Better than those dry little bites of chicken in sticky Thai sauce, a popular appetizer in restaurants, these Sweet Chili Thai Chicken Thighs have that same sweet, hot and zesty flavour with more tender and juicy meat. Make them on the stove top or in an air fryer.
This one is for my friend Vicki. She likes to order the Thai chicken bites when we go out for wings with the neighbourhood group. She doesn’t care for wings because they’re mostly skin and bones. I get it. I prefer bone in skin on chicken thighs. There’s so much more meat and flavour than wings or bites and there’s no deep frying or breading if you make your own Sweet Chili Thai Chicken Thighs.
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I’ve recently updated this recipe to offer two preparation options. In the air fryer, or, stove top and oven. I do have an air fryer but I don’t use it often. I’m still experimenting with it but I was really happy with these chicken thighs. So if you have one too and don’t feel like cleaning up splatter from frying chicken pieces on the stove top, try the air fryer.
Stove Top and Oven Method
Use a heavy skillet that can go in the oven. Heat it up to medium high, add a tiny bit of oil, season the thighs well with salt and pepper and add to the hot pan skin side down. You don’t need much oil because the chicken skin will release some fat. Leave the chicken in place without moving until the skin gets nice and brown. If you have a splatter screen use it!
I almost always use bone in skin on chicken. The skin helps keep the meat from drying out but it does have a fair bit of fat so you’ll want to remove some. Once you’ve turned the pieces over, tilt the pan and carefully spoon out most of the fat. Leave just a bit to help brown the other side of the chicken and to add to the sauce. Don’t try to turn the pieces too soon, otherwise the skin will stick to the pan.
Once the pieces have browned a few minutes on the bottom, put the pan in a preheated oven. After about 20 minutes, spoon the sauce over top and continue to roast in the oven for about 10 more minutes. Using the roast setting at a higher temperature has the heat coming from the top which helps caramelize the sauce.
Air Fryer Method
Season the chicken with salt and pepper, pat the skin dry with paper towel and arrange in the air fryer so they aren’t overlapping. Cook for 20 minutes at 350. If you have a meat thermometer you want the temperature to be at least 160 and the skin should be dried and crispy. Spread the sauce over the chicken and continue in the air fryer for 8-10 more minutes. Keep an eye on it as the sauce can quickly burn. You wan’t it to be dark and caramelized but not black.
How to make Sweet Thai Chili Sauce
You can certainly use a store bought jar of sauce. But making your own not only gives you kitchen swagger, but also you can adjust the heat to your liking. I know some sauces have quite a kick and not everyone likes it too hot. This recipe allows for personalization and a few substitutions if you don’t have all the ingredients. But, I recommend buying some fish sauce if you like Asian cuisine. It’s an important ingredient in many recipes, including Beef Vegetable Stir Fry. If you really don’t want to try it you can add a splash of soy sauce. But here’s something to ponder. Worcestershire Sauce also contains fish. If you don’t believe me, look it up.
This Sweet Thai Chili Sauce has an authentic mixture of hot, sweet, sour and salty. It’s simply a mixture of a few ingredients simmered together and then thickened, just enough that it stays on the chicken and doesn’t all run off. You can make the sauce while the chicken is cooking and you’ll have enough for 2 batches. Or you can serve the sauce with some dumplings or pot stickers.
You have two choices for the hot component. Chili Garlic Sauce comes in small jars and contains hot chilis, garlic and oil. I’ve recently discovered Chili Crisp which is very similar but has a few extra ingredients including nuts. Just a heads up in case of allergies. Either one is perfect in this sauce, just make sure to taste the sauce once it’s thickened and decide if you want to add another spoonful.
Once your chicken is cooked, no matter which method you’ve used to prepare it, let it rest a few minutes which allows time for the juices to come back into the centre of the meat. You can serve the thighs with some sautéed bokchoy, stir fried veggies, rice, or really any starch and vegetable you like. Be creative!
If you make Sweet Chili Thai Chicken Thighs, consider leaving a comment or rating below. Here’s the recipe:
Ingredients
- 4 bone in skin on chicken thighs
- 1 tsp sesame or vegetable oil omit if using air fryer
- salt and pepper
Sauce
- ¼ cup rice vinegar or regular vinegar
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 Tbsp Hot Chili Garlic Sauce or Chili Crisp add more if hotter sauce desired
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce or 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 2 Tbsp water
Garnish
- 2 green onions, minced
- toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- For air fryer method, arrange chicken pieces skin side up in air fryer basket without overlapping. Cook at 350° for 20 minutes. Add sauce and continue to cook for 8-10 minutes until sauce is darkening and caramelizing.
- For stove top method, preheat oven to 400° on roast setting.
- Heat a large oven proof skillet to medium-high. Add a tsp of heat safe oil like sesame or vegetable. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper on both sides and pat skin dry. Add to hot pan skin side down. Sear for 8-10 minutes until skin is nicely browned, crispy and most of the fat is rendered off.
- Turn pieces over. Tip pan and carefully spoon out most of the fat. Reduce heat to medium and cook for about 5 more minutes.
- Place skillet on the middle rack of the oven and roast for about 20 minutes, keeping chicken skin side up.
- Combine vinegar, honey, chili sauce and fish sauce. Heat carefully in a small pan or in microwave until thickening and reduced. Stir cornstarch into water and whisk into sauce. Simmer until thickened and no longer cloudy.
- Spoon over chicken thighs. Return pan to oven and roast another 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and juices are clear. The sauce will caramelize on the chicken skin as it roasts.
- Remove from oven or air fryer and let chicken rest for a few minutes while you dice up green onions for garnish.