When you love massive flavour with minimal faff, this chilli lime rooster goes straight into your weeknight rotation. It’s shiny, sweet-tangy, and somewhat fiery, with juicy rooster thighs and a sauce that adheres fantastically to each chew. I first developed this one for my guide Fast & Simple Dinners and it’s been a agency household favorite ever since. All performed in a single pan and prepared in underneath half-hour!
Nicky’s Notes
This chilli lime rooster is tremendous straightforward; no-marinade, one-pan, sticky-glaze-in-minutes!
We’re utilizing juicy thigh fillets for built-in tenderness, then doing somewhat cornflour double-act: a light-weight dusting on the rooster for quick browning, plus a contact whisked into the soy–lime sauce so it reduces right into a pro-level, clingy gloss.
Contemporary purple chilli brings brightness and a clear warmth which you could dial up with chilli flakes on the finish.
It’s precisely the form of speedy one pan dinner I wrote for my Fast & Simple guide—minimal faff, most flavour, and that satisfying second when the sauce turns shiny and sticks fantastically to each piece of rooster.
Why This Chilli Lime Hen Works
- No marinade time: Cornflour + sizzling pan = fast browning and instantaneous sauce thickening.
- Flavour layering: Soy for savoury depth, lime for zing, honey/sugar for steadiness, garlic and chilli for heat.
- One pan: Fry, glaze, serve. Midweek dinner performed.
- Constructed-in flexibility: Dial the warmth up or down; swap thighs for flattened breasts for those who like.
📋 Components
***Full recipe with detailed portions within the recipe card beneath***
Greatest minimize of rooster to make use of
Boneless, skinless thigh fillets are my high choose right here—they’re naturally juicy, arduous to overcook, and ideal for that sticky glaze to cling to. The little little bit of fats helps with browning and retains each chew tender.
Desire breasts? Use can use 4 rooster breasts, place them between sheets of clingfilm and bash to half their unique thickness (rolling pin or meat tenderiser). This helps them prepare dinner rapidly and evenly—sear till golden, then end within the sauce simply till cooked by means of so that they keep succulent.
Abbreviated Recipe
***Full recipe with detailed steps within the recipe card beneath***
Toss flattened rooster thighs with cornflour, salt and pepper; sear in an a big frying pan, turning as soon as, till golden.
Whisk soy, lime juice, honey, brown sugar, garlic, chillies and cornflour; pour into the pan, convey to the boil, then simmer 5 minutes till shiny and cooked by means of.
End with sesame seeds, chilli flakes, lime wedges and sliced spring onions; serve with rice or noodles.
Recipe Ideas
- As soon as the soy–lime combination goes in, flip the warmth to a regular simmer and cease shuffling the rooster. When the sauce coats the again of a spoon and a spatula leaves a short path, you’re there. If it seems a contact thick, stir in somewhat splash of sizzling water off the warmth to loosen to shiny perfection.
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🍽️ What to serve it with
I Like nothing greater than serving this over some boiled rice with a sprinkling of sesame seeds, chilli flakes and spring onions. That chili lime sauce soaking into the rice is simply cooks kiss 🤌.
When you wished you would additionally attempt it with:
📺 Watch easy methods to make it
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Place the rooster thigh fillets on a board. Combine collectively 2 tablespoons of the cornflour with the salt and pepper and sprinkle it on either side of the rooster thighs.
8 boneless skinless rooster thigh fillets, 2 tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch), ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
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Warmth the sesame and impartial oil in a big frying pan (skillet) over a medium-high warmth.
1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon impartial oil
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Add the rooster thighs and fry for 6-7 minutes, turning as soon as, till golden.
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In the meantime, combine collectively the soy sauce, lime juice, honey, brown sugar, garlic, chillies and remaining 1 tablespoon of cornflour in a small bowl.
2 tablespoons gentle soy sauce, 4 tablespoons lime juice, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch), 2 tablespoons gentle brown sugar, 3 garlic cloves, 2 purple chillies
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As soon as the rooster is golden brown, pour the combination everywhere in the rooster thighs, within the pan. Carry to the boil, then simmer for five minutes, till the sauce has thickened.
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High the rooster with sesame seeds, chilli flakes, lime slices and sliced spring onions, then serve. I like to serve these up with boiled rice or noodles.
Sesame seeds, Chilli flakes, Wedges of lime, Sliced spring onions (scallions)
Can you utilize rooster breast?
Exchange the 8 rooster thighs for 4 rooster breasts for those who desire. Place the rooster breasts between items of clingfilm and bash with a meat tenderiser or rolling pin to flatten, so the rooster breasts are half as thick. This can assist them prepare dinner faster and extra evenly.
Can I make this gluten free?
Sure, exchange the soy sauce with tamari.
Can I freeze it?
Sure, though the rooster received’t be fairly as tender (it’ll nonetheless style nice by means of). Cook dinner, rapidly cool and canopy the rooster, then freeze. Defrost in a single day within the fridge, and reheat within the oven at 180C/350f on a baking tray. Cowl the rooster with foil earlier than inserting within the oven to assist forestall it drying out.
Cook dinner for 12-Quarter-hour till piping sizzling all through. It’s possible you’ll want so as to add a splash of sizzling water to loosen up the sauce when reheating.
Can I make forward or save leftovers and reheat?
Sure, though the rooster received’t be fairly as tender when reheated (it’ll nonetheless style nice by means of). Cook dinner, rapidly cool and canopy the rooster, then refrigerate. Reheat within the oven at 180C/350f on a baking tray. Cowl the rooster with foil earlier than inserting within the oven to assist forestall it drying out.
Cook dinner for 12-Quarter-hour till piping sizzling all through. It’s possible you’ll want so as to add a splash of sizzling water to loosen up the sauce when reheating.
Dietary info is calculated routinely and is per serving with out the serving recommendations.
Energy: 431kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 45g | Fats: 16g | Saturated Fats: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 4g | Monounsaturated Fats: 7g | Trans Fats: 0.04g | Ldl cholesterol: 215mg | Sodium: 1000mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g
Vitamin info is routinely calculated, so ought to solely be used as an approximation.
This Sticky Chili Lime Hen Recipe was first posted in Nov 2025.
🥡 Extra Sticky Hen Recipes
It’s within the guide!
This chilli lime rooster recipe is featured in my guide. Fast & Simple accommodates 90 recipes that may be made in half-hour or much less!
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