This Sweet Chili Chicken sheet pan meal delivers a filling, satisfying healthy dinner in 20 minutes cooking time! The delicious, colorful dish is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner the whole family will love.
We've adapted the classic fried dish for one home cooks will love. The delicious sweet chili dipping sauce is now a sauce that cooks on the chicken and vegetables instead.
Moist lean chicken and loads of perfectly cooked vegetables are one of our favorite ways to make dinner. Serve it over jasmine rice, white rice, brown rice or cauliflower rice for a complete meal.
Also perfect for meal prep!
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What makes this skinny?
Sweet chili chicken is usually battered and fried. It's delicious, no question, but we wanted to enjoy it with fewer calories still keeping the classic Asian inspired flavors.
This sheet pan version uses lean boneless chicken breasts and loads of fresh vegetables. You can think of it more like a stir fry meal that's easier to make and with less oil. It's a healthy lower calorie spin on a classic dish.
Comparison: regular sweet chili chicken has up to 690 calories in a serving. This version has 345 per serving.
Recipe Ingredients Notes
Boneless skinless chicken breasts. You'll use 1 ½ pounds cut into 1 inch pieces.
Broccoli. One large head of broccoli is used. For a shortcut you can use pre-cut broccoli florets which are sold in bags in the local grocery store produce section. You'll need 3 ½ cups of florets.
Red bell pepper. These should also be cut into 1-inch pieces to 1 ½-inch pieces.
Sugar snap peas. After rinsing be sure to remove the 'string' on the snap peas. This is easiest by pinching off one tip of the rinsed snap peas and pulling across the straighter side of the snap pea to the opposite tip (then remove that tip too). This will pull the string off easily.
Sweet chili sauce. This will be found in the condiment section or international foods section of grocery stores. In Thailand it's called nam chim kai. It's a sauce made red chili peppers, rice wine vinegar, often garlic, fish sauce, and a sweetener like sugar, honey or fruit. Homemade sweet chili sauce can also be used.
Soy sauce. Regular low-sodium soy sauce or gluten-free Tamari can be used.
Garlic and Ginger. Use fresh garlic and ginger for best flavor.
Garnish. Sesame seeds are sprinkled on at the end. Sliced green onions add a fresh look too.
How to make Sweet Chili Chicken - Step-by-Step
Detailed printable recipe card at the end of this post.
STEP 1. Preparation
Preheat the oven to 400F degrees F.
Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
STEP 2. Make the sauce
In a small saucepan, combine the sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic and fresh ginger (photo 1). Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 2-3 minutes (over medium or low heat) or until the sauce slightly thickens. Remove from heat.
STEP 2. Cook
Arrange the chicken pieces and vegetables in a single layer onto the prepared cookie sheet. Season with salt and pepper (photo 2).
Pour half of the thickened sauce over the chicken and vegetables and toss to coat (photo 3).
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, tossing halfway through, until the chicken is cooked through and the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees F, and vegetables are roasted. Remove from oven (photo 4).
Add the remaining sauce to the dish, toss and sprinkle the sesame seeds across the roasted chicken and vegetables.
Serve warm over cooked rice, enjoy!
Variations
Coconut aminos. You can substitute coconut aminos for the soy sauce in this dish. Some coconut amino brands are naturally sweeter, you can balance out the sweetness by reducing the brown sugar.
Want a spicy dish? Sprinkle on some red pepper flakes with the sesame seeds at the end before serving. Or add a tablespoon of Sriracha sauce in when making the sauce. Either will give the dish a nice kick.
Green beans. If desired swap the snap peas with green beans. The cook time will be the same.
Boneless skinless chicken thighs. These can be substituted for the chicken breast. Thighs tend to have more flavor but more calories too so adjust the recipe calories if tracking.
Pro Tips
For easy clean-up. Line the rimmed baking sheet with foil before spraying with non-stick cooking spray first for easier clean up!
Using frozen ingredients. If cooking with frozen ingredients, increase the bake time by 10-15 minutes.
Using a dark baking sheet. Dark colored baking sheets cook faster (this is especially true of baking). If using one check the ingredients slightly earlier for doneness.
How to Store leftovers
Store in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or stove top.
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Recipe
Sweet Chili Chicken & Vegetables (sheet pan meal)
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 large head broccoli stem removed and heads sliced into bite sized florets (approximately 3 ½ cups florets)
- 1 large red onion sliced into 1 inch pieces
- 1 large red bell pepper cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 cup sugar snap peas washed and trimmed
- ⅓ cup sweet chili sauce
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce regular or gluten-free soy sauce or tamari can be used
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 garlic cloves diced
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F degrees.
- Grease a large baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a small saucepan, add the sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic and ginger. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce slightly thickens. Remove from heat.
- Arrange the diced chicken and diced vegetables onto the greased baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper.
- Pour half of the thickened sauce over the chicken and vegetables and toss to coat.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, tossing halfway through, until the chicken is cooked through and the internal temperature has reached 165F, and vegetables are roasted.
- Add the remaining sauce to the dish, toss and sprinkle the sesame seeds across the roasted chicken and vegetables.
- Serve warm over cooked rice, enjoy!
Felicity says
So good for post holiday meal prep, thank you!
Kristyn says
Love the flavor of this dish!! It's hearty & delicious!! I will be making this a lot more!
Jennifer says
such a delicious recipe!! & so easy!! definitely will be making this often!
katerina says
Such an incredibly delicious meal! I love the flavors!
Emily Flint says
I love sweet chili sauce and now I have another reason to use it! We loved this recipe and I will definitely be making it again for my family.
Mandy Applegate says
The flavors in this are fantastic!
Angela says
I love that this recipe is so easy. All of the ingredients cooked in one pan. The sauce is delicious.
Joyce says
This was such an EASY dinner to make, with SO much flavor! Thank you so much! Our family pretty much polished the whole tray in one go!
Elaine says
What a great meal! My mouth is watering just from looking at the images. Can't wait to give the recipe a try!
Bruce Morton says
Yum; can't wait to make this!
Re: Lining the sheet pan, Reynolds Non-Stick foil is a great way to make clean up easy and keep food from sticking. It's is a blue and yellow box (as compared to the regular foil in a blue and pink box.)