A honey, hoisin, and Sriracha sauce make these Sweet and Spicy Sriracha Chicken Thighs exactly that: a little sweet and a little spicy and also a whole lot easy!
Here's another quick and easy one for you all. I am obsessed with these new Sweet and Spicy Sriracha Chicken Thighs! Not only were they super easy / fast to make, but the combo of honey and sriracha was soooo good.
Ingredients Needed
- Boneless Chicken Thighs- Bone-in will not work for this recipe because of the longer cooking time.
- Hoisin and Honey - The sweet! Also, have you made your own Homemade Hoisin Sauce yet? It is surprisingly easy and so rewarding!
- Sriracha and Chili Garlic Sauce - The Spicy
- Soy Sauce
- Sesame Seeds - Optional for garnish
- Garlic and Ginger - Either ground or fresh, whichever you have will work.
I always prefer fresh garlic and often use ground ginger instead of fresh because my four year old can find the smallest piece of ginger in a dish and then will immediately claim she doesn't like it.
Step-by-Step Instructions
This recipe should also have "easy" in the title, too.
Step 1: Mix everything except the sesame seeds (and chicken) to a bowl and mix.
Step 2: Add chicken thighs to a ziplock bag and then add sauce to let marinate for at least 15 minutes and up to 24 hrs.
Step 3: Heat oil in a large sauté pan and add chicken. Sauté for a couple of minutes and then add the sauce.
Step 4: Cook until sauce has thickened, chicken is coated, and the internal temperature reaches at least 165 degrees.
Tip: Concerned about making sure your chicken is fully cooked? An instant read thermometer takes all of the guesswork out of those thicker cut pieces of chicken. We absolutely love our ThermoPro Digital Thermometer.
And done! The sauce is thick and it coated the thighs beautifully. The flavor is upfront sweet and then finishes with a lingering spicy kick. Swoon.
Serve It With
15 Minute Garlic Fried Noodles
I served it over some quinoa but you could also serve it with rice, or mashed potatoes, or hell just with some steamed broccoli if you're watching your carbs. My husband said he even had a piece cold for breakfast the next morning. That's how good it is, which means it has officially earned Staple definition in our house!
You Also May Like
Maple Soy Glazed Chicken Thighs
Homemade Crispy Sesame Chicken
20 Minute Sweet and Spicy Noodles
Chicken and Broccoli Sesame Noodles
FAQs
Definitely, as long as it's boneless and thinner cut. We've made it with chicken tenderloins but prefer the flavor of the dark meat of the chicken thigh.
Definitely. You can also use fresh ginger in place of ground ginger. See the recipe notes for the substitutions.
For sure. You can prepare the marinade and marinate the chicken the night before, up to 24 hrs in advance. But 15 minutes is all you need.
Yes. Instead of marinating, you can prepare it all and put it in a freezer-safe bag/container and freeze for up to 6 months. To thaw, take out the night before and let it all thaw completely in the fridge before cooking.
Yes, but it will change the cooking time/technique quite a bit. See recipe card.
Enjoy! As always, if you make this recipe or any of my others, I love to hear what you think! Leave a comment below, email me, or you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
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Sweet and Spicy Sriracha Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs fat trimmed
- 3-4 large garlic cloves, minced about a tablespoon worth
- 1 2 inch piece fresh ginger, minced about a tablespoon worth
- 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha
- 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (optional)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 - 2 tablespoon water
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- sesame seeds to garnish
Instructions
- Add chicken thighs to a large zip lock bag.
- In a medium sized bowl, add all of the remaining ingredients, except the water. Mix well, then add water.
- Add marinade to the chicken, seal, and let marinate for at least 15 minutes.
- In a large saute pan, heat olive oil on medium. Add the chicken only at first and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Add marinade and continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes on each side while the sauce reduces and the chicken is cooked through. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve immediately.
Can you bake instead of frying?
Totally! Make the sauce, I’d bake with the sauce at 425 for about 20 minutes until internal temp is at least 165 degrees.
Wow, was this recipe great! Bill and I really enjoyed the great flavor of this delicious sauce, and it was perfect for thighs. In fact, I came back to Pinterest just to look up this sauce again as I thought it might go well with coconut shrimp. I also have some stir-fry cut pork in the freezer that will probably hook up with this awesome sauce soon. I rarely comment on blog recipes but this one was just fantastic. Also, THANK YOU for the "jump to recipe" link at the top of the page - you are my new hero and I am now following you on Pinterest!
Oh my gosh Bridget you are TOO SWEET! I'm SOOOO Happy you and Bill enjoyed it!! This is definitely one of our favorites - so glad you guys love it as much as we do!!
The combination of sweet and spicy is always perfect!!
Agreed, Tisha!
This is such a delicious sounding recipe! Perfect for football games and tailgating!
Oooh I didn't even think about serving them for a game - but you're so right!!
Can chicken with skin and bone be used instead? Also can u bake the same instead of frying?
Hi Elly! I just saw your email too, now I know which recipe you mean! Using any cut of meat with a bone will greatly increase the cooking time. I would recommend searing the chicken thighs first, and then baking in the oven. I will update the recipe card with those instructions, too. Thanks for asking!
Sweet and spicy sounds just perfect for these wings! I can see that these would be a huge hit for game food especially during football season.
I love the flavors in this sauce! Sweet and spicy is the best combination, especially on chicken - do delish!
So true!
I made these last night and they were just delicious!
We had them in some steamed buns with wilted green.
Delicious!
That's wonderful, Claire!! Mmm steamed buns and wilted greens - perfect pairing!