Sweet Chili Sauce Recipe (Better Than Store-Bought)

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce Recipe

This is the recipe for Thai Sweet Chili Sauce you've been looking for, my friends. This version is the ideal mix of sweet and spicy, perfectly balanced to please your spicy food loving palates.

Thai sweet chili sauce is a sweet, sour and spicy chili sauce used to add punch and flavor to many dishes. In Thailand, it is called "nam jim gai" (sometimes spelled "nam chim kai").

While it originated in Thailand, it has spread around the world and has become hugely popular in the U.S. and western cooking. It's a mix of chili peppers with vinegar and other ingredients, then sweetened and often thickened.

You'll usually find it in bottles at the supermarket, or in restaurants paired with fried chicken or spring rolls, as the combination of sweet and sour perfectly compliments the salty qualities of fried foods.

However, you can use it in so many other ways.

Of course you can find sweet chili sauce in grocery stores, but homemade sweet chili sauce is so much better than store bought, especially when you can make it your own way.

Most recipes focus on the sweet and sour elements, though I like to up the overall spice factor just a bit, in order to achieve a better balance for those like me who enjoy spicy foods.

Let's talk about how to make Thai Sweet Chili Sauce, shall we?

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce Ingredients

• Fresh Red Chilies. Use Thai chilies, or a mix of peppers to your own heat and flavor preference. Or use sambal oelek as a substitute.
• Water.
• Rice Vinegar. White vinegar is a good substitute.
• Sugar. Granulated sugar. You can use honey as a substitute.
• Hot Chili Flakes. Optional, for extra heat/flavor. Use dried/crushed red chilies or red pepper flakes for this recipe. Options include bird's eye chilies, spur chilies, Thai chilies, japones, chile de arbol, or others - or use fresh minced red chili peppers.
• Fish Sauce.
• Ginger.
• Garlic.
• Corn Starch. For thickening.
• Optional Additions. Rice Wine can be added as well, or sriracha.

How to Make Thai Sweet Chili Sauce - the Recipe Method

Add to a Small Pot. Add all of the ingredients except the corn starch to a small pot.

Boil, then Simmer. Heat to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring.

Thicken the Chili Sauce. Mix the corn starch with a bit of water to make a slurry, then stir into the pot. Heat through a couple minutes to thicken.

If you prefer a thicker sweet chili sauce, add in more of the corn starch slurry and simmer until it thickens up to your preference.

Cool and Refrigerate. Cool the sauce and enjoy as desired. Keep refrigerated.

Boom! Done! Your Thai sweet chili sauce is ready to go. How are you serving yours? Dipping sauce? Slathered over shrimp? I'd love to hear it! So easy to make, isn't it?

Serving Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

This sauce is one of the most versatile condiments you can keep in your fridge. Here are some of my favorite ways to use it:

• As a dipping sauce. This is the classic use, and for good reason. Try it with spring rolls, egg rolls, fried wontons, crab rangoon, fried chicken wings, chicken nuggets, coconut shrimp, fried calamari, or dumplings. The sweet-sour-spicy combo is perfect against anything salty and fried.
• As a glaze or marinade. Brush it over chicken, salmon, shrimp, or pork before grilling or baking. It caramelizes beautifully under heat and adds a gorgeous sticky coating.
• In stir fries. Add a few tablespoons to a hot wok with your protein and vegetables instead of a standard stir fry sauce. It works especially well with shrimp, ground turkey, tofu over rice, or for spicy noodles.
• Mixed into sauces and dressings. Stir it into mayonnaise for a creamy sweet chili aioli, incredible as a burger spread, sandwich topping, or dipping sauce for fries. You can also whisk it into a salad dressing for an Asian-style slaw.
• Drizzled over eggs. A drizzle over scrambled eggs, an omelet, or fried eggs adds a vibrant punch of flavor that works surprisingly well at breakfast or brunch.
• Stirred into soups and chili. Add a spoonful or two into a simmering pot of chili, noodle soup, or spicy ramen noodles for a hit of sweet heat. It's a great finishing touch when you want more complexity without adding pure heat.
• Cream cheese. Spoon some Thai sweet chili sauce over a block of cream cheese and serve with crackers. It takes about 30 seconds to put together and disappears fast at parties.

Variations and Customizations

One of the best things about making this at home is full control over the flavor. Here's how to make it your own:

• Adjust the heat. My version is mild-medium by design. For more fire, swap the chili flakes for bird's eye chilies, Thai chilies, or even a small habanero. For a no-heat version suitable for kids, use red bell pepper in place of the fresh red chilies.
• Adjust the sweetness. Reduce the sugar by half for a less sweet, more savory sauce. For a richer depth of sweetness, try brown sugar or palm sugar instead of white granulated. Honey works well too and adds a slight floral note.
• Fruity variations. Replace a few tablespoons of water with mango puree, pineapple juice, or fresh-squeezed orange juice for a tropical twist. Mango habanero sweet chili sauce made this way is outstanding with grilled chicken or shrimp tacos.
• Make it gluten-free. If you're adding soy sauce to your version, swap it for coconut aminos or tamari. Both replicate the umami depth without the wheat. Everything else in this recipe is naturally gluten-free.
• Make it sugar-free. Substitute a granulated sweetener like erythritol or monk fruit for the sugar in a 1:1 ratio. The texture and thickness will be very similar.

Storage Information

Store your Thai sweet chili sauce in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 1 month or longer. Use as desired.

You can also freeze it in freezer containers for up to 6 months. Simple thaw and use when needed.

That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy your Sweet Thai Chili Sauce. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you. Keep it spicy!

Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes

• Easy Thai Peanut Sauce
• Thai Chili Paste (Nam Prik Pao)
• Thai Red Curry Paste
• See all of my Thai Recipes.

Try My Other Popular Sauce Recipes

• General Tso Sauce
• XO Sauce
• Easy Hoisin Sauce
• Spicy Stir Fry Sauce
• Sweet and Sour Sauce
• Ponzu Sauce