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    Home » Easy Dinners

    Easy Weeknight Sticky Chicken

    Published: Aug 31, 2020 · Modified: Mar 10, 2022 by Deborah Rainford · This post may contain affiliate links · 21 Comments

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    Aldi ingredients for sticky chicken with text overlay.
    Sticky chicken in a blue bowl with text overlay.
    15 minute sticky chicken with rice on a white table.
    Sticky chicken made using Aldi ingredients.
    Sticky chicken in a blue bowl with rice and text overlay.
    Weeknight sticky chicken with lime wedges and red peppers.
    Aldi ingredients sticky chicken with text overlay.
    Quick and easy sticky chicken with text overlay.
    Easy Asian sticky chicken with red peppers and chopped peanuts.
    Simple sticky chicken with text overlay.
    Sticky chicken with text overlay in a blue bowl.
    Sticky chicken with red peppers and green onions in a bowl.
    Saucy sticky chicken with text overlay.
    Easy sticky chicken with red peppers and chopped peanuts.
    Sticky chicken in a blue bowl with text overlay.
    Sticky chicken using Aldi ingredients.

    A sticky chicken recipe that's quick and easy to make for any weeknight. Crispy, tender chicken breast tossed in a Chinese-style sticky sauce and stir-fried with red bell peppers. This simple recipe is a quick family meal on a budget. All ingredients are from Aldi making this recipe perfect for any adding into any budget-friendly meal plan.

    sticky Asian chicken in a blue bowl

    This sticky chicken recipe is a quick and easy recipe with no real effort involved. Basic pantry ingredients mixed into a sweet, sticky and mildly tangy sauce that gets tossed with your crispy chicken breast and served over some rice. You can use noodles instead of rice, but this chicken is made for fluffy white rice. A takeaway (fakeaway) dish that a fraction of the cost, much healthier and has way more flavour.


    Weeknight Sticky Chicken
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    Jump to:
    • Ingredients needed
    • Step by step directions (prep)
    • Step by step directions (cooking)
    • Serving sticky chicken
    • Storing, freezing and reheating
    • Sticky Chicken Recipe

    Aldi ingredients for sticky chicken

    Ingredients needed

    1. chicken breast (you can use chicken thigh to cut the cost of the recipe further)
    2. corn starch / corn flour- they are the same thing
    3. soy sauce (light or dark is fine. Dark has a stronger flavour)
    4. cider vinegar or use white wine vinegar (used instead of Chinese rice vinegar. Because Aldi only)
    5. honey
    6. garlic
    7. ginger
    8. red pepper
    9. a packet of oyster and spring onion sauce (optional, but it adds a real depth of flavour to the sauce that just isn't possible without it)
    10. basmati or white rice

    For serving

    1. dry roasted peanuts
    2. spring onion
    3. coriander (I forgot to add the chopped coriander for the photos, but it is definitely worth remembering. It adds such a freshness)

    making the sauce for sticky chicken.

    Step by step directions (prep)

    This recipe really is so quick and easy to make. It'll easily be on the table in 30 minutes or possibly less if you're quick at slicing peppers! Because this recipe is sauteed up like a stir fry I highly recommend that you start by prepping all your ingredients so that once you start cooking, it's all ready to go. It makes the whole experience much less stressful than trying to prep as you go.

    1. Start by cutting the chicken into bite-sized pieces. You can use breast (like this recipe) or you can use thigh. If you're using thigh you will need to reduce the cooking time a little as the pieces are usually smaller and thinner. See the notes for that.
    2. Put the corn starch in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
    3. Set the chicken aside while you stir the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. All you need to do for this Asian style sauce is add all the ingredients into a bowl and whisk until smooth.
    4. Thinly slice the red pepper (you can use yellow or orange too, but the red is sweeter) I don't recommend using green, because they can be very bitter.

    crispy chicken tossed in chilli sauce

    Step by step directions (cooking)

    1. Heat the olive oil or vegetable oil in a non-stick skillet. Toss the chicken in the cornflour. Once the oil is hot (it should shimmer and flow easily in the pan) add the chicken into the pan and brown on all sides until crispy. This should only take a few minutes, about 5.
    2. Add the red pepper into the pan and saute for about 3 more minutes. We're looking to soften the red pepper but to keep some bite in it, so that it's not going to turn too soft once we add the sauce.
    3. Pour the sauce into the pan and bring to a simmer. The sauce will start to thicken very quickly because of the corn starch in the pan from the chicken, as well as the honey thickening up. So do be careful that you don't over reduce the sauce. Continue to cook until the sauce has thickened enough that it coats the chicken easily. This should take about 2-3 minutes.

    chilli chicken in a frying pan

    Serving sticky chicken

    Scoop heaps of steaming fluffy rice into bowls and spoon this saucy sticky chicken over top. Top it all off with dry roasted peanuts, sliced spring onions. lime wedges and chopped fresh coriander. All of these toppings are optional, but they all go a long way to making this feel like a takeaway meal, but a million times better.

