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Home » Dinner » Firecracker Chicken

Published: October 30, 2017 Last Modified: July 17, 2019 By Sara 166 Comments

Firecracker Chicken

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Firecracker Chicken Recipe | Asian Chicken | Spicy Chicken Recipe #chicken #stirfry #dinner #dinneratthezoo

This firecracker chicken recipe is chunks of crispy chicken tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce. An easy dinner option that the whole family will love!

Firecracker Chicken Recipe | Asian Chicken | Spicy Chicken Recipe #chicken #stirfry #dinner #dinneratthezoo Firecracker Chicken Recipe | Asian Chicken | Spicy Chicken Recipe #chicken #stirfry #dinner #dinneratthezoo

A bowl of sweet and spicy firecracker chicken.

I am a big fan of Asian food, I have a ton of recipes on my site for everything from broccoli beef to chicken chow mein. This firecracker chicken is the latest recipe to add to the collection. It’s crispy, sweet, spicy and utterly delicious! This chicken is not deep fried, but is browned until crisp, then covered in sauce and baked to perfection.

A pan full of crispy firecracker chicken topped with green onions.

Tips for achieving crispy firecracker chicken

The chicken in this recipe is dipped in egg and cornstarch, which forms a crust on the chicken when it hits the oil. The best way to get a browned and ultra crispy crust is to start with a very hot pan – crank up the heat! The next trick is to be sure that the chicken isn’t crowded in the pan. If the chicken pieces are too close together, they’ll steam instead of brown. You may need to brown the chicken in batches, but it’s totally worth it.

A bowl of rice topped with spicy firecracker chicken.

After the chicken pieces are browned, the sauce is poured over the top and the whole thing goes into the oven. The cornstarch in the chicken coating will help to thicken the sauce as it bakes. This is a spicy dish, so if you’re heat adverse, beware! If you’d like to turn down the heat, you can omit the red pepper flakes. I like to serve this firecracker chicken over rice, but it’s also nice over Asian rice noodles or chow mein noodles.

I love being able to make my own take out favorites at home – it’s cheaper, healthier and often tastes better!

You’ll love these other Asian food recipes

  • Mongolian Beef
  • Sesame Shrimp
  • Moo Goo Gai Pan
  • Shrimp Chow Mein
  • Orange Beef Stir Fry
A bowl of sweet and spicy firecracker chicken.
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4.98 from 91 votes

Firecracker Chicken

This firecracker chicken recipe is chunks of crispy chicken tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce. An easy dinner option that the whole family will love!
Course Main
Cuisine Asian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 429kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1/3 cup buffalo hot sauce
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste
  • 1/4 cup sliced green onions
  • cooking spray

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9"x13" pan with cooking spray.
  • Place the chicken pieces on a plate and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the chicken and toss to coat evenly.
  • Dip each piece of chicken into the beaten eggs.
  • Heat the oil over high heat in a large pan. Place the chicken in a single layer and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. You may have to work in batches.
  • Place the chicken pieces in a single layer in the 9"x13" pan.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the buffalo sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar and red pepper flakes.
  • Pour the sauce over the chicken. Bake for 35 minutes, stirring once halfway through to coat the chicken with the sauce. Top with green onions and serve.

Notes

Adapted from The Recipe Critic.

Nutrition

Calories: 429kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 172mg | Sodium: 206mg | Potassium: 591mg | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 200IU | Vitamin C: 1.7mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1.2mg
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Filed Under: Asian Food, Dinner, Featured Recipes

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    Comments

    1. Kara says

      February 1, 2023 at 1:31 pm

      5 stars
      Love this recipe!! Any tips for reheating the leftovers? Seems to get dry on day 2.

      Reply
      • Sara says

        February 1, 2023 at 2:14 pm

        How are you reheating it? Glad you’re enjoying the recipe!

        Reply
        • Kara says

          February 1, 2023 at 2:54 pm

          I’ve tried the microwave and oven

          Reply
    2. Deb Kacher says

      January 24, 2023 at 5:25 pm

      5 stars
      Terrific tasty recipe! We will be putting this one in our regular rotation!

      Reply
    3. John says

      January 24, 2023 at 6:08 am

      What is your favorite Buffalo sauce to use for this recipe?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        January 24, 2023 at 9:02 am

        I use Frank’s Red Hot!

        Reply
    4. Tom says

      January 15, 2023 at 8:41 pm

      Wonder scat veggies would go really well with this? Any ideas?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        January 17, 2023 at 9:13 am

        I recommend serving it with broccoli or snap peas!

        Reply
    5. Gina says

      January 9, 2023 at 5:47 pm

      5 stars
      This came out well! Quick and easy, I added some broccoli because I thought I had extra sauce. Next time I’d double the glaze/sauce and reduce it for the husband who likes extra sauce on the side. Will make again!

      Reply
    6. Jessica says

      December 14, 2022 at 5:21 am

      Excited to try! Is the first step for the chicken just to make the outside golden or to cook it all the way through?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        December 14, 2022 at 12:58 pm

        You’re just browning the outside!

        Reply
    7. Gerri says

      November 17, 2022 at 6:33 pm

      Do you think I could partially cook and save the oven baking until later in the day if it was refrigerated after the frying.
      I’m looking to prep and then give to someone to finish in the oven later in the day.

      Reply
      • Sara says

        November 18, 2022 at 7:27 am

        You could if you make sure the chicken is all the way cooked through in the frying step.

        Reply
    8. ANU says

      November 14, 2022 at 7:44 pm

      5 stars
      Really a nice experience…. great…😍👍

      Reply
    9. Peyton says

      November 4, 2022 at 10:20 pm

      5 stars
      First time making. Wow!!! Absolutely delicious and easy to make. Will add to my rotation of weekly meals.

      Reply
    10. Carissa says

      September 25, 2022 at 2:24 pm

      I have made this so many times but I can’t consistently get the sauce to be thick! I can’t have corn starch so I use potato starch! Any suggestions? Because when it’s thick 10/10

      Reply
      • Sara says

        September 29, 2022 at 8:40 am

        I wonder if you could try simmering the sauce longer to reduce it? I’m not sure how potato starch thickens compared to corn starch.

        Reply
      • Y says

        October 18, 2022 at 3:07 pm

        Can you use arrowroot or tapioca flour. Both of those should work

        Reply
    11. Edgar says

      June 6, 2022 at 12:46 pm

      5 stars
      Made this for a dinner date and it was amazing. Shorty said it taste just like Chinese food. I made it with Jasmin rice. This literally taste like take out but deff more fresh and ready to serve hot lol vs. Waiting for delivery. Was amazing.

      Reply
    12. Kristin says

      May 10, 2022 at 4:14 pm

      5 stars
      Yum! This was a hit with every single member of my family, which is no small feat. Thanks for sharing!!

      Reply
    13. Katrina says

      May 4, 2022 at 8:53 am

      5 stars
      I don’t know how many times I have made this! It is my go to chicken recipe👌🏼Family loves it! Thank you so much!👏🏼

      Reply
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