Sweet & Spicy Honey Pepper Chicken with Jaca
This sweet and spicy honey pepper chicken is the kind of fast, flavor-packed skillet dinner that beats takeout and lands on the table in under 30 minutes. Bite-sized pieces of chicken get seared until golden, then tossed with crisp red and green bell peppers in a sticky, glossy glaze with a kick of crushed red pepper and a finish of green onion and sesame seeds. Serve it over rice and you've got a weeknight winner the whole family will ask for again. Our version swaps the honey for Jaca (100% pure allulose) at double the amount — 1 cup of granular Jaca plus a splash of water in place of ½ cup honey — so you keep that thick, sticky, candy-like glaze without the sugar load. Allulose caramelizes and clings to the chicken beautifully, giving you all the sweet-heat stickiness with none of the sugar crash. Adapted from a popular skillet honey pepper chicken. This is a Jaca-adjusted healthier version.
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts (about 450 g, cut into bite-sized pieces — thighs stay the juiciest)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (for searing the chicken)
- 1 cup Jaca (allulose), granular (replaces ½ cup honey at 2x ratio — this is what makes the glaze sweet and sticky. Allulose caramelizes and thickens just like honey)
- 3 tablespoons water (whisked with the Jaca to loosen it into a pourable, honey-like glaze)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free — adds the savory backbone)
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (brightens and balances the sweetness)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (adjust up or down for your heat preference)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
- 1 whole red bell pepper (sliced)
- 1 whole green bell pepper (sliced)
- 2 whole green onions (sliced on the diagonal, for finishing)
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (for garnish)
Sweetener Used
1 cup granular Jaca Allulose
Replaces: ½ cup honey
Instructions
- 1
In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 cup granular Jaca and 3 tablespoons water until the Jaca dissolves into a smooth, honey-like glaze. Whisk in the soy sauce, rice vinegar, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Set aside.
- 2
Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- 3
Add the chicken pieces in a single layer and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and nearly cooked through.
- 4
Add the sliced red and green bell peppers and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until the peppers are just tender but still vibrant.
- 5
Pour the Jaca honey-pepper glaze over the chicken and peppers. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens into a sticky glaze that coats everything. Allulose thickens a touch faster than honey, so watch it toward the end and pull it once it clings to the chicken.
- 6
Remove from the heat and stir in the sliced green onions.
- 7
Plate over rice, garnish with sesame seeds, and serve immediately while the glaze is hot and glossy.
Pro Tips
- Whisk the Jaca and water together first until fully dissolved — this gives you a smooth, pourable glaze that mimics honey and coats the chicken evenly.
- Allulose caramelizes and thickens faster than honey, so keep the heat at medium once the glaze goes in and stir frequently to avoid scorching. Pull the pan the moment the sauce turns sticky and glossy.
- Chicken thighs stay more tender and forgiving than breasts in a quick high-heat sear — but either works. Cut the pieces evenly so they cook at the same rate.
- Want more heat? Bump the crushed red pepper flakes or add a dash of hot sauce to the glaze. Prefer it milder? Cut the flakes to ½ teaspoon.
- Serve over steamed rice, cauliflower rice, or noodles to soak up every drop of the sticky glaze. Leftovers keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.