Keep dinner simple with this easy Chili Crisp Chicken. Thin chicken cutlets soak in a three-ingredient chili crisp marinade, then cook quickly in a skillet for spicy, sticky chicken that is perfect over rice.
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: Chili crisp adds a spicy, garlicky crunch that clings to the chicken, while honey and soy provide a balance of salty, sweet, and spicy in every bite.
- Skill Level: This four-step recipe is easy to make and cooks in one pan.
- Recommended Tools: An instant-read thermometer is the best way to tell when chicken is done. It should read 165°F at the thickest part of the meat.
- Make Ahead Tip: Cook an extra batch and enjoy it hot or cold all week long; as it chills, the flavors will blend even more!
Chili Crisp Chicken Ingredients
- Chili Crisp: Don’t confuse chili crisp with sambal or sriracha. Chili crisp is crunchy, savory, and spicy, and a little bit goes a long way. You can swap it for chili oil or paste, but chili crisp has more crunchy bits, including fried onions, scallions, or shallots.
- Chicken: Cutlets are the easiest to use, but you can slice chicken breasts into cutlets.
- Sauce: Honey balances the heat; swap it for maple syrup in a pinch. Soy sauce provides depth and color. Use regular or low-sodium, or swap it for tamari or coconut aminos. Like it extra spicy? Add extra red chili flakes, some chopped jalapenos, or a little spoonful of sambal oelek or Rooster sauce (AKA sriracha).
- Variations: Toss in a bag of frozen mixed vegetables, chopped spinach, kale, sliced bell peppers, or shredded Brussels sprouts with the chicken in Step 4 to round out the meal.
Simple Sidekicks
- Chili crisp chicken is delish served with a side of coconut rice, ramen noodles, or over garlic bok choy.
- Serve it with a delicious salad like Asian cucumber salad, Asian noodle salad, or Asian chopped salad.
Storing and Saving
- Keep leftover chili crisp chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze portions in zippered bags up to a month and thaw in the refrigerator before enjoying.
- Enjoy leftovers cold over an Asian slaw for an energizing workday lunch, or reheat portions by popping them in the air fryer or under the broiler to make the pieces crispy again.
Delicious Asian-Inspired Faves
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken cutlets or chicken breasts *see notes
- 2 tablespoons chili crisp more for serving
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
For Serving
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
- 1 green onion thinly sliced
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together chili crisp, honey, and soy sauce.
- Add the chicken and toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade. Cook for 3–4 minutes per side or until cooked through.
- Remove from heat and drizzle with additional chili crisp. Top with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.
Notes
- If using chicken breasts, slice each one in half horizontally to create cutlets. Place between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even thickness, about ½ inch.
- This dish is great served over steamed white rice.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 212 | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 216mg | Potassium: 436mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 64IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Chicken, Dinner, Entree, Main Course
Cuisine American, Asian© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
