Sticky 10-Chilli Chicken

If you’re a fan of spice, Sticky 10-Chilli Chicken is a dish that will excite your taste buds. This fiery stir fry packs a punch with 10 red chillies, creating a bold and tangy flavour profile that will leave you wanting more. The sticky sauce, combined with tender chicken thighs, creates a dish that’s both satisfying and bold. While this recipe is perfect for spice enthusiasts, it can be adjusted to suit milder palates by deseeding the chillies. Whether you’re looking to ignite your senses or experiment with heat, this dish is versatile and guarantees a memorable meal.

Table of Contents:

• Ingredient Breakdown
• The Fiery Sauce: A Key Element of Sticky 10-Chilli Chicken
• Preparing the Chicken
• Serving Suggestions: How to Enjoy Sticky 10-Chilli Chicken
• How to Adjust the Heat Level
• Why You’ll Love Sticky 10-Chilli Chicken
• Stuck on What to Make? More Recipes You’ll Love

Ingredient Breakdown

• Chicken thigh fillets: Boneless and skinless thighs are ideal for this stir fry. They’re juicy and tender, soaking up the flavours beautifully.
• Red chillies: These fiery ingredients give the dish its heat. Finely chopped, they’re the star of the show. Deseeding them can help control the spice level.
• Fresh ginger: Grated ginger adds a fragrant, warm heat that complements the chillies perfectly.
• Garlic cloves: Garlic’s robust flavour balances the heat, adding depth to the sauce.
• Distilled vinegar: The vinegar provides acidity, cutting through the richness of the sauce and balancing the spiciness.
• White caster sugar: A touch of sweetness to counterbalance the heat and acidity, making the sauce sticky and moreish.
• Light soy sauce: Soy sauce contributes savoury umami while helping to bring everything together.
• Vegetable oil: Used for stir frying, allowing the chicken to brown and cook evenly.
• Spring onions: Thinly sliced spring onions add freshness and a mild onion flavour to the dish.
• Sesame seeds: These add texture and a nutty flavour, providing an extra layer of flavour and crunch.
• Water: Used to dilute the sauce and help the ingredients combine smoothly.

The Fiery Sauce: A Key Element of Sticky 10-Chilli Chicken

The sauce in Sticky 10-Chilli Chicken is where the magic happens. A combination of red chillies, fresh ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, and water creates a unique balance of heat, sweetness, and acidity. The chillies bring the spice, but the sugar and vinegar work together to temper and balance the intensity, while the soy sauce adds a deep savoury richness.

Making the sauce is straightforward. Simply whisk together the ingredients or throw them in a food processor for a smoother result. While the sauce cooks, it reduces and thickens, becoming a sticky glaze that coats the chicken perfectly. It’s important to let it reduce for several minutes to achieve that irresistible sticky consistency, which is the hallmark of this dish.

Preparing the Chicken

The chicken thighs are essential for this recipe, as they remain juicy and tender during the cooking process. By cutting the thighs into bite-sized pieces, the chicken soaks up the flavours from the sauce more effectively. After seasoning the chicken with salt and pepper, stir-frying it until half-cooked ensures that the chicken gets a good sear, which adds flavour and texture.

Once the chicken is partially cooked, the sauce is added. As the sauce reduces, it clings to the chicken, creating a sticky, flavour-packed coating. Stir occasionally, ensuring every piece of chicken gets coated in that fiery sauce. Depending on the heat of your pan and the size of the chicken pieces, the cooking time for this step can range from 7 to 10 minutes. Be patient and allow the sauce to thicken into a delicious glaze that will make every bite irresistible.

Serving Suggestions: How to Enjoy Sticky 10-Chilli Chicken

Once your Sticky 10-Chilli Chicken is ready, it’s time to serve. This dish pairs wonderfully with fluffy rice, which helps to balance out the heat. You can also serve it with a side of steamed or stir-fried vegetables to add colour and texture to your plate.

To finish, top your chicken with thinly sliced spring onions for a burst of freshness, and sesame seeds for a little crunch and nuttiness. The result is a dish that’s visually stunning and packed with bold flavours. Perfect for impressing guests or enjoying as a satisfying family meal.

How to Adjust the Heat Level

If you prefer a milder dish, there are easy ways to adjust the spice level of Sticky 10-Chilli Chicken. One simple trick is to deseed the chillies before chopping them. This will remove some of the heat, making the dish more accessible to those with a lower tolerance for spice. Alternatively, you can reduce the number of chillies used. Or even substitute them with milder varieties, such as sweet red peppers or anaheim chillies, for a more subtle kick.

If you’re looking for an extra layer of flavour without increasing the heat, you can also add a dash of honey or maple syrup to the sauce. This will intensify the sweetness and provide a nice contrast to the tanginess of the vinegar, without overwhelming the heat.

Why You’ll Love Sticky 10-Chilli Chicken

If you’re someone who enjoys bold, intense flavours, then Sticky 10-Chilli Chicken is a must-try. Not only does it pack a fiery punch, but it also strikes a perfect balance between heat, sweetness, and savoury richness. It’s the kind of dish that hits all the right notes, making it a real crowd-pleaser. 

Whether you’re cooking for a weeknight dinner or preparing something to impress at a dinner party, this dish ticks all the boxes – flavour, simplicity, and versatility. Plus, the ability to adjust the spice level means you can make it as mild or as hot as you prefer. It’s guaranteed to become a favourite in your recipe rotation.

Stuck on What to Make? More Recipes You’ll Love

If you’ve enjoyed this Sticky 10-Chilli Chicken, I have some more recipes for you that are just as sticky and just as delicious:

• BBQ Sweet Chilli Chicken Drumsticks: Sticky, sweet and finger-licking good! These chicken drumsticks are full of flavour and so easy to make.
• Sticky Five-Spice Ribs: Super tender pork ribs smothered in a sticky, sweet sauce. Melt-in-your-mouth and easy to make!
• Sticky Chorizo Brussels Sprouts: These sticky chorizo brussels sprouts are so incredibly tasty and they only require 3 ingredients: brussels sprouts, chorizo and honey. 

Head over to my Instagram to see how I make these recipes and more!