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Firecracker Chicken

Firecracker chicken is crispy golden chicken bites coated in a fiery, sticky firecracker sauce. The sauce glows vivid red-orange with visible red pepper flakes, then clings to every piece for a sweet heat, better-than-takeout finish.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
marinating 20 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian-American
Calories: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken coating
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts Cut into bite-sized pieces.
  • 0.25 cup cornstarch
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.25 Salt To taste.
  • 0.25 pepper To taste.
  • 0.25 garlic powder To taste.
  • Vegetable oil For frying.
Firecracker sauce
  • 0.25 cup hot sauce (Frank's RedHot)
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes Use 1-2 tsp total if you like more heat.
  • 0.25 Sesame seeds For garnish.
  • 0.25 green onions Sliced, for garnish.
  • 0.25 steamed rice For serving.

Equipment

  • 1 Cast iron skillet
  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Coat and marinate the chicken
  1. Toss boneless skinless chicken breasts with cornstarch, all-purpose flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder until every piece is fully coated.
  2. Cover and refrigerate the coated chicken for 20 minutes to set the coating before frying.
Fry until crisp
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet to 375°F.
  2. Fry the chicken in 1/2 inch of oil for 3-4 minutes per side until deep golden and cooked through, flipping once.
  3. Transfer the chicken to a rack or paper towels to drain.
Make the firecracker sauce
  1. In a saucepan over medium heat, stir hot sauce, brown sugar, butter, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes until the butter melts and the sauce is smooth and glossy, about 2-3 minutes.
Caramelize and serve
  1. Toss the fried chicken in the firecracker sauce until every piece is fully coated and shining.
  2. Return the sauced chicken to the pan and cook 1-2 minutes to caramelize, until the glaze looks sticky and vivid red-orange.
  3. Serve the crispy firecracker chicken over steamed rice and top with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

Notes

For the crispiest texture, let the coated chicken rest 20 minutes in the fridge so the dry coating hydrates slightly before it hits the 375°F oil. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat in a hot skillet or oven to re-crisp. Freezing is not recommended because the coating can soften after thawing. For a gluten-free swap, use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour.