Easy sticky ginger chicken
Juicy chicken cooked in a sticky ginger sauce is a delicious, easy dinner recipe. Serve with steamed rice and greens for the perfect weeknight meal.
This is the kind of 30-minute dinner recipe everyone will love. The punchy, aromatic chicken in its sticky sauce has all the same delicious flavor you’d expect from an Asian take-out and can be made in minutes. Because the sauce is strong, steamed rice and greens are the perfect side dishes for this ginger chicken recipe.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
Full recipe with amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Soy sauce. Use Tamari or Coconut Aminos if you’re gluten free.
- Dark brown sugar.
- Fish sauce.
- Lime juice.
- Chicken thighs. I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs as they tend to be juicy but chicken breasts can also be used.
- Fresh ginger.
- Fresh garlic.
- Sesame oil. Alternatively use vegetable oil.
- Chillies, sesame seeds, coriander / cilantro, spring onion, to serve.
Ginger chicken variations
- Protein: You can use pork tenderloin (fillet), tofu or shrimp instead of chicken.
- Vegetables: Broccoli, bok choy, green beans, asparagus, sugar snap peas and mushrooms will all be delicious in this recipe.
How to make ginger chicken
- Make the sauce: Mix together soy sauce, water, dark brown sugar, fish sauce and lime juice in a bowl or measuring jug.
- Prepare and cook the chicken: Slice boneless, skinless chicken thighs into bite-sized chunks. Season with salt then brown in a very hot pan until golden brown all over. Do this in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Remove the chicken and set aside.
- Cook the sauce: In the same pan, Sauté ginger and garlic in two teaspoons of sesame oil until fragrant (approximately 30 seconds) then pour in the soy sauce mixture. Allow to come up to a boil then add the chicken. Allow to simmer, stirring regularly until the sauce has reduced and chicken is cooked through.
- Serve: Serve sprinkled with sliced chillies, sesame seeds, coriander or sliced spring or green onions.
Can I use chicken breast for this recipe?
Yes, you can use chicken breasts for this recipe. Cook in exactly the same way, just take care not to overcook the chicken as chicken breasts need less cooking than chicken thighs do.
Can I freeze this?
Yes, you can freeze this chicken recipe. Allow the cooked chicken in sauce to cool to room temperature then transfer to a suitable freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a pan set over medium heat until hot and bubbling. Leftovers can be kept sealed in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Easy chicken recipes for dinner
- Creamy spinach garlic Parmesan chicken
- Easy herby lemon chicken skewers
- Lemon pepper chicken thighs
- Easy Parmesan crusted chicken
Easy sticky ginger chicken
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 1/3 cup soy sauce / Tamari sauce
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tsp lime juice
For the ginger chicken
- 1 kg (2lbs) boneless, skinless chicken thighs sliced into bite-sized chunks
- 2 tsp sesame oil (alternatively use canola or vegetable oil)
- 3 tsp grated ginger
- 3-4 garlic cloves crushed
Instructions
- Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl or measuring jug and set aside.
- Heat a large pan or skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.
- Season the chicken with salt then brown in the pan until golden brown on all sides. If your pan isn't big enough, cook the chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Add the sesame oil to the pan then add the ginger and garlic. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant then pour in the sauce.
- Allow to come up to a boil then add the chicken back into the sauce.
- Allow to simmer, stirring regularly, until the sauce has reduced and the chicken is cooked through and sticky.
- Serve with rice and greens of your choice.
