Description
Sweet Spicy Sticky Chicken is a bold, comforting dish featuring tender baked chicken tenders coated in a glossy, sweet-and-spicy sauce. Perfect for a flavorful weeknight dinner served over rice.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
- 1 ½ pounds chicken tenders
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
- Hot, cooked rice, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the butter in a 9×13-inch glass baking dish and set it in the oven until melted. Remove before browning.
- Pat the chicken tenders dry and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Add the flour to a shallow dish and lightly coat each chicken tender, shaking off the excess.
- Arrange the floured chicken in a single layer in the buttered baking dish.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- While baking, prepare the sauce: In a saucepan, whisk together the chicken broth, vinegar, ketchup, granulated sugar, brown sugar, soy sauce, and chili garlic sauce. Simmer over medium heat for 2–3 minutes.
- Pour the hot sauce evenly over the chicken in the dish.
- Return to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is bubbly and slightly thickened.
- Let rest a few minutes to allow the sauce to thicken further. Serve over hot rice.
Notes
- Use chicken thighs cut into strips as an alternative to tenders.
- Adjust chili garlic sauce to control spice level.
- Let the dish rest briefly after baking to thicken the sauce.
- Reheat gently with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
- Serve with rice or steamed vegetables for a complete meal.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/6 of recipe)
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 610mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 31g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
