Sticky Chicken is bite-size pieces of boneless chicken thigh coated in cornstarch, pan-fried until golden, then tossed in a glossy sauce of honey, rice vinegar, soy sauce and hoisin with garlic and ginger. It’s a Chinese American takeout-style dinner made in one pan with only 3 tablespoons of oil, and it serves 4 over steamed white rice.
How to make it: Whisk the sauce. Coat 1-inch thigh pieces in cornstarch and cook them in two batches, 4 to 5 minutes a side, until golden and 165°F inside. Add garlic and ginger, return all the chicken to the pan and toss it in the sauce for about 2 minutes, until thick and glossy.
Why You’ll Love It
- Sticky, glossy sauce: honey, soy and hoisin cling to every piece.
- Crisp without a deep fryer: a cornstarch coating and a shallow pan-fry do the job.
- Juicy thighs: boneless thighs stay juicy and have a rich, meaty flavor.
- One pan: 15 minutes of prep and 25 at the stove.
What Makes It Sticky
Two ingredients do the work. Honey is the base of the sauce: it brings sweetness, body and the sticky texture. Cornstarch has two jobs: 1 teaspoon thickens the sauce so it clings, and 1/4 cup coats the chicken so the pieces crisp in a pan instead of a pot of oil.
The rest of the sauce is about balance. Rice vinegar adds just enough tartness to offset the honey. Soy sauce and hoisin bring saltiness, umami and depth. Toasted sesame oil and a pinch of red pepper flakes finish it, and garlic and ginger go into the pan right before the sauce.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken thighs: 1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces. Chicken breasts work too, in the same amount, or use half and half.
Honey: 1/4 cup, the base of the sauce.
Rice vinegar: 3 tablespoons. Apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar can stand in.
Soy sauce and hoisin: 2 tablespoons each. For a gluten-free dish, use tamari and a gluten-free hoisin.
Cornstarch: 1 teaspoon for the sauce and 1/4 cup for coating the chicken.
Toasted sesame oil and red pepper flakes: 1 teaspoon of the oil; the 1/2 teaspoon of pepper flakes is optional.
Neutral oil: 3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil, 2 for the first batch and 1 for the second.
Garlic and ginger: 2 minced cloves and 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger, from about a 1-inch piece.
To finish: a sliced scallion and toasted sesame seeds, both optional.
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch (for the sauce)
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
For the chicken
- 1 1/2 to 2 pounds chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup cornstarch (for coating the chicken)
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable, divided: 2 tablespoons for the first batch, 1 tablespoon for the second
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced, from a 1-inch piece
To finish
- 1 scallion, thinly sliced (optional)
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)
How to Make Sticky Chicken
1. Make the sauce. In a small bowl whisk together the honey, rice vinegar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, toasted sesame oil and red pepper flakes (if using).
2. Coat the chicken. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and put them in a medium bowl. Season all over with the salt. Sprinkle the 1/4 cup cornstarch over the chicken and toss with your hands until evenly coated, separating any pieces that are stuck together.
3. Cook the first batch. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wok or 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half of the chicken and spread it into an even layer. Cook undisturbed until golden-brown on the bottom, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook undisturbed until the second side is browned and the chicken is cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes more; a piece should read 165°F on a food thermometer. Move the chicken to a plate.
4. Cook the second batch. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan and cook the rest of the chicken the same way, 4 to 5 minutes a side, until it is cooked through and reads 165°F. Leave this chicken in the pan. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until the garlic is fragrant and lightly golden-brown, about 30 seconds.
5. Toss with the sauce. Return the first batch of chicken and any juices that collected on the plate to the pan. Whisk the sauce again and pour it in. Gently toss until the sauce thickens, turns glossy and coats the chicken, about 2 minutes.
6. Garnish and serve. Top with the sliced scallion and sesame seeds if using. Serve right away.
How to Keep the Chicken Crisp Under the Glaze
- Pat it dry. Dry thighs coat evenly and don’t clump.
- Coat by hand. Toss the pieces in the cornstarch with your hands and pull apart any that stick together.
- Cook in two batches. Spread half the chicken in an even layer in hot, shimmering oil.
- Leave it alone. Let each side cook undisturbed for 4 to 5 minutes, until golden-brown, before you flip.
- Check one piece. Color isn’t the test: a piece should read 165°F on a food thermometer.
- Whisk again. Give the sauce another whisk right before you pour it in.
- Toss briefly. About 2 minutes is enough for the sauce to thicken, turn glossy and coat the chicken.
