The pot lid rattles and you know dinner is almost ready. That little hiss from the valve tells you the chicken inside is cooking up real nice and fast. You catch the smell of sweet chili sauce thickening with just a touch of spice wafting through your kitchen air.
It’s kinda funny how something this tasty comes together so quick. When you get a craving for something with a little heat but also that sweet sticky finish, these Thai Chicken Bites are what you want. They’re juicy little pockets of yum packed with flavor.
You spot that golden brown crust on each chicken piece just waiting to be tossed in that tangy sauce. And you know once they hit the bowl, you gotta dig in fast before they all disappear. Pressure cooker dinners don’t get better than this, y’all.
The Real Reasons You Will Love This Method
- Quick release means you don’t gotta wait long before serving up. Check out our quick pressure cooking tips to speed up your dinners.
- Natural release keeps the chicken tender and juicy without drying it out. Learn more about pressure cooker natural release techniques.
- Broth depth from frying the pieces first gives extra flavor base for the sauce.
- Using the pressure cooker cuts down cooking time compared to oven frying.
- Easy cleanup since you start frying in a skillet and finish in the same pot.
- Perfectly coated chicken bites get that crispy yet saucy finish every time.
Everything You Need Lined Up
- Vegetable oil for frying (just enough to get them crisp)
- One pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Half cup all-purpose flour to coat the chicken crispy
- Half teaspoon garlic powder for a little savory punch
- One egg, whisked with a quarter cup milk for the batter dip
- Quarter teaspoon salt, or you can tweak to taste
- Half teaspoon pepper to balance the flavors
- One teaspoon red chili powder for that fiery kick
- Half cup sweet chili sauce to toss everything in once cooked
Walking Through Every Single Move
First thing, cut your chicken into nice little bite-sized pieces. Set these aside while you prep your coatings.
Mix together the flour, garlic powder, red chili powder, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. This is your dry mix that gives flavor and crunch.
In a separate bowl, whisk that egg and milk together till it’s all blended smooth. This mix is what makes the flour stick real good.
Dip each chicken piece in the egg mixture then roll it around in the flour mix. Press lightly so the coating sticks on perfectly.
Heat your vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. You want it hot enough so the chicken sizzles when it hits the pan.
Fry the chicken in batches, about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. They gotta come out golden brown and cooked through. Lay them on paper towels after to drain.
Now, toss those bites in a big bowl with the sweet chili sauce, making sure every piece gets covered up nice and evenly.
Serve right away. If you got green onions or sesame seeds handy, sprinkle some on top for that fancy finish. This dish is gonna disappear real fast, so be ready!
Easy Tweaks That Make Life Simple
- Use pre-cut chicken breast bites from the store to save prep time. You might want to read our time saving chicken recipes.
- Swap sweet chili sauce with a homemade mix of honey and sriracha for a personal touch. See homemade sweet chili sauce.
- Instead of frying, you can air fry the coated chicken bites to cut on oil use.
- Make extra sauce and keep it warmed for dipping or drizzling on rice or veggies.
The Flavor Experience Waiting for You
First up, you feel that crispy coating crunch with each bite. That flour and spice mix is perfect for capturing that crunch without being too thick.
Then the sauce hits your tongue sweet and spicy both at the same time. The chili powder adds a subtle heat that’s balanced by the smooth sweetness of the chili sauce.
The chicken inside stays juicy from the natural release stage in the pressure cooker, so it’s tender without losing moisture.
All together, they create this dang good combo of crispy, saucy, spicy, and sweet y’all can’t stop nibbling on.
Keeping Leftovers Fresh and Ready
If you got any leftovers (which ain’t likely), store your chicken bites in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll stay good for about 3 days.
When reheating, toss them in a skillet over medium heat to get that crispy outside back. Microwave’s okay too but you might lose some crisp.
You can freeze cooked bites for longer storage. Just spread them on a tray to freeze first before moving to a bag. When ready, heat from frozen in the oven or air fryer.
Leftover sauce can hang out in the fridge separately in a sealed jar. Warm it up gently on the stove whenever you want to give stuff an extra splash of flavor.
Everything Else You Wondered About
- Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts? Yeah, thighs work real good but they might be a little juicier which means coating might stick differently.
- What’s slow release and natural release in pressure cooking? Natural release means you let the pressure drop on its own without opening the valve quick. Slow release is manually releasing the pressure gently to avoid splatters.
- Do I really need to fry the chicken first? Frying seals in juices and starts that nice crust which pressure cooking alone won’t do.
- Can I make this gluten free? Sure thing. Just swap all-purpose flour with a gluten free blend that works for frying.
- How spicy will this be? It’s got a mild kick from the red chili powder and sweet chili sauce. You can always add more chili for extra heat.
- Is quick release a good option here? Quick release works but you might lose some broth depth in the flavor. Natural release gives the chicken better texture and juiciness.
Thai Chicken Bites
Equipment
- 1 Skillet Large, for frying
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- vegetable oil Vegetable oil for frying
- 1 pound Chicken breasts boneless and skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup All-purpose flour for coating
- ½ teaspoon Garlic powder for flavor
- 1 Egg whisked
- ¼ cup Milk for the batter
- ¼ teaspoon Salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon Pepper or to taste
- 1 teaspoon Red chili powder for heat
- ½ cup Sweet chili sauce for drizzling
Instructions
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
- Mix together the flour, garlic powder, red chili powder, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish.
- In another bowl, whisk the egg and milk together smoothly.
- Dip each chicken piece into the egg mixture and coat with the flour mix, pressing lightly.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot.
- Fry chicken in batches for 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden and cooked. Drain on paper towels.
- Toss fried chicken bites in a bowl with sweet chili sauce until evenly coated.
- Serve immediately. Garnish with green onions or sesame seeds if desired.
