4 ingredient sticky soy sauce chicken is utterly delicious, ridiculously quick and easy to make, and absolutely perfect when you want a tasty meal in minutes with minimum fuss.
I love recipes and dishes that deliver loads of flavour with minimum effort; this four ingredient sticky soy chicken is a perfect example. The recipe is the essence of simple, and absolutely perfect for a week night supper after a long day at work. Mix equal quantities of chili sauce, sweet soy sauce and sesame oil, cut chicken – thighs or breast – cooked or raw – into bite-sized chunks, and marinade for a few minutes. Then fry the chicken – the small pieces won’t take any time to cook – pour in the remaining sauce and reduce it down, and you’re ready to serve.
This sticky soy chicken can be served in so many ways: tossed into a leafy salad, adding delicious savoury/umami flavours from the soy sauce; is one of our favourite ways of serving it, making a perfect light lunch or supper. Or add a few carbs with some rice: we’re big fans of our microwave rice steamer, which gives us perfectly cooked rice every time in about a quarter of an hour.
Soy sauce is so useful in so many recipes that we always make sure we have a bottle or two in the cupboard. Found across Asian cuisines, there are actually a myriad of different types available, with each country having their favourite.
8 facts about soy sauce
- Soy sauce is one of the world’s oldest condiments, originating 2,500 years ago in China. There is a huge variety of different sauces.
- Traditionally fermented soy sauce takes a while to mature: from months for everyday products to years for super premium brands. Always buy the real thing, not chemically produced non-brewed sauces. You’ll really notice the difference.
- Different Asian countries have their own preferred recipes. Broadly, Chinese sauce was originally made using only soy beans, while Japanese used a blend of soybeans and wheat grains. Modern Chinese soy sauce is frequently made with a blend of soybeans and wheat flour.
- Just to muddy the waters, Japanese tamari is made using only soybeans and so is gluten free.
- Generally, Chinese sauces have a fuller, saltier flavour, with Japanese sauces being sweeter.
- There are numerous varieties of Chinese soy sauce: light, made from the first pressing of the fermented soy beans, and most used in cooking. Double fermented light sauces have a richer flavour and are used for dipping.
- Dark and double dark have been fermented for longer, and have sugar or molasses added for sweetness. These are used only for cooking.
- Sweet soy sauces which can be used both for cooking (as I have here) and as a dipping sauce. Sweet soy sauce has added sugar and thickening agents.
A quick, easy and delicious chicken dish, made with soy and chili sauces, perfect as a light lunch or simple but tasty supper.
- 1 dsp Sweet soy sauce
- 1 dsp Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce
- 1 dsp Sesame oil
- 1 Chicken breast
-
Mix sweet soy sauce, chili sauce and sesame oil.
-
Cut the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces, and marinate in the sauce mixture for a few minutes.
-
Fry the chicken pieces in a non-stick pan, turning regularly, for 10-12 minutes, until nearly cooked through.
-
To finish, add the remaining marinade to the frying pan and reduce until thick and sticky.
-
Serve, pouring the sauce over the chicken.
This recipe can be made with either raw or cooked chicken; if cooked, allow to marinade and then heat the chicken in a frying pan for a few minutes, turning regularly. Then remove the chicken and reduce the sauce.
You can freeze chicken pieces in the marinade; allow to defrost thoroughly before cooking. This is especially useful if you have large quantities of chicken cheaply available.
I’m a vegetarian but I haven’t really played around with soy meat options. I think my husband would be excited to have a vegetarian version of one of his favorite type of dishes!
it would make an awesome tofu glaze Liz!
So easy and so much flavor – this recipe is for me! Thanks so much for sharing. I could eat this on a weekly basis. Pretty photos too!
We have this fairly often. So quick and easy
I would never believe something so beautiful and delicious looking was made with just 4 ingredients if I wasn’t looking at the recipe card right now! Saving this to make asap!
I like to make life easy for people. Especially for afterwork dinners.
I’m all over anything with the words ‘sticky’ and ‘chicken’…this looks and sounds so tasty! I actually have a mini library of soy sauces in my fridge so this is right up my alley, thanks for a great recipe for a busy night :)
I am obsessed with my soy sauces and tamaris!
This looks like a great recipe. Gotta say it’s been years since I had a soy meat meal. Love your pics and the soy sauce facts!
Thanks Julia, this is so simple and easy.
This looks like my kind of meal. Looks and sounds delicious.
So quick and easy to make, and very tasty.
I feel as though I’ve been living under a rock! I’ve never heard of soy chicken. id be interested to try it and see which I prefer.
The chicken is marinated in the sauce made from soy sauce and three other ingredients. Makes it very tasty.
This looks great. I love sweet soy but can’t see it in any supermarkets at the moment which is a shame. It must work well with this dish.
If you don’t have sweet soy sauce, which you should be able to get in an Asian shop, or on the World Food aisle then use regular soy sauce and sweet chilli sauce.
I love the soya sauce facts and that there is only 4 ingredients…makes life much easier :)x
Always good to make life easy, that way we can enjoy tasty meals even mid week.
Soy sauce is a complete staple for me at home and I always make sure that I have a bottle in the cupboard x
It is a really good ingredient to have handy, so many uses.
Such a delicious recipe! I love how easy it is to make! Yummy!
It is good to be able to share delicious recipes that are easy to make.
Wow this looks amazing! I love quick and easy dishes like these, so I’ll have to give it a try this weekend x
so quick and easy
Yum! This looks totally delicious! Soy sauce is a staple in our cupboard and chicken a staple in our fridge – putting this on the meal plan for next week!
Hope you enjoy it Rebecca.
This just looks divine! I’ve been looking for some new chicken recipes to try out so I’ll definitely be giving it a try. Thank you for sharing :)
Louise x
Thanks Louise. Make it as part of a salad or a more substantial meal.
Not a combination or something I’d normally make, but this really sounds super tasty. I may need to add it into our weekly food menu!
it is so good, as well as quick and easy
Such a simple recipe, but so much flavour! I love sweet soy sauce :)
Simple and concentrating on clean flavours is the way to go I think?
This sounds gorgeous and super simple – the perfect quick & easy recipe for after a long day at work! I’ll definitely be giving this a go! I had no idea there was so much to know about soy sauce!!
It is perfect for after work. Make up several batches of it and freeze. Pop in the fridge in the morning to defrost.
So simple that you don’t need many ingredients. My mummy loves soy sauce (maybe a bit too much) so would love to make this!
I am soy sauce addicted.
I love using sweet and original soy sauce whenever I cook. great recipe! honey is delicious in this
Honey would be great if you cannot get the sweet soy.
This sounds like the kind of dish my mum would love. I love soy sauce and have it with all my veggie stir drys.
I am soy sauce and tamari addicted too!