Sticky Thai Chili Glazed Chicken with Garlic Rice and Roasted Green Beans

This Thai-inspired sweet chili chicken brings bold, sticky-sweet flavor to your dinner table in under an hour. The star is a glossy glaze made from honey, sriracha, fresh chili and a touch of sugar, which coats tender pan-seared chicken cutlets. Paired with fragrant garlic jasmine rice and oven-roasted green beans, this dish is a perfect balance of spicy, sweet and savory.

Inspired by the Thai dipping sauce nam jim kai, this recipe simplifies the classic into an easy weeknight meal. The glaze comes together quickly in the same pan used for the chicken, picking up all those delicious browned bits. Serve it with a squeeze of fresh lime and sliced chili for an extra kick.

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Ingredients

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 thumb GingerView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 clove GarlicView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Chili PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Jasmine RiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 ounce Green BeansView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Chicken CutletsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon HoneyView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon SrirachaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 teaspoon Vegetable OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry all produce. Adjust rack to upper position and preheat oven to 425°F. Zest 1 teaspoon zest from lime, then cut into quarters. Peel ginger, then mince or grate until you have 1 tablespoon (save the rest for another use). Mince or grate garlic. Thinly slice chili, removing ribs and seeds for less heat.
2. Heat a large drizzle of oil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add half the ginger and half the garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add rice, ¾ cup water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and lower heat to a gentle simmer. Cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Keep covered.
3. Meanwhile, toss green beans with a drizzle of olive oil and a big pinch of salt and pepper on a baking sheet. Roast until browned and tender, about 15 minutes. Once done, remove from oven and toss with half the lime zest.
4. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel and season all over with salt and pepper. Add to pan and cook until browned and no longer pink throughout, 3-5 minutes per side. Remove from pan and set aside. Let pan cool slightly.
5. Heat a drizzle of oil in pan used for chicken over medium-low heat. Add remaining ginger and garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in honey, sriracha, juice from one lime quarter, 1 tablespoon water and 1 teaspoon sugar. Scrape up any browned bits on bottom of pan. Let simmer until thick and sticky, 1-2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in 1 tablespoon butter. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Return chicken to pan, flipping to coat in glaze. Fluff rice with a fork, then stir in 1 tablespoon butter, remaining lime zest and a squeeze of lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Divide rice and green beans between plates. Arrange chicken on top of rice, drizzling over any glaze in pan. Garnish with chili to taste. Serve with remaining lime quarters.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use chicken thighs instead of cutlets?

Yes, boneless skinless chicken thighs work well. Adjust cooking time as needed until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F.

Can I substitute the jasmine rice?

Any long-grain white rice will work, but cooking time may vary. Basmati or regular white rice are good alternatives.

How do I make this dish less spicy?

Reduce or omit the chili pepper and use less sriracha. You can also remove the seeds and ribs from the chili for a milder heat.