    Storing, freezing and reheating

    This sticky chicken will keep really well in the fridge for up to three days. All you need to do is cool the chicken completely and store it in an airtight container with a tight-fitting lid. To reheat, it's best to use a pan on the stovetop to try and keep that crispiness in the chicken. You can absolutely use the microwave, just know that the chicken won't be crispy once reheated that way.

    This chicken is absolutely freezable. It is best served when it's made, but we're also in the business of making dinners easy and this is a recipe that is such a family favourite. To do so use either an airtight container or a freezer bag, make sure you label with container or bag with what you're freezing and the date. To defrost, place in the fridge overnight or defrost in the microwave and reheat as above, either on the stovetop or in the microwave.

    sticky Asian chicken close up

    Find more easy chicken and more fakeaway recipes

    • Sweet n sour chicken
    • Chinese lemon chicken
    • Chicken and mushroom pie
    Sticky chicken using Aldi ingredients on a white table.

    Sticky Chicken Recipe

    A sticky chicken recipe that's perfect for a quick weeknight dinner. A budget-friendly simple recipe that uses Aldi ingredients to make your dinner time delicious, healthy and cheap!
    5 from 13 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Easy Dinners
    Cuisine: Asian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Servings: 2 -4
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    Author: Deborah Rainford

    Ingredients

    For the chicken

    • 500 g (2 cups) boneless skinless chicken
    • 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) corn starch or flour *See note 1
    • 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) vegetable or olive oil
    • 1 (1) red bell peppers, thinly sliced
    • For the sauce
    • 150 ml (⅗ cups) soy sauce
    • 75 ml (⅓ cups) honey
    • 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) white wine vinegar
    • 1 (1) sachet oyster sauce, optional *See note 2
    • 2 cloves (2 cloves) garlic
    • 1- inch (1- inch) piece grated ginger
    • For serving
    • chopped peanuts
    • sliced green onion

    Instructions

    • To make the sauce
    • Combine the sauce ingredients in a small mixing bowl and set aside while you prep the chicken.
    • For the chicken
    • Toss the chopped chicken with the seasoned corn starch and set aside while you heat the oil in a skillet. Once the oil shimmers and is hot, add in the chicken and brown all over until crispy, about 5-6 minutes.
    • Add the thinly sliced bell peppers and cook for 2-3 minutes. Pour the sauce into the pan and bring to a boil. Toss to coat the chicken and peppers and continue to simmer the sauce until thickened.
    • Serve over fluffy rice and top with chopped peanuts and thinly sliced green onion.

    Notes

    1. Note 1- You can skip the corn starch step, or even use flour. If you do skip this step the chicken won’t be as crispy, but it will still be amazingly delicious.
    2. Note 2- I absolutely love these little sachets of oyster sauce, they add so much depth to any Asian sauce that you make, without having to buy a big bottle of sauce that will take you ages to use. However, you can also skip this step. Yes, the recipe won’t have as much depth and flavour, but these recipes really are about fitting any budget and making it all work for you.
    3. Note 3- This nutrition label doesn't take into account the rice served alongside the chicken.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 468kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 62g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 160mg | Sodium: 4485mg | Potassium: 1244mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 1938IU | Vitamin C: 80mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?Tag Me @savvybites or tag #savvybites!

    THANKS SO MUCH FOR READING AND COOKING ALONG WITH ME! IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE OR HAVE A QUESTION, I’D LOVE IT IF YOU LEFT A COMMENT AND A RATING. YOU CAN ALSO FOLLOW ALONG ON PINTEREST, FACEBOOK AND  INSTAGRAM TO SEE WHAT WE’RE EATING, PINNING AND A LITTLE BEHIND THE SCENES TOO!

     

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Mariam

      August 28, 2023 at 6:59 pm

      5 stars
      We liked the taste of the sauce, thank you! but it was too salty for us. Do you think I can reduce the soya sauce? But if I reduce it wouldn’t it then be a bit dry? I also added a bit of lime to offset the saltiness. Thank you! 🙂

      Reply
      • Deborah Rainford

        August 28, 2023 at 8:04 pm

        Hi Miriam, I would reduce the soy sauce and add in some water or chicken stock to make up the difference in the liquid. You can also try with reduced sodium soy sauce if you can find that too. Any of those options will help to reduce the salt content. And that extra lime juice will help too. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and review. It's so appreciated! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Jen

      July 24, 2023 at 3:53 pm

      Can this dish be prepared in advance?
      Is it possible to make the sauce and freeze it?
      I’ve family coming and thought it would be great dish to serve, but I’m on my own and don’t want to spend the time in the kitchen!

      Reply
      • Deborah Rainford

        July 24, 2023 at 9:03 pm

        Hi Jen! This chicken is best served fresh, but there are a couple of things you can do to make it really easy when you've got family over. So, yes. You can make the sauce ahead of time and freeze it. And what I would suggest, before family arrive you can chop the chicken into chunks, measure out the cornstarch and slice the bell pepper. That will make the recipe really easy to pull together when you're ready. It can be made slightly in advance like 2-3 hours but not much more than that, otherwise the chicken will won't stay crispy. Hope that helps and let me know how it goes! 🙂

        Reply
    3. Joe

      June 16, 2023 at 5:46 pm

      Hi, could I ask for the seasoning ingredients that’s used for the cornflour. I’m new to cooking, thanks Joe

      Reply
      • Deborah Rainford

        June 17, 2023 at 10:27 am

        Hey Joe! It's just salt and pepper for this recipe. It helps to get the seasoning on every layer of cooking. When we add salt to a recipe just at the end of the cooking process, then the dish usually tastes "salty". But when it's added bit by bit in layers it builds "seasoning" which allows all the other flavors to shine through. So, for this recipe it's just salt (about 1 teaspoon will do it) and a pinch of pepper, but for other recipes, you can add in other spices. If you've got any cooking questions just let me know. Always happy to help people become more comfortable in the kitchen. 🙂

        Reply
    4. Rose Barrett

      August 13, 2022 at 1:32 pm

      5 stars
      A fantastic easy meal, I too have made it twice this week. I sprinkled sesame seeds over the top - it looks and tastes amazing

      Reply
      • Deborah Rainford

        August 30, 2022 at 6:59 pm

        Love the addition of sesame seeds! So happy you liked it. Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and a rating. It's very appreciated. 🙂

        Reply
    5. Alan king

      July 27, 2022 at 5:54 pm

      5 stars

      Reply
    6. Alan king

      July 27, 2022 at 5:39 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely loved this recipe. Made it twice in the last week!

      Reply
    7. Shaun

      July 07, 2022 at 12:42 pm

      5 stars
      Didn't use the oyster sauce but added a red chilli to the soy and must say it was lush. Served it with noodles and pak-choi. Was a lush meal and will certainly cook again 😋

      Reply
      • Deborah Rainford

        July 07, 2022 at 5:15 pm

        Amazing! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and a rating. It's so appreciated! 🙂

        Reply
    8. Fernanda

      May 17, 2021 at 6:26 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely lovely! I have added some finely chopped carrots and sweetcorn as well. I would just adjust the amount of soy sauce and use half the amount if adding oyster sauce. Otherwise really lovely and restaurant worthy.

      Reply
      • Deborah Thompson

        May 29, 2021 at 10:15 am

        Thank you so much! Your additions sound amazing! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment and review!

        Reply
    9. Vicki J.

      October 20, 2020 at 2:51 pm

      Is the oyster & spring onion sauce mix something that was only at Aldi's for a short time? I went there and could not find anything like it. Even asked a store employee. Is this something I could find elsewhere?

      Reply
      • Vicki J.

        October 20, 2020 at 2:59 pm

        Ahhhh, I see you are in the UK and buying from Aldi UK stores. I am in the USA, so that is probably why I couldn't find the oyster sauce.

        Reply
        • Deborah Thompson

          October 20, 2020 at 4:06 pm

          Hi Vicki. For this recipe, you can skip the oyster sauce and up the amounts on the sauce. So, extra soy sauce etc. The oyster sauce just helps to deepen the flavour but it's not required. Let me know if you make it!

          Reply

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    Aldi ingredients for sticky chicken with text overlay.
    Sticky chicken in a blue bowl with text overlay.
    15 minute sticky chicken with rice on a white table.
    Sticky chicken made using Aldi ingredients.
    Sticky chicken in a blue bowl with rice and text overlay.
    Weeknight sticky chicken with lime wedges and red peppers.
    Aldi ingredients sticky chicken with text overlay.
    Quick and easy sticky chicken with text overlay.
    Easy Asian sticky chicken with red peppers and chopped peanuts.
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    Sticky chicken with text overlay in a blue bowl.
    Sticky chicken with red peppers and green onions in a bowl.
    Saucy sticky chicken with text overlay.
    Easy sticky chicken with red peppers and chopped peanuts.
    Sticky chicken in a blue bowl with text overlay.
    Sticky chicken using Aldi ingredients.

    Hi, I'm Deborah! A Cordon Bleu graduate with more than 10 years of restaurant cooking experience. I now focus on helping you create easy, delicious and healthy(ish) budget recipes from scratch using only Aldi ingredients. Welcome to my virtual kitchen!

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    Sticky chicken in a blue bowl with text overlay.
    15 minute sticky chicken with rice on a white table.
    Sticky chicken made using Aldi ingredients.
    Sticky chicken in a blue bowl with rice and text overlay.
    Weeknight sticky chicken with lime wedges and red peppers.
    Aldi ingredients sticky chicken with text overlay.
    Quick and easy sticky chicken with text overlay.
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    Simple sticky chicken with text overlay.
    Sticky chicken with text overlay in a blue bowl.
    Sticky chicken with red peppers and green onions in a bowl.
    Saucy sticky chicken with text overlay.
    Easy sticky chicken with red peppers and chopped peanuts.
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    Sticky chicken using Aldi ingredients.

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