This homemade Thai sweet chili sauce is the perfect mix of savory, sweet and spicy, great with shrimp, noodle dishes, egg rolls, or as a dipping sauce, easy to make!
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
- Fried Chicken Dipping Sauce. This sauce is most popular as a dipping sauce for chicken, particularly fried chicken or chicken wings. It's also great with other fried foods, like fried shrimp.
- Seafood Dipping Sauce. Thai chili sauce is perfect as a dipping sauce for shrimp and seafood.
- Dipping Sauce for Rolls. Sweet chili sauce is essential for fried egg rolls, but also try it on fresh spring rolls. So good!
- Noodles. Swirl Thai sweet chili sauce into a bowl of noodles, or use to enhance your stir fries.
- Cream Cheese. Spoon some Thai sweet chili sauce over a block of cream cheese and serve it with crackers. Delicious!
It's great with many Asian cuisines.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Other Ingredients/Add Ins. Soy sauce is a popular addition to Thai sweet chili sauce, though I omit it in my own recipe. Give it a go, as it does compliment nicely. When serving, try adding crushed roasted peanuts or fresh chopped cucumber.
- Heat Factor. Mild-Medium. My version isn't an overly spicy version, with only a touch of heat. You can easily add in hotter chili flakes to achieve your perfect balance. Use bell peppers for a no-heat version.
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
Try My Other Popular Sauce Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Homemade Thai Sweet Chili Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 to 1 cup chopped chilies Use Thai chilies, or your favorites - or use sambal oelek
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup sugar use 2 tablespoons for less sweet - you can use up to 1 cup for sweeter chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon hot chili flakes use dried/crushed - bird's eye chilies, Thai chilies, japones, chile de arbol, or others - or use fresh minced
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic or more - 3-4 cloves
- 1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water to make a slurry - double this for thicker sweet chili sauce
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a small pot except the cornstarch.
- Heat to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Swirl in the cornstarch slurry and simmer, stirring, until thickened.
- Cool and enjoy. Keep refrigerated.
Video
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 7/28/23 to include new information, photos, and video. It was originally published on 4/11/22.
Shantal says
Made this sweet and spicy chilli sauce today. With a few tweaks to suit my pallet, it turned out delicious. Had a few not so spicy chillis from a crop grown in a pot, added a few store bought red hot chillis and added some really spicy dried peppers. I did thin my sauce a bit after adding the corn starch slurry as felt it was a bit thick for my liking, but again it’s a recipe easy to tweak. Thanks Mike!!
Mike H. says
You are very welcome, Shantal. Glad you are enjoying it!
Brett Bellmore says
We had a bumper crop of Thai chilies in our garden, so I just tried this recipe. Used half red, and half green, for a more festive color.
Quite a bit spicier than the store bought, but I liked that. Maybe a tad salty with the fish sauce, though. But that's a matter of taste.
My (Filipino) wife insisted on adding a lot of shredded carrot. Can't say it really changed the taste, though.
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it overall, Brett. Interesting with the carrots. Something I may have to try.
Anne De Blasio says
I made
This sauce to night as we both love chilli and had it with crumbled chicken Brest as I don’t think they have much taste
I really in joyed it on the chicken I also used fresh
I will make it a gain love it
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Anne!
Kozmo says
Thanks for the great recipe. I make a nearly identical sauce and love it especially on Asian food. It's one of my favorites. I recently used some as glaze on baked bacon.
I agree with highlight the heat and moderate the sweet. I use serranos and cayennes (can rarely find Thai chilis here), add juice of one lime, and more garlic. I haven't used ginger but will try it in this year's batch. I keep the sauce in small sealed jars in my fridge for months.
I have a hard time getting the right thickness. Even using consistent measures of corn starch I get some sauces too thin, some too thick. It's hard to judge when cooking because it thickens as it cools.
I don't add chili flakes and am curious why you suggest them. I assume they primarily add heat, not flavor. Why not just add more fresh chilis?
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Kozmo. The chili flakes are more for heat factor, though yep, you can use hotter chilies. Mostly I'm trying to demonstrate the versatility of the recipe.
Kiah says
how do you store the extra sauce? can you freeze it and it still hold up well?
Kathleen says
Thai Sweet Chili Sauce - Thank you, this looks good! I enjoy canning sauces and naturally other foods too. would you have a couple canning recipes to share? mild, medium, and hot. The sauces are great to have on hand when family and friends stop by.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Kathleen. I haven't tried to can this, sorry. I do have general instructions on canning/jarring with a water bath: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/preserving-chili-peppers/canning-or-jarring-chili-peppers/
Peter Dyck says
Mike, this looks very good. To keep the sodium level even lower I want to try replacing the fish sauce with some Bonito and kelp ground into a powder to see how that plays out. Keep up the great work. Peter
Mike Hultquist says
I think that'll work great for you, Peter. Enjoy, and thanks!
Kelly says
Can this recipe be used with a hot water bath canning process?
Mike Hultquist says
Kelly, I have not preserved this in a water bath. I don't see any reason why you can't. Just make sure the pH is low enough. Shoot for 3.5 or lower for home preserving.
Callie Rabe says
Actually, I used to can all salsas and sauces I made until I took a canning class. Turns out that cornstarch and all other thickeners prevent the canning process from being successful and can be a real problem. Oops!!! Can it and thicken it after you open is what I was told. Or, don't can and store in the frig.
Ashley says
amazing. I made with fresh chili's, seeds and all, and it was incredibly hot, like just on the edge of still being edible. but the flavor was delicious. Will maybe not put the seeds in next time
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Ashley. Glad you enjoyed it. Regarding the heat - the heat actually does not reside in the seeds, but in the whitish innards of the peppers, which does translate to dried pods as well. If you'd like milder, you can use less of the flakes, or use milder chili flakes. Let me know what you used. Glad to help you adjust the heat to your preference!
frank a ziomek ii says
I too found it be quite hot so I made a second batch of the liquid ingredients along with the cornstarch and sugar, then added the first batch back in. Came out slightly milder with every bit of flavor as before. Now I have even more sauce to enjoy as well.
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you were able to tone it down enough to enjoy. Thanks, Frank.
R and A LESIUK says
Excellent recipe, we enjoyed it immensely
Fabiola says
I am do glad I came across your recipes!
This sauce is simply amazing!
Would it be possible to show us how to make Sloppy Joes your delicious version and Pad Thai as well please?
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Fabiola. I have both of those! See my Sloppy Joes Recipe here: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/sandwiches/homemade-sloppy-joes-madness-style/
I have my Pad Thai Recipe here: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/pad-thai/. Enjoy!
Soner Ali says
Hi Mike
Sealed glass jar refrigerated, how long do you think the sauce would last.
Thanks.
Mike Hultquist says
Soner, this should last several weeks easily, or longer. You can use powdered or dried garlic and ginger if you have concerns. There is quite a bit of vinegar in the recipe, which is a preservative. Enjoy!
jimAND ROSE nashwinter says
very nice sauce;will be making and trying;jim
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks! Enjoy!!!
Rick says
Please get rid of the ingredient check boxes you just added!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks for the heads up. They are removed. Still making updates to the new template. Your patience and understanding is appreciated.
Connie says
What can be substituted for fish sauce in the Thai chili sauce
Mike Hultquist says
Connie, use either oyster sauce, or use more soy sauce. Let me know how it goes for you.