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Overhead view of honey sambal chicken with sticky sauce, red capsicum and spring onion garnish, served with rice

Honey Sambal Chicken

Catalina T
Sticky honey sambal chicken with the perfect balance of heat and sweetness. An easy, fast chicken recipe for a fuss-free dinner
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese, Indonesian
Servings 4 Servings
Calories 416 kcal

Video

Ingredients
  

  • 700g / 1.5lb boneless and skinless chicken thigh fillets, chopped into chunks (NOTE 1)
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp (40ml / 1.5floz) vegetable oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 small (90g / 3oz) brown onion, diced roughly
  • 1 small (150g / 5oz) red capsicum or bell pepper, diced roughly
  • ⅓ cup (120g / 4oz) honey
  • 2 tbsp (40ml / 1.5floz) light soy sauce (NOTE 2)
  • 1 tbsp (20ml / 0.7floz) sambal oelek (NOTE 3)
  • 1 tbsp (20ml / 0.7floz) fresh lime or lemon juice
  • Optional - finely sliced spring onion for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then mix well to coat evenly.
  • In a deep frying pan or skillet, heat the oil over high heat until it just smokes. Carefully add the chicken, spreading it into a single layer across the base of the pan. Leave it untouched for 2 to 3 minutes until a golden crust forms. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until all pieces have browned.
  • Transfer the chicken to a plate and loosely cover with foil to keep warm.
    Removing the browned chicken pieces onto a plate before making the honey sambal sauce
  • Using the same pan, reduce the heat to medium-high. Sauté the garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute, then add the onion and capsicum. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables soften slightly.
  • Add the honey, soy sauce, and sambal to the pan. Cook, stirring, until the sauce slightly thickens into a thin syrup and coats the back of a spoon.
  • Return the chicken to the pan and toss to coat evenly in the sauce. Stir until just heated through and the chicken is fully cooked. Turn off the heat, then stir in the lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning or spice to your liking. If it is too sweet, add a little more lime juice.
    Chicken pieces browning in a pan with red capsicum as the honey sambal sauce begins to caramelise
  • Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with spring onions, if using.

Notes

(NOTE 1) Chicken thigh fillets - I used boneless and skinless chicken thigh fillets because they’re less likely to dry out when cooked over high heat to form a crust. If you need to use chicken breast, you can still make this recipe, just be careful not to overcook it, as it can dry out quickly.
(NOTE 2) Light soy sauce - You can use either regular soy sauce or light soy sauce for this recipe. Avoid dark soy sauce, as these varieties do not have the same taste or consistency.
(NOTE 3) Sambal Oelek - is an Indonesian chilli paste. I used Sambal Sambal as part of this collaboration, but you can easily substitute it with another chilli paste, chilli oil, chilli sauce, or even fresh or dried chillies to add heat to the dish. Just be mindful of the sodium level, as some sauces are quite heavy on the salt, so adjust the amount as needed.
Leftovers: This Honey Sambal Chicken is best served immediately. If you have leftovers, allow the chicken to cool completely at room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to three days.
To reheat: Warm gently in a frying pan over low heat. You can also reheat in the microwave. If it's dry, add a few teaspoons of water to loosen the sauce. Finish with a fresh squeeze of lime to refresh the flavours.
Nutrition Information is estimated using a third-party calculator and should be used as a guide only.
Australian Measurements - All measurements on this website use Australian standard cups and spoons. For conversion details, see my Australian Cooking Measurements page.
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Thanks! 
Cat x

Nutrition

Serving: 1 ServingCalories: 416kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 36gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 166mgSodium: 1099mgPotassium: 590mgFiber: 2gSugar: 28gVitamin A: 1218IUVitamin C: 51mgCalcium: 33mgIron: 2mg