Sticky Soy Garlic Chicken

Video

Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Fast, juicy, big flavour. A quick mayo marinade makes the chicken tender and helps it turn beautifully golden in the pan. Then comes the buttery soy-garlic glaze. It’s glossy, savoury and just sticky enough to cling to every slice without turning gloopy. Spoon it over hot rice, add crisp cucumber, and dinner’s sorted.

Special Ingredient Notes

Whole-egg mayonnaise:

Acts like a built-in brine. It won’t taste “mayonnaise-y” after cooking; it simply helps with browning and juiciness.

Kecap manis (dark sweet soy):

Adds sheen, colour and subtle caramel notes for that “sticky” finish.

Chinese light soy sauce:

Salty, clean and essential for balance.

Unsalted butter:

Melts into the glaze for extra gloss and body.

The Secret to Perfect Sticky Soy Garlic Chicken

Start hot, then manage the heat. A ripping-hot pan for the sear, then medium-high so the chicken colours without scorching. Add the sauce and let it bubble briefly to pick up all those flavour bits, then finish with butter and baste. Resting in the pan ensures carryover heat brings the fillets to the

safe internal temp of 75°C (167°F)

so they’re juicy, not dry.

Marion’s Tips

Mayo panic? Don’t, it disappears in the pan, leaving golden, juicy chicken.

If your pan looks dry before the sauce goes in, add a teaspoon of oil rather than lowering the heat…colour equals flavour.

Want extra sauce for the rice? Double the sauce quantities and simmer 30-60 seconds longer.

What You Need

chicken breasts

whole-egg mayonnaise

garlic

Chinese light soy

rice vinegar

vegetable oil

unsalted butter

kecap manis

brown sugar

sesame oil

bird’s eye chilli (optional)

sea salt

steamed rice

cucumber

Steps

Slice each chicken breast in half horizontally to make four thinner fillets. Lightly season both sides with sea salt.

a large bowl

, combine the mayonnaise, garlic, light soy and rice vinegar. Add the chicken and toss well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for

at least 20 minutes

(or up to overnight for extra juiciness).

Heat

a large frying pan

over

high

heat until hot, then add the vegetable oil. Let excess marinade drip off, then place chicken in the pan. Reduce to

medium-high

and cook for about

8 minutes

, turning every couple of minutes, until golden and nearly cooked through.

In a small bowl, mix all the

sticky soy-garlic sauce

ingredients. Pour into the pan and let it bubble for

1-2 minutes

, scraping up any browned bits. Add the butter and baste the chicken as it melts to create a glossy, sticky glaze.

Turn off the heat and let the chicken rest in the pan for

5 minutes

. Check doneness with an instant-read thermometer. The thickest part should read

75°C (167°F)

Transfer to

a board

, slice the chicken and spoon over the pan juices. Serve with steamed rice and sliced cucumber. Add fresh chilli if you like the heat.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to

3 days

. Reheat gently in a pan or microwave until warmed through; add a splash of water if the sauce needs loosening.

Sticky Soy Garlic Chicken

PRINT THIS

PREP TIME

25 minutes (includes marinade)

COOK TIME

15 minutes

SERVES

40 minutes

PRINT THIS

Ingredients

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

¼ cup whole-egg mayonnaise

1 garlic clove, finely grated

1 tsp Chinese light soy sauce

½ tsp rice vinegar

1 tbsp vegetable oil

50g unsalted butter

Steamed rice, to serve

Sliced cucumber, to serve

Red chillies, finely chopped (optional)

Sea salt, to season

For the sticky soy-garlic sauce

1 tbsp Chinese light soy sauce

1 tbsp kecap manis (dark sweet soy sauce)

2 tsp brown sugar