Sticky Garlic & Sesame Spicy Chicken

Cook this Chicken when you're craving Chinese takeout- TRUST ME, you won't be disappointed! It's addictingly Sweet & Spicy and the sauce is what makes this dish SO flavorful. It only take about 20 minutes to make which is a weeknight bonus!

Ingredients:

1-2 Lbs. Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs

1 Tbsp. Sesame Oil

2 Garlic Cloves; minced

1/8 tsp. Chinese Five Spice

1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

1/2 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

1 tsp. Sambal Oelek

1/4 Cup Soy Sauce

3 Tbsp. Brown Sugar

1 Tbsp. Sriracha

1 tsp. Sesame Seeds

Salt and Pepper to Season Chicken

1. In a small bowl, Mix together the Chinese Five Spice, Cayenne Pepper, Red Pepper Flakes, Brown Sugar, Sriracha, Sambal Oelek and Soy Sauce. Set aside.

2. Cube the Chicken thighs in to bite size 1-2" pieces.

3. Heat a large non-stick skillet on medium and add Sesame Oil and Chicken. Lightly season with salt and pepper. (Careful not to over season as the Soy Sauce will make the Sticky Sauce salty too). Cook thoroughly about 4-5 minutes per side.

4. Once Chicken is cooked, add minced Garlic and stir for about 2-3 minutes. Turn the heat up to high and add the sauce.

5. Let the ingredients marry together and coat the chicken, it will be thick, bubbly and sticky within 5 minutes.

6. Sprinkle with Sesame Seeds and Serve immediately.

Tips for this Recipe:

1. I like to serve this Chicken over lightly Buttered White Rice, garnished with thinly sliced scallions. Steamed vegetables or edamame are a fresh counterpoint to the salty, spicy chicken too. Pictured I had simple Charred Roasted Broccoli as a side with the rice.

2. Between all the different spicy flavor profiles in this recipe, it has a nice subtle heat. You can always adjust it to your liking though. I recommend more Cayenne if you prefer it hotter.

3. This serves 2-4 people depending on how much chicken you use (about 1/2 pound per person) and you can always double the recipe for meal prepping lunches for the week. It saves beautifully and tastes better than leftover chinese food, in my opinion!

4. You can definitely substitute Chicken Breasts for the Thighs but I prefer to use the dark meat because there is less of a chance for it to become dry tasting.

Be sure to give your feedback in the comments below and share on my social media pages using #saltsandseasons Let me know what you think of this quick and easy Sticky, Garlic & Sesame Chicken!

-Alexandra