Spicy Sweet Honey Sriracha Chicken

Crispy, tender chicken smothered in an irresistibly sticky, sweet, spicy honey Sriracha sauce with garlic. This honey sriracha chicken, perfect for weeknight meals, the complete meal is ready in 20 minutes from start to finish and tastes so good you will never order takeout again!  

Craving more takeout favorites? Check out our Easy Black Pepper Chicken Recipe and Kung Pao Shrimp.

This Honey Sriracha Chicken Recipe is such a simple and quick dish that it will become a favorite chicken dinner recipe for busy evenings. 

The chicken breast pieces are coated in cornstarch and pan-fried until golden and crisp. The chicken is then smothered in the sticky honey sriracha sauce with garlic, adding so much flavour. 

The recipe gets its signature flavour from the sauce. It's a 5-ingredient sauce, and the best part is it keeps well for months in the fridge, sealed in an airtight container. I recommend making a big batch because it's fantastic over wings, meatballs, and tofu, as a dipping sauce for chicken tenders, fries, and so much more. 

Serve your sticky, sweet, and spicy chicken over rice, noodles, tacos, or lettuce wraps. They are also delicious on their own. I love to add some crushed toasted peanuts for some crunch. But no matter how you serve this, you will love it every time!

Why this recipe works

Quick and easy: You'll need one pan and 20 minutes to make this great recipe.

Delicious sauce: The sauce boasts an addictive, perfect combination of savory, sweet, and tangy flavor with a kick of heat. 

No deep frying required: The chicken breast pieces are tossed in cornstarch and then cooked in a nonstick skillet which requires minimal oil. The chicken emerges juicy, satisfyingly crisp, and healthier than deep fried without all the mess or calories.

Customizable: You can use skinless chicken breasts or skinless chicken thighs or swap the chicken for tofu, shrimp, or other protein of choice. Depending on your family's preferences, you can customize the sauce ingredients as sweet or spicy as you'd like. 

Budget-friendly: It is much less expensive than takeout. Feed your entire family for a fraction of dining out.

What you need for this dish

Here are a few important notes about the ingredients. For measurements see the recipe card below.

Chicken: I used lean chicken breast, but you can also use chicken thighs. Other proteins would work as well. 

Salt and pepper: flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper for seasoning the chicken.

Cornstarch: coat chicken and thicken the sauce to a glossy, luscious consistency. Potato starch is an excellent substitute.

Fresh garlic: adds so much flavor. It shapes the flavor profile of this dish. 

Red chili flakes: adds a little kick and more depth to the dish. Use more or less according to your heat level preference, or you can even leave it out.

Oil: I use peanut oil, but any neutral-flavoured cooking oil such as vegetable, canola, soybean, or sunflower oil will work.

For Honey Sriracha Sauce

Honey: adds a slightly floral flavor and some sweetness, balancing the tang. You can use more or less depending on how you like it.

Sriracha sauce: use as much or as little as you like depending on how spicy you want.

Rice vinegar: for the signature tang in honey sriracha chicken. Apple cider vinegar will also work. 

Soy sauce: use light or regular, but not dark soy sauce. Dark soy sauce will overpower the sauce and make it too dark.

Toasted sesame oil: adds a lovely flavor to the sauce. A little goes a long way. 

Garnish

• For texture and flavor, I like adding fresh green onions and crushed toasted peanuts on top. You can replace peanuts with sesame seeds or cashews if you wish. 

How to make Honey Sriracha Sauce 

• The sauce for honey sriracha chicken is so simple. Add honey, sriracha sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and toasted sesame oil in a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.

How to prepare Honey Sriracha Chicken 

• Season the chicken with salt and black pepper.
• Place cornstarch in a shallow dish, coat the chicken, shake off the excess and set aside.
• Heat a large frying pan until it's hot. Add 2 ½ tablespoons of oil and tilt the pan to spread oil all over. Add chicken in a single layer and cook over medium flame for about 2 minutes or until golden from the bottom. Then flip the chicken cubes over and cook for about 1 minute.
• Remove the chicken from the pan.

• Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in the same pan. Add garlic and red chili flakes. Saute for about 30 seconds, and immediately add the honey sriracha sauce. 
• Stir and cook until the sauce is thickened. Add the chicken and toss, making sure to coat each piece evenly. 
• Remove the chicken from heat and top with crushed toasted peanuts and chopped green onions.
• Serve hot.

Storing Leftovers

Honey sriracha chicken is best eaten fresh. However, leftovers will still be tasty. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up 3-4 days.

Helpful Tips

• This sauce is perfect for any protein suitable for cooking in a pan. Use meatballs, chicken wings, shrimp, and tofu. Follow the recipe exactly as written; just adjust the cooking time.
• If you plan to serve the sauce as a dip, don't forget to add a little garlic and chili flakes for that extra zing.
• Try to cut the chicken into even-sized pieces so that they will finish cooking at the same time.
• Cook the chicken in batches if needed but don't overcrowd the pan.
• Don't overcook the chicken, or it will make the chicken dry.
• Adjust the heat. Add more or less sriracha and red chili flakes as per your heat level preference.

More Favorite Dinners

• Chicken Mei Fun
• Chicken Jalfrezi
• Easy Egg Fried Rice
• The Best Easy Spanish Rice

FAQs

If you try the recipe, please take a moment to leave a comment and rating. I love hearing from you and it also helps other readers who are thinking of making the recipe.

Recipe

Honey Garlic Sriracha Chicken

Crispy, tender chicken smothered in an irresistibly sticky, sweet, spicy honey sriracha sauce with garlic. This honey sriracha chicken is ready in 20 minutes from start to finish and tastes so good you will never order takeout again!

4.60 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: Asian, Chinese

Keyword: Honey sriracha chicken recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 2

Calories:

Author: Geetanjali

Equipment

• Pan

Ingredients

• 500 gram or 1 lb chicken breasts cut Into 1 inch cubes
• salt and black pepper
• 4 ½ tablespoon cornstarch
• 3 tablespoon peanut oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic minced
• ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
• 2 tablespoon water or chicken broth

For Honey Sriracha Sauce

• 4 tablespoon honey
• 3 tablespoon sriracha sauce
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Garnish

• 2 tablespoon spring onion greens chopped
• 2 tablespoon toasted peanuts crushed

Instructions

Making Honey Sriracha Sauce

• The sauce for honey sriracha chicken is so simple. Add honey, sriracha sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and toasted sesame oil in a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Preparing Honey Sriracha Chicken

• Season the chicken with salt and black pepper.
• Place cornstarch in a shallow dish, coat the chicken, shake off the excess and set aside.
• Heat a large frying pan until it's hot. Add 2 ½ tablespoons of oil and tilt the pan to spread oil all over. Add chicken in a single layer and cook over medium flame for about 2 minutes or until golden from the bottom. Then flip the chicken cubes over and cook for about 1 minute.
• Remove the chicken from the pan.
• Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in the same pan. Add garlic and red chili flakes. Saute for about 30 seconds, and immediately add the honey sriracha sauce.
• Stir and cook until the sauce is thickened. Add the chicken and toss, making sure to coat each piece evenly.
• Remove the chicken from heat and top with crushed toasted peanuts and chopped green onions.
• Serve hot.

Notes

• This sauce is perfect for any protein suitable for cooking in a pan. Use meatballs, chicken wings, shrimp, and tofu. Follow the recipe exactly as written; just adjust the cooking time.
• If you plan to serve the sauce as a dip, don't forget to add a little garlic and chili flakes for that extra zing.
• Try to cut the chicken into even-sized pieces so that they will finish cooking at the same time.
• Cook the chicken in batches if needed but don't overcrowd the pan.
• Don't overcook the chicken, or it will make the chicken dry.
• Adjust the heat. Add more or less sriracha and red chili flakes as per your heat level preference.