Sweet Chili Grilled Chicken (Printer-friendly)
Juicy grilled chicken with a sweet, tangy chili glaze—ideal for summer cookouts and weeknight dinners.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Sweet Chili Marinade & Glaze
05 - 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce
06 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce (gluten-free tamari if needed)
07 - 1 tablespoon honey
08 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
09 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
10 - 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
11 - 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
→ Garnish
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
13 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
14 - Lime wedges for serving
# How to Make It:
01 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, and lime juice until fully combined.
02 - Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Rub evenly with olive oil, salt, and black pepper on both sides.
03 - Place the seasoned chicken in a resealable plastic bag or shallow dish. Pour in half of the marinade, turning the chicken to coat evenly. Reserve the remaining marinade for basting during grilling. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours for deeper flavor penetration.
04 - Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking.
05 - Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Place on the hot grill and cook for 6 to 7 minutes per side, basting with the reserved marinade during the last few minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and juices run clear.
06 - Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes to allow juices to redistribute before slicing.
07 - Arrange sliced chicken on a platter. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and sesame seeds. Serve with lime wedges alongside grilled vegetables or steamed jasmine rice.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The glaze caramelizes on the grill and creates this sticky, glossy crust that people actually moan about out loud.
- It comes together in minutes with pantry staples you probably already have sitting in your fridge door.
02 -
- Reserve half the marinade before it touches raw chicken because you need it clean for basting and serving.
- If your grill is too hot the sugars in the glaze will burn before the chicken cooks through, so medium high is genuinely important here.
03 -
- Pound the chicken to an even thickness before marinating and every piece finishes cooking at the same time with no dried out edges.
- A silicone basting brush holds more glaze and spreads it more evenly than the bristle kind which tends to shed.