Firecracker Chicken is made with crispy chicken pieces coated in a spicy, sweet, tangy, and flavour-packed sauce. It is an Americanized version of a Chinese-style stir-fry dish commonly found on Chinese takeout menus. The chicken is crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and has just the right amount of heat.
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If you like spicy chicken, you may also love this spicy gochujang chicken. For a healthy light meal, try these Thai chicken lettuce wraps.
What Does Firecracker Chicken Taste Like?
It has a bold flavour of sweet, spicy, and tangy. There’s a fiery kick on the tongue at first, then it smooths out with the sweetness of sugar and the tang of vinegar. The heat and tanginess of the buffalo sauce, combined with the sweetness of the sugar, create a wonderful balance in this dish. Every bite of chicken packs a punch.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Bold Dynamic Flavours – The spicy, sweet, and sticky sauce combines buffalo sauce, ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and red chilli flakes, creating a flavour-packed dish that is both fiery and delicious.
Easy Weeknight Dinner – This quick and easy recipe is perfect for busy weeknights and comes together in just 30 minutes.
Irresistibly Addictive – The chicken is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, coated in a fiery sauce that will keep you coming back for more.
Better-Than-Take-Out – This homemade version is even better than the takeout-style Firecracker Chicken served at many Chinese restaurants.
Customizable – You can easily adjust the spice level and flavours to suit your personal preferences.
Ingredients
- Chicken – Use boneless chicken breasts or boneless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized cubes. I used chicken breasts for this recipe.
- Buffalo Sauce or Hot Sauce – Buffalo sauce adds the signature kick to the dish. Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Sauce is my preferred choice. You can also use other hot sauces such as Sriracha or Schezwan sauce, but keep in mind that the flavour profile will vary.
- Vegetable Oil – Use a neutral cooking oil such as canola oil, grapeseed oil, avocado oil, or sunflower oil.
- Ginger & Garlic – Freshly minced ginger and garlic add depth and enhance the flavour of the sauce.
- Light Brown Sugar – Brown sugar provides sweetness, which helps balance the heat and tanginess of the buffalo sauce.
- Red Chili Flakes – (optional) If you enjoy extra heat, red chilli flakes add another layer of spice. If you’re sensitive to spicy foods, feel free to leave them out.
- Rice Vinegar – Rice vinegar adds tanginess and helps balance the richness and heat of the sauce.
- Light Soy Sauce – Soy sauce adds savoury, umami flavour to the dish.
- Cornstarch – Cornstarch is used to coat the chicken for frying and to help thicken the sauce.
- Salt & Pepper season to taste.
- Garnish – Green onions and sesame seeds add freshness, texture, and visual appeal.
Additions & Substitutions
- I typically use chicken breasts cut into cubes, but be careful not to overcook them. For juicier results, substitute with boneless chicken thighs.
- Feel free to use other hot sauces such as Sriracha or Schezwan sauce. Keep in mind that the flavour will differ from the traditional buffalo sauce version.
- Rice vinegar can be replaced with apple cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: In a bowl, combine buffalo sauce, minced ginger, minced garlic, brown sugar, rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, red chilli flakes, and water. Whisk until smooth and free of lumps.
Step 2: Set aside.
Step 3: Place the chicken cubes on a plate.
Step 4: Season with salt and pepper, toss well.
Step 5: Sprinkle cornstarch over the chicken.
Step 6: Toss well to ensure each piece is evenly coated.
Step 7: Heat oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Add the chicken, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Cook in batches if necessary.
Step 8: Cook the chicken for about 4 minutes, or until browned and crispy. Flip and cook for another 3–4 minutes, or until cooked through and golden brown.
Step 9: Reduce the heat to low and pour the prepared sauce into the skillet.
Step 10: Simmer for 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring continuously until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken.
Note: If the sauce becomes too thick before serving, stir in 1–2 tablespoons of hot water to adjust the consistency.
Remove from heat and serve immediately with jasmine rice, steamed rice, or purple rice.
Tips For Success
- For extra juicy chicken, use boneless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts.
- Avoid overcrowding the pan; cook the chicken in a single layer and in batches if necessary.
- Do not overcook the chicken, as it can become dry.
- For a milder version, omit the red chilli flakes and slightly increase the brown sugar to balance the heat.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this spicy, sweet, and sticky Firecracker Chicken with jasmine rice, steamed rice, garlic rice, Korean purple rice, or yellow rice. For a refreshing side dish, pair it with Asian coleslaw or cranberry apple almond slaw.
Leftovers and Storage
Firecracker Chicken is best enjoyed fresh, when the chicken is at its crispiest. However, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Keep in mind that the chicken will lose some of its crispiness during storage.
To reheat, warm it gently in a skillet over low heat. If the sauce has thickened too much, add a splash of water and stir until it reaches your desired consistency.
I don’t recommend freezing.
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📋Better Than Takeout Crispy Firecracker Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts cut into bite-sized cubes
- ⅓ cup buffalo hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce low sodium
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated/minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic minced
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes optional
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 3 + 1 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Green onion for garnish
- Sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine buffalo sauce, minced ginger, minced garlic, brown sugar, rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, red chilli flakes, and water. Whisk until smooth and free of lumps. Set aside.
- Place the chicken cubes on a plate and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle cornstarch over the chicken and toss well to ensure each piece is evenly coated.
- Heat oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Add the chicken, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Cook in batches if necessary.
- Cook the chicken for about 4 minutes, or until browned and crispy. Flip and cook for another 3–4 minutes, or until cooked through and golden brown.
- Reduce the heat to low and pour the prepared sauce into the skillet. Simmer for 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring continuously until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken.
- Note: If the sauce becomes too thick before serving, stir in 1–2 tablespoons of hot water to adjust the consistency.
- Remove from heat and serve immediately with jasmine rice, steamed rice, or purple rice.
Notes
- For extra juicy chicken, use boneless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts.
- Avoid overcrowding the pan; cook the chicken in a single layer and in batches if necessary.
- Do not overcook the chicken, as it can become dry.
- For a milder version, omit the red chilli flakes and slightly increase the brown sugar to balance the heat.
Nutrition
Created by Jyothi Rajesh
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I’m Jyothi Rajesh (Jo for short) and I’m the founder of the food blog, Curry Trail where I share my culinary Adventures. I live in Bangalore, India. I’m a mom of two beautiful kids. My passion is creating and sharing delicious and easy recipes for the home cook. I have been blogging since 2014 and many of my recipes have appeared in both online and print publications over the years. Learn more about Jyothi Rajesh.
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