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Coated in a fiery sauce with the perfect hint of sweetness, this crispy better-than-takeout firecracker chicken checks every box!
Bangin’ Firecracker Chicken!
Asian cuisine is a close second favorite in our home and something we enjoy FREQUENTLY! We love a good spicy dish like this sweet and spicy firecracker chicken.
With hot sauce and red pepper flakes, it has the perfect zing but is not overly spicy. The spice is perfectly balanced with honey, adding a hint of sweetness. We pour that delicious homemade sauce all over crispy breaded chicken chunks for one tasty dish that, dare we say it, is better than takeout!
Serve it on a bed of rice or Chow Mein and finish the meal with a Homemade Fortune Cookie. Trust us, you’re going to LOVE it!
WHY WE LOVE IT:
- Better than takeout. The crispy chicken and explosion of flavor are a hit every time!!
- On the table in under an hour. This easy dinner is perfect for busy nights! The steps are simple and it’s ready in no time.
- The sauce! The firecracker sauce is sweet and spicy (but not too spicy) and is absolutely addictive.
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 20 minutes
COOK TIME: 2 hours 20 minutes
Chicken
- ⅔ cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces – Partially freeze the chicken so it’s easier to make clean even cubes.
- ¼ cup canola oil – or vegetable oil or peanut oil
Firecracker Sauce
- ⅔ cup honey
- ¼-⅓ cup hot pepper sauce – such as Crystal®, or buffalo sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar – or apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes – optional
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup thinly sliced scallions
- toasted white sesame seeds, for garnish – Toast the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan over medium heat and stir until fragrant and golden brown. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
How to Make Firecracker Chicken
- PREP. Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a large bowl, combine ⅔ cup cornstarch, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- In a shallow bowl, add 3 beaten eggs.
- Add ¼ cup canola oil to a skillet over medium-high heat.
- CHICKEN. In batches, toss 1½ pounds of chicken pieces in the cornstarch mixture and toss to coat. Add the coated chicken pieces into the egg mixture and toss to coat.
- Transfer chicken to the hot skillet and cook in hot oil until chicken is golden on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Transfer cooked chicken to a 9×13 baking dish. Repeat the process until all the chicken pieces are coated and cooked.
- SAUCE. In a small bowl, mix ⅔ cup honey, ¼-⅓ cup hot sauce (more or less depending on preference), 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Pour this mixture over the chicken in the baking dish and toss to coat.
- Bake chicken for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Serve over rice and sprinkle with sesame seeds and ½ cup thin sliced scallions.
Complete The Meal
Sides
Asian Chicken Recipes
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Firecracker Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken
- ⅔ cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
- ¼ cup canola oil
Sauce
- ⅔ cup honey
- ¼-⅓ cup hot pepper sauce, such as Crystal®
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup thinly sliced scallions
- toasted white sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- To make chicken, preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a large bowl, combine cornstarch, ginger, pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- In a shallow bowl, add beaten eggs.
- Add canola oil to a skillet over medium-high heat.
- In batches, toss chicken pieces in the cornstarch mixture and toss to coat. Then, add chicken pieces into the egg mixture and toss to coat.
- Transfer chicken to the hot skillet and cook in hot oil until chicken is golden on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Transfer cooked chicken to a 9×13 baking dish. Repeat the process until all the chicken pieces are coated and cooked.
Sauce
- In a small bowl, mix the honey, hot sauce (more or less depending on preference), vinegar, crushed red pepper, and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Pour this mixture over the chicken in the baking dish and toss to coat.
- Bake chicken for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Serve over rice and sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallions.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Make the rice, chicken, and sauce and place them in separate freezer Zioloc bags. Store together in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating the rice and baking the chicken and sauce.
Store the chicken and rice separately. They can be kept in airtight container(s) in the fridge for 2-3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
