Description
Chicken Fillet in Spicy Sauce is a quick and flavorful Asian-inspired main course featuring pan-seared boneless chicken breasts coated in a bold, spicy, savory sauce made with garlic, ginger, sriracha, and honey. Perfect for a weeknight dinner, this dish balances heat and sweetness and is garnished with chopped green onions and sesame seeds for added texture and flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Sauce:
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup chicken broth or water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water (optional, for thickening)
Garnish:
- Chopped green onions
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness to ensure uniform cooking. Season both sides of each breast evenly with salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika for depth of flavor.
- Cook the chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken fillets in the skillet and cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until they develop a golden-brown crust and are cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté aromatics and spices: Reduce the heat to medium. Add minced garlic, grated ginger, and red pepper flakes to the same skillet. Sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
- Make the sauce: Add soy sauce, sriracha, chili garlic sauce, honey, vinegar, and chicken broth to the skillet with the aromatics. Stir to combine all ingredients and let the mixture simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes to meld the flavors.
- Thicken the sauce (optional): If a thicker sauce is desired, stir in the cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with water) and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce has thickened.
- Combine chicken and sauce: Return the cooked chicken breasts to the skillet. Spoon the sauce over them and simmer together for 1 to 2 minutes to heat through and allow the chicken to absorb the spicy sauce.
- Garnish and serve: Remove the skillet from heat. Garnish the chicken fillets with chopped green onions and sesame seeds. Serve hot over steamed rice, noodles, or alongside stir-fried vegetables for a complete meal.
Notes
- Adjust the spice level by increasing or decreasing the amount of chili garlic sauce or red pepper flakes according to your preference.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute soy sauce with tamari.
- Serve this dish with steamed rice or noodles to soak up the delicious sauce.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated gently on the stovetop or microwave.
- If you prefer a milder flavor, reduce or omit the red pepper flakes and chili garlic sauce.
