This Firecracker Chicken is sweet, spicy and adds a nice kick to your meal. The chicken is super tender and juicy and once you smother it in the flavorful sauce, you will have everyone wanting to come back for seconds!
Serve this restaurant-worthy dish with a side of Easy Fried Rice, these yummy Vegetable Egg Rolls, and these classic Cream Cheese Wontons for a meal you’ll have on repeat.
Firecracker Chicken Recipe
If you are looking for something that is the perfect marriage of sweet and spicy, this firecracker chicken is it! It’s not too hot, and it’s not too sweet. The chicken is flash fried so the outside browns beautifully. Once you add in the delicious firecracker sauce, you will have a meal that you will want to make over and over again!
My go-to Asian meal is my classic Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken, and this recipe is similar to that, except it has a bit more kick with the heat (hence the name Firecracker). This recipe comes together so easily and is one that your entire family will go crazy over. After you try this one, you must check out my Firecracker Salmon… It’s a twist on this one, and so good!
Baked Firecracker Chicken Ingredients
The sauce is a perfect balance of heat and sweet and that will knock your taste buds off. Your family and loved ones are going to love this! To see the exact ingredient measurements, check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Canola Oil: This is used to flash fry the chicken. You can also use vegetable oil.
- Chicken Breasts: Boneless skinless chicken breasts make prepping a breeze.
- Salt and Pepper: These will enhance all of the flavors of the chicken and sauce.
- Cornstarch: DO NO substitute for flour. The cornstarch is the secret to amazing coating that will make your chicken perfectly crispy.
- Eggs: I always use large eggs when I am cooking.
- Buffalo Sauce: Use your favorite brand. If you want it really spicy, use a hot sauce like Frank’s brand.
- Brown Sugar: This helps the sauce to caramelize and also adds in a sweet flavor.
- Water: The water helps dissolve the sugar
- Apple Cider Vinegar: When you add in the apple cider vinegar, you get a delicious tangy flavor.
- Red pepper Flakes: These add extra heat. Leave them out if you want a more mild flavor.
How to Make Easy Firecracker Chicken
This chicken so easy and tastes so much better than takeout. Now take out begins at home! Serve this chicken with some delicious Easy Fried Rice and you will have the perfect meal!
- Prepare: Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bowls: In two separate bowls, place the cornstarch and the beaten eggs. dip chicken into cornstarch, then coat in egg mixture.
- Flash-Fry: Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Cook the chicken till just the outside is browned. Place in a greased 9×13 pan.
- Sauce: Mix the ingredients for the sauce in a separate bowl, then pour over the chicken.
- Bake: Bake for 1 hour. Stirring every 15 minutes.
Cooking Tips
This Firecracker Chicken will turn out perfectly if you follow all of my cooking tips! Here are a few ideas that you can try out!
- Method to the Madness: Make sure you first coat your chicken in the cornstarch and then the egg. This method makes the perfect breading for the chicken.
- Fast: Do not cook the chicken all the way through before baking. You just want to get the chicken lightly brown on the outside, and then it bakes to perfection.
- Low and Slow: Baking the chicken at a low temperature will not overcook the chicken. This helps to cook the chicken all the way through and thicken up the sauce
Variations
There are so many ways that you can change up this Firecracker Chicken! Add in some fruits, veggies, spices, you name it, and you can make this dish feel new each time you cook it!
- Spice: Depending on your tastes, you can take the heat up or down. Use hot sauce or sriracha for a hotter dish. Use buffalo sauce for a milder heat.
- Vegetables: Add peppers, broccoli, or other vegetables to the baking for variety.
- Fruit: Add some pineapple chunks to help with the heat and give it a bit more sweetness
- Chicken: Cut the Chicken into even bite-sized pieces so it’ll cook evenly. Using thighs might result in uneven cooking as light and dark meat cook differently.
- Pork: This recipe would also work perfectly with pork.
- Extra Sauce: If you like your dish saucy, double the sauce recipe and place half on the chicken and another half on the stove in a pot at a simmer for 8-10 min till thickened.
- Serve: This dish is perfect on a bed of rice, stir-fried veggies, or quinoa, or over a bed of lettuce for an Asian-inspired salad.
How to Store Leftover Firecracker Chicken
- In the Refrigerator: Place leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, and they will last for 3-4 days.
- In the Freezer: To freeze this chicken, place it in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze it for up to 3 months.
- How to Reheat Firecracker Chicken: This Firecracker Chicken is best reheated on the stove. Reheating it in the microwave can make the chicken rubbery and overcooked. Place leftovers in a pan on the stovetop and heat on medium heat, stirring often, till heated through
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Firecracker Chicken
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Ingredients
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 4 chicken breasts, boneless skinless
- salt
- pepper
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 2 large eggs
Sauce:
- 1/3 cup buffalo sauce (if you like more heat use hot sauce, like Frank’s brand)
- 1 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper.
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In separate bowls, place cornstarch and slightly beaten eggs. Dip chicken into cornstarch, then coat in egg mixture. I have also found that you can put the cornstarch in a gallon-sized bag and shake the chicken to coat it.
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Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook chicken until browned. Place the chicken in a 9 x 13 greased baking dish.
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Combine the Buffalo sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, water, salt, and red pepper flakes in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
-
Pour the sauce over the chicken and bake for 1 hour, stirring the chicken every 15 minutes.
Notes
Originally Posted on August 6, 2013
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