Sticky Sweet-Heat Chicken Udon Noodles

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Sticky Sweet-Heat Chicken Udon Noodles Sticky Sweet-Heat Chicken Udon Noodles brings together crisp-coated chicken, thick udon noodles, colorful vegetables, and a glossy sweet-heat sauce. The sauce is built with honey, low-sodium soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and hot sauce, with the heat level left in your hands.

Watch How to Make It

Start with 1 tablespoon of sriracha or another favorite hot sauce, then taste before adding more. This keeps the sauce in the sweet-heat range while still allowing for a hotter finish if wanted.

Chicken breasts, thighs, or a mixture of both can be used. The cooked chicken is sauced separately from the noodles, then arranged over the finished udon so some pieces remain visible on top.

Ingredients You'll Need

For the chicken, use 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thighs, or both. The chicken is cut into bite-sized pieces and seasoned with garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, and salt before being coated.

Beaten eggs and cornstarch create the coating for the chicken. Vegetable or canola oil is used to cook the pieces in batches, which prevents overcrowding in the skillet and supports the crisp finish called for in the recipe.

The sticky sweet-heat sauce combines honey, low-sodium soy sauce, ketchup, rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, grated fresh ginger or ground ginger, and sriracha or another hot sauce. A cornstarch-and-cold-water mixture is stirred into the simmering sauce to give it the glossy consistency that coats a spoon.

Three packages of thick udon noodles form the noodle base, with package size adjusted as needed. Because udon can be sold precooked or dried, the package directions determine whether the noodles need only a quick warm-up or need to be boiled first.

The vegetables include thinly sliced red and green bell peppers, a julienned or shredded carrot, and shredded cabbage. A bagged cabbage or broccoli mix can be used in place of the cabbage, and sliced green onions are reserved for topping.

Sesame oil is optional for stir-frying the vegetables, with a little vegetable oil as another cooking option. Sesame seeds, an extra drizzle of the honey-garlic sauce, and optional red pepper flakes finish the assembled noodles.

How To Make It

Prepare the chicken. Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. Season with garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.

Coat the chicken. Dip the chicken pieces into beaten eggs, then toss in cornstarch until coated. Shake off excess.

Cook until crispy. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Cook chicken in batches until golden and cooked through to 165°F internally.

Transfer to a plate.

Make the sauce. Combine honey, soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and hot sauce in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Mix cornstarch with cold water and slowly stir into the sauce. Simmer until glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon. Prepare the udon.

I quite literally just threw them in BUT:.

Follow the package directions. Some udon noodles are precooked and only need a quick warm-up, while dried ones need boiling. Drain well and separate gently.

Stir-fry the vegetables.

Heat sesame oil (or a little vegetable oil) in a large skillet or wok. Add peppers, carrots, and cabbage. Stir-fry for 3-5 minutes until tender-crisp.

Bring the noodles together.

Add drained udon noodles and approximately ¾ of the sauce. Toss gently until the noodles are coated and heated through. Add a splash of water if the sauce gets too thick.

Add the chicken.

Toss the cooked chicken with the remaining sauce, then arrange it over the noodles. You can gently fold some chicken into the noodles, but keep some on top for presentation. Top with:.

Sliced green onions. Sesame seeds.

A little extra drizzle of honey-garlic sauce. Optional red pepper flakes for extra heat.

My Xena's Kitchen tips. For extra crunch: Don't overcrowd the chicken while frying. Cook in batches.

For extra flavor

Add a teaspoon of sesame oil to the finished noodles. For the sauce:.

Start with 1 tablespoon of hot sauce. Taste it before adding more. We want sweet heat, not a five-alarm fire! 😅.

For leftovers

Store chicken and noodles refrigerated in separate airtight containers if possible. Reheat thoroughly, adding a splash of water to loosen the sauce.

Wrapping Up

This recipe uses a clear two-part assembly: vegetables and udon are tossed with most of the sauce, while the cooked chicken is coated with the remaining portion. That division keeps the sauced chicken as a distinct topping while still allowing some pieces to be folded through the noodles.

The recipe also allows flexibility within its listed options, including breasts, thighs, or both; rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar; fresh or ground ginger; and cabbage or a bagged cabbage or broccoli mix. Adjust the hot sauce to taste, finish with the listed toppings, and keep leftover chicken and noodles separate when possible.

Recipe created by Xena’s Kitchen for Trust Me Try It.

Sticky Sweet-Heat Chicken Udon Noodles

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• For the chicken
• 1 1/2-2 Ibs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thighs or a mixture of both.
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3-4 tbsp vegetable or canola oil, for cooking
• For the sticky sweet-heat sauce
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 4 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger (or 1/2 tsp
• ground ginger)
• 1-2 tbsp sriracha or your favorite hot sauce, to taste
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp cold water
• For the udon noodles and vegetables
• 3 package thick udon noodles (approximately 7
• oz each, adjust to package size)
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 medium carrot, julienned or shredded
• 1-2 cup shredded cabbage
• OR buy a bag of cabbage or broccoli mix. Choice is yours!
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 1 tbsp sesame oil optional
• Sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

• Prepare the chicken.
• Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. Season with garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
• Coat the chicken.
• Dip the chicken pieces into beaten eggs, then toss in cornstarch until coated. Shake off excess.
• Cook until crispy.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Cook chicken in batches until golden and cooked through to 165°F internally. Transfer to a plate.
• Make the sauce.
• Combine honey, soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and hot sauce in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer.
• Mix cornstarch with cold water and slowly stir into the sauce. Simmer until glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon.
• Prepare the udon. I quite literally just threw them in BUT:
• Follow the package directions. Some udon noodles are precooked and only need a quick warm-up, while dried ones need boiling. Drain well and separate gently.
• Stir-fry the vegetables.
• Heat sesame oil (or a little vegetable oil) in a large skillet or wok. Add peppers, carrots, and cabbage. Stir-fry for 3-5 minutes until tender-crisp.
• Bring the noodles together.
• Add drained udon noodles and approximately ¾ of the sauce. Toss gently until the noodles are coated and heated through. Add a splash of water if the sauce gets too thick.
• Add the chicken!
• Toss the cooked chicken with the remaining sauce, then arrange it over the noodles. You can gently fold some chicken into the noodles, but keep some on top for presentation.
• Top with:
• Sliced green onions.
• Sesame seeds.
• A little extra drizzle of honey-garlic sauce.
• Optional red pepper flakes for extra heat.
• My Xena’s Kitchen tips.
• For extra crunch: Don’t overcrowd the chicken while frying. Cook in batches.
• For extra flavor: Add a teaspoon of sesame oil to the finished noodles.
• For the sauce:
• Start with 1 tablespoon of hot sauce.
• Taste it before adding more. We want sweet heat, not a five-alarm fire! 😅.
• For leftovers: Store chicken and noodles refrigerated in separate airtight containers if possible. Reheat thoroughly, adding a splash of water to loosen the sauce.