisa, is the ginger ground spice or fresh grated ginger root?
I’m so sorry, Melody, that was poorly written. It is grated fresh ginger.
Macarie says
Is there a substitute for the chili paste that has no heat? I can’t have anything spicy but want to try this chicken
Just leave it out! It won’t have the same flavor, but you will still enjoy it.
Etta says
How do I make chili paste
I don’t make chili paste, I can always find it in the international aisle of my grocery store.
Diann B Thomas says
When using this recipe can you use ginger puree?
If you are talking about the tube of minced ginger sold in the grocery store, yes!
Adia says
Looks yummy 😋 l love all you’re recipes. can I leave out the ginger?
You can, but you might end up feeling like the dish is missing a flavor you just can’t put your finer on.
Bonnie says
loved th recipe but was salty . Would use low sodium soy next time
Jill says
I love Sticky Chicken. I tried several recipes of it and it turned out to be a miserable failure. Enjoying all your recipes, I couldn’t wait to try yours. Beyond 5 stars for a homemade version of my favorite take-out recipe. I served it with white rice and fresh pineapple. Thank you Lisa. You are a culinary genius!
I’m so glad to hear that you liked this!