Kilauea chicken recipe
This easy Kilauea chicken recipe is sweet, spicy, and sticky in just 25 minutes. One skillet, real ingredients, no takeout needed.
Equipment
- 12-inch skillet or wok
- 2 choti mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Knife and cutting board
- Silicone spatula or wooden spoon
- Measuring spoons
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable or sesame oil
For the Kilauea glaze:
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/3 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 tbsp sriracha or garlic chili paste
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp cold water for the slurry
For garnish:
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
Instructions
- Make the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, sriracha, minced garlic, grated ginger, and rice vinegar until the sugar mostly dissolves. Set aside. In a separate cup, stir the cornstarch into the cold water and keep it nearby.
- Sear the chicken. Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat until it shimmers. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then add it in a single layer. Let it sit undisturbed for the first two minutes to build a golden crust, then cook five to seven minutes total, turning once or twice, until browned and cooked through. Work in two batches if your pan is crowded.
- Add the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium and pour the glaze over the chicken. Let it bubble for two to three minutes so the flavors come together.
- Thicken the glaze. Stir the cornstarch slurry again, then pour it into the pan. Stir constantly for one to two minutes until the sauce turns thick, glossy, and sticky enough to coat every piece.
- Garnish and serve. Remove from the heat immediately. Top with sesame seeds and green onions and serve hot over rice.
Notes
- Prep everything before the pan gets hot. This dish moves fast once the sauce goes in, so have your chicken cut, aromatics ready, and sauce whisked before you turn on the burner.
- Drop the heat before the sugar. Brown sugar burns quickly. Lowering the heat to medium the moment the glaze hits the pan is the single best way to avoid a bitter sauce.
- Always slurry with cold water and stir it twice. Cornstarch settles fast and seizes in hot liquid, so mix it cold and stir it again right before it goes in.
- Do not skip the rice vinegar. That small splash of acid is what keeps the glaze from tasting one note sweet. It brightens the whole dish.
- Pull the chicken a touch early. It keeps cooking in the residual heat and the simmering sauce, so just done is exactly right, especially if you use breast.