- Serve right away. Get it to the table hot from the pan.
What About Baked Sticky Chicken?
You’ll also find an oven-baked sticky chicken made with bone-in legs or thighs in a honey, soy and ketchup glaze. That’s its own dish, and it’s on our site as caramelized baked chicken legs or wings. The recipe on this page is the pan-fried, bite-size kind, with no ketchup and no oven.
Variations
- Chicken breasts: use the same amount of boneless, skinless breasts, or a mix of breasts and thighs, and cook them to 165°F.
- More heat: keep the red pepper flakes, or stir a spoonful of chili garlic sauce into the sauce, to taste.
- Gluten-free: the cornstarch coating is already gluten-free; swap the soy sauce for tamari and use a gluten-free hoisin.
- Other vinegar: apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar in place of rice vinegar.
Make Ahead, Storage & Reheating
Make ahead: Whisk the sauce and cut the chicken a day ahead and keep both in the refrigerator. Season and coat the chicken right before cooking.
Refrigerator: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours (1 hour if it’s above 90°F) in shallow or airtight covered containers. Eat within 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: Freeze leftovers for 3 to 4 months and thaw them in the refrigerator.
Reheating: Cover the chicken and reheat it in the microwave or a nonstick skillet until it reaches 165°F.
What to Serve With It
Spoon it over steamed white or jasmine rice, or serve it with noodles, steamed bok choy, broccoli, roasted sweet potatoes or stir-fried snap peas. For a fuller plate, make egg fried rice on the side.
More takeout-style chicken: General Tso’s chicken and 3-ingredient orange chicken. For other honey and soy glazes, try honey garlic chicken breasts or teriyaki chicken skewers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make simple sticky chicken?
Whisk the sauce, coat 1-inch thigh pieces in cornstarch, pan-fry them half at a time, then toss everything in the sauce until it thickens and coats the chicken.
How do I make my chicken sticky?
Use a honey-based sauce thickened with a little cornstarch, and toss the cooked chicken in it in the hot pan until it thickens, turns glossy and coats every piece.
What is the best sauce for sticky chicken?
This one: honey, rice vinegar, soy sauce, hoisin, toasted sesame oil, 1 teaspoon cornstarch and optional red pepper flakes. It’s sweet, tart, salty and a little spicy.
What are the main ingredients in sticky chicken?
There’s no fixed three. This recipe is built on boneless chicken thighs, honey, soy sauce and hoisin, with rice vinegar, cornstarch, garlic and ginger.
Can I use chicken breasts?
Yes. Use the same amount of boneless, skinless breasts, or half breasts and half thighs, and cook them to 165°F.
Is sticky chicken gluten-free?
Not as written. Use tamari instead of soy sauce and a gluten-free hoisin; the cornstarch coating is already gluten-free.
How long do leftovers keep?
3 to 4 days in the refrigerator, or 3 to 4 months in the freezer. Reheat to 165°F.
Final Notes
Pat the chicken dry, cook it in two batches and toss it in the sauce just long enough to turn glossy. If you try it with chicken breasts or a spoonful of chili garlic sauce, tell me in the comments how it turned out.
Sticky Chicken
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Ingredients
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch for the sauce
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 1 1/2 to 2 pounds chicken thighs boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup cornstarch for coating the chicken
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil such as canola or vegetable, divided: 2 tablespoons for the first batch, 1 tablespoon for the second
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger peeled and minced, from a 1-inch piece
- 1 scallion thinly sliced; optional
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk together the honey, rice vinegar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, toasted sesame oil and red pepper flakes (if using).
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and put them in a medium bowl. Season all over with the salt. Sprinkle the 1/4 cup cornstarch over the chicken and toss with your hands until evenly coated, separating any pieces that are stuck together.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wok or 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half of the chicken and spread it into an even layer. Cook undisturbed until golden-brown on the bottom, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook undisturbed until the second side is browned and the chicken is cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes more; a piece should read 165°F on a food thermometer. Move the chicken to a plate.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan and cook the rest of the chicken the same way, 4 to 5 minutes a side, until it is cooked through and reads 165°F. Leave this chicken in the pan. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until the garlic is fragrant and lightly golden-brown, about 30 seconds.
- Return the first batch of chicken and any juices that collected on the plate to the pan. Whisk the sauce again and pour it in. Gently toss until the sauce thickens, turns glossy and coats the chicken, about 2 minutes.
- Top with the sliced scallion and sesame seeds if using. Serve right away.
Notes
Nutrition
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