Some food and condiment pairings are so magical, it's almost not worth eating one without the other. French fries and ketchup comes to mind — and so does grilled chicken and Thai sweet chili sauce.
This combination is a staple in Thailand, where street vendors sell chicken that has been marinated in fish sauce, cilantro and ginger and then grilled, with sweet, spicy sauce served on the side for dipping. We're addicted to the combination of the charred, savory chicken with the bright, not-too-spicy, not-too-sweet sauce.
We usually buy Thai sweet chili sauce at our local Asian grocery store, but Thai Kitchen makes a version that is available at most big grocery chains.
Of course, sweet chili sauce can be used for more than just grilled chicken — we also like it as a dipping sauce for spring rolls or a topping for grilled fish — but we can't say the reverse is true. Grilled chicken just isn't the same without a side of sweet chili sauce.
Have you ever tried this combination?
Related: What Are Some Creative Ways to Eat Sweet Chili Jam?
(Images: Flickr member izik licensed under Creative Commons; Flickr member FotoosVanRobin licensed under Creative Commons)
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anyone have a recipe to make this at home? Even a dressed-down version would be cool! thanks!
Recommend this on Thai-style fried whole fish like snapper or especially, fresh Thai-fried softshell crabs. Utterly amazing. Thanks Jimmy and staff at the Thai Room in KDH NC for the turn-on!
http://www.shesimmers.com/2009/02/how-to-make-thai-sweet-chili-dipping.html
here you go jrobards!
Thanks Carlee!
it is really, really easy. I'm surprised thekitchn didn't just post a recipe along with this article. :)
Thanks for the link, carlee134! I've been wanting to make sweet chili sauce for ages, and it does seem like it should be a snap, but somehow I've never happened upon a recipe that sounds like it would be the right spiciness and consistency. This one looks like a winner!
Instead of sweet chili sauce, I made a mango pepper jam, which worked very nicely. Here's the recipe:
http://www.pepperfool.com/recipes/jams/homemade_jelly.html
i use this combination all the time! my husband loves it because the thai sweet chili gives the chicken a special kick. sometimes i will marinate the chicken in the sauce itself and then just cook it all together; other times, i will broil the chicken and serve with the sauce on the side. either way, it's a simple dish for weeknight dinner!
While I was studying abroad in Australia this condiment was a staple. My favorite use of it back home are french fries (although steak fries or potato wedges are preferred) with a side of the sauce and sour cream. It's a delicious snack!