Sweet and Spicy Chicken

This sweet and spicy chicken is better than take-out! Easy, budget-friendly, and perfect for a busy weeknight dinner!

If you love sweet and sour chicken, this recipe is about to blow you away!  It is so easy to make, perfect in a pinch, and it tastes so great!

Have you seen the viral salmon bowl on Tik Tok? Me too… I don’t think that I know many people that have not seen it. The salmon bowl is sort of what gave me the inspiration to make this meal. Hear me out, but each ingredient is essential to making this recipe, you do not want to leave anything out. One time I forgot the soy sauce and it did not taste the same.

Ingredients:

Just Bare Lightly Breaded Chicken Bread Chunks: I get these at Costco and they are phenomenal! If you like the Chick-Fil-A nuggets these are their long-lost brothers…or sisters, they taste exactly the same. The trick to preparing them is making them in the air fryer, it is quick, and oh so good!

Sweet Red Chili Sauce: You will be able to find this at any grocery store, likely in the ethnic aisle alongside the other sauces. I got mine from Trader Joe’s, I love theirs, but let’s be real they all taste the same haha!

Soy Sauce: Low sodium, regular, organic, whatever your preference is just make sure that you have it! I forgot to add it once and kept questioning myself what the recipe was missing, I came to realize once I finished eating it all that I forgot the soy sauce!

Sriracha and Sriracha Mayo: Yes you need BOTH! If you hate spice I guess you can omit the regular sriracha. The sriracha mayo adds a more mild spice, but both add great flavor. So if you are asking me if you should add both of these, the answer is yes, If you do not love spice just add a little bit less of the sriracha and more of the sriracha mayo!

Sesame Seeds: These add a little crunch and flavor… I love to just sprinkle them over top of everything. Simple and delicious.

White Rice: Let me tell you the Ninja Foodi makes cooking rice in the pressure cooker so easy. I got one as a Christmas gift and I can never go back! It cooks so quickly, and the clean-up is super quick because the rice never ever sticks!! I make 1-2 cups for the week and divide it accordingly.

How to make the sweet and spicy chicken: 

1. Air fry your chicken nuggets at 400 degrees for 10 minutes  
2. Heat up your rice. Add an ice cube into the middle of the rice, cover with parchment paper and zap it in the microwave. FYI, this is the best way to warm up rice, I will never go back it is so fresh 
3. Once the chicken is done, cut it into small cubes and add into the rice bowl 
4. Drizzle all of the sauces to your liking – you do not need a ton 
5. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top and enjoy 

Looking for more easy weeknight dinners?

• Creamy Chicken Taco Melts
• Lightened Up Penne Alla Vodka 
• Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
• Healthy Ground Turkey Green Chile Bake
• Sloppy Joe’s

Search HNFit Sweet and Spicy Chicken with Rice in My Fitness Pal for easy logging: 

Nutrition for chicken with 140 grams of cooked white rice. 415 calories, 57 carbs, 11 fat, 20 protein

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is sweet and spicy chicken made of?

The ingredients in this recipe are what make the chicken sweet yet spicy. The sweet red chili sauce, sriracha, sriracha mayo are all essential in giving the chicken the sweet and spicy flavor we all love!

Is sweet and spicy chicken similar to General Tso’s chicken? 

Yes, it does taste similar to it, it has a sweet spin and a little kick to it! 

Is sweet and spicy chicken better than takeout?

Yes absolutely! Cooked right at home, no post-dinner belly ache, and the calories and nutrition count cannot be beaten!!

Can I make sweet and spicy chicken in advance?

Yes, you can. I recommend making the rice ahead of time and the chicken right before you need it because otherwise it will not be very crisp, but if you are taking this for lunch the next day it will still taste great!

How do I reheat white rice?

The best way to reheat the rice is to place an ice cube in the center of the rice in a bowl, cover it with parchment paper, and microwave for 30-90 seconds depending on how large of a serving you have!

What if I do not have an air fryer?

I love the chicken in the air fryer, it is perfection! But if you do not have an air fryer, using an oven will work just fine, bake the nuggets at 375 degrees for 23-25 minutes. The only downside to not using the air fryer is it takes a bit longer!

What are the nutrition facts for sweet and spicy chicken?

For 1 serving of sweet and spicy chicken with 140 grams of cooked rice you are looking at: 

415 calories, 57 grams of carbs, 11 grams of fat, and 20 grams of protein.