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If you love big flavour with minimal faff, this chilli lime chicken is going straight into your weeknight rotation. It’s glossy, sweet-tangy, and a little fiery, with juicy chicken thighs and a sauce that clings beautifully to every bite. I first developed this one for my book Quick & Easy Dinners and it’s been a firm family favourite ever since. All done in one pan and ready in under 30 minutes!
Nicky’s Notes
This chilli lime chicken is super easy; no-marinade, one-pan, sticky-glaze-in-minutes!
We’re using juicy thigh fillets for built-in tenderness, then doing a little cornflour double-act: a light dusting on the chicken for fast browning, plus a touch whisked into the soy–lime sauce so it reduces into a pro-level, clingy gloss.
Fresh red chilli brings brightness and a clean heat that you can dial up with chilli flakes at the end.
It’s exactly the kind of speedy one pan dinner I wrote for my Quick & Easy book—minimal faff, maximum flavour, and that satisfying moment when the sauce turns shiny and sticks beautifully to every piece of chicken.
Table of Contents
Why This Chilli Lime Chicken Works
- No marinade time: Cornflour + hot pan = quick browning and instant sauce thickening.
- Flavour layering: Soy for savoury depth, lime for zing, honey/sugar for balance, garlic and chilli for warmth.
- One pan: Fry, glaze, serve. Midweek dinner done.
- Built-in flexibility: Dial the heat up or down; swap thighs for flattened breasts if you like.
📋 Ingredients
***Full recipe with detailed quantities in the recipe card below***
Best cut of chicken to use
Boneless, skinless thigh fillets are my top pick here—they’re naturally juicy, hard to overcook, and perfect for that sticky glaze to cling to. The little bit of fat helps with browning and keeps every bite tender.
Prefer breasts? Use can use 4 chicken breasts, place them between sheets of clingfilm and bash to half their original thickness (rolling pin or meat tenderiser). This helps them cook quickly and evenly—sear until golden, then finish in the sauce just until cooked through so they stay succulent.
Abbreviated Recipe
***Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card below***
Toss flattened chicken thighs with cornflour, salt and pepper; sear in an a large frying pan, turning once, until golden.
Whisk soy, lime juice, honey, brown sugar, garlic, chillies and cornflour; pour into the pan, bring to the boil, then simmer 5 mins until glossy and cooked through.
Finish with sesame seeds, chilli flakes, lime wedges and sliced spring onions; serve with rice or noodles.
Recipe Tips
- Once the soy–lime mixture goes in, turn the heat to a steady simmer and stop shuffling the chicken. When the sauce coats the back of a spoon and a spatula leaves a brief trail, you’re there. If it looks a touch thick, stir in a little splash of hot water off the heat to loosen to glossy perfection.
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Pin It🍽️ What to serve it with
I Like nothing more 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 just chefs kiss 🤌.
If you wanted you could also try it with:
- Egg Fried Rice
- Coconut Rice
- Thai Sticky Rice
- Or how about with some sesame noodles, would that work 🤔??
📺 Watch how to make it
Chilli Lime Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
The Chicken
- 8 boneless skinless chicken thigh fillets trimmed of excess fat and flattened out with your hands
- 2 tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil (I use avocado oil)
The Sauce
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons lime juice approx. the juice from 2 limes
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch)
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 3 garlic cloves peeled and minced
- 2 red chillies sliced
To Serve
- Sesame seeds
- Chilli flakes
- Wedges of lime
- Sliced spring onions (scallions)
Instructions
- Place the chicken thigh fillets on a board. Mix together 2 tablespoons of the cornflour with the salt and pepper and sprinkle it on both sides of the chicken thighs.8 boneless skinless chicken thigh fillets, 2 tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch), ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Heat the sesame and neutral oil in a large frying pan (skillet) over a medium-high heat.1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- Add the chicken thighs and fry for 6-7 minutes, turning once, until golden.
- Meanwhile, mix together the soy sauce, lime juice, honey, brown sugar, garlic, chillies and remaining 1 tablespoon of cornflour in a small bowl.2 tablespoons light soy sauce, 4 tablespoons lime juice, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch), 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, 3 garlic cloves, 2 red chillies
- Once the chicken is golden brown, pour the mixture all over the chicken thighs, in the pan. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
- Top the chicken with sesame seeds, chilli flakes, lime slices and sliced spring onions, then serve. I love to serve these up with boiled rice or noodles.Sesame seeds, Chilli flakes, Wedges of lime, Sliced spring onions (scallions)
Video
Notes
Can you use chicken breast?
Replace the 8 chicken thighs for 4 chicken breasts if you prefer. Place the chicken breasts between pieces of clingfilm and bash with a meat tenderiser or rolling pin to flatten, so the chicken breasts are half as thick. This will help them cook quicker and more evenly.Can I make this gluten free?
Yes, replace the soy sauce with tamari.Can I freeze it?
Yes, although the chicken won’t be quite as tender (it’ll still taste great through). Cook, quickly cool and cover the chicken, then freeze. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, and reheat in the oven at 180C/350f on a baking tray. Cover the chicken with foil before placing in the oven to help prevent it drying out. Cook for 12-15 minutes until piping hot throughout. You may need to add a splash of hot water to loosen up the sauce when reheating.Can I make ahead or save leftovers and reheat?
Yes, although the chicken won’t be quite as tender when reheated (it’ll still taste great through). Cook, quickly cool and cover the chicken, then refrigerate. Reheat in the oven at 180C/350f on a baking tray. Cover the chicken with foil before placing in the oven to help prevent it drying out. Cook for 12-15 minutes until piping hot throughout. You may need to add a splash of hot water to loosen up the sauce when reheating. Nutritional information is calculated automatically and is per serving without the serving suggestions.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This Sticky Chili Lime Chicken Recipe was first posted in Nov 2025.
🥡 More Sticky Chicken Recipes
It’s in the book!
This chilli lime chicken recipe is featured in my book. Quick & Easy contains 90 recipes that can be made in 30 minutes or less!
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You do some recipes👍