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Firecracker Chicken

Firecracker chicken is crispy golden chicken bites coated in a vivid red-orange, glossy sticky firecracker sauce with visible red pepper flakes. This spicy chicken recipe uses a quick flour-cornstarch fry, then caramelizes the sauce onto every piece for a sweet-heat takeout-style dinner.
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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: 820
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
  • Salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
  • garlic powder to taste
  • Vegetable oil for frying 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 if you want it hotter
  • Sesame seeds for garnish
  • green onions for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Marinate and coat the chicken
  1. Toss the chicken pieces with cornstarch, flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder until every piece is evenly coated.
  2. Transfer the coated chicken to the sheet pan and let it rest for 20 minutes to set the coating.
Fry until crisp and cooked through
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a Dutch oven to 375°F.
  2. Fry the chicken in 1/2 inch of oil for 3-4 minutes per side, until deeply golden and cooked through, then drain.
Make the firecracker sauce
  1. In a saucepan, combine hot sauce, brown sugar, butter, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes.
  2. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the butter melts and the sauce turns smooth and glossy, about 2-3 minutes.
Caramelize and serve
  1. Toss the crispy chicken in the sauce until every piece is fully coated.
  2. Return the coated chicken to the pan for 1-2 minutes to caramelize the sauce.
  3. Serve over steamed rice and top with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

Notes

Pro tip: Let the coated chicken rest 20 minutes before frying—this helps the crust cling and stay crisp when tossed in the glossy sauce. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat in a hot oven or skillet until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because the coating softens. For a lower-sugar swap, use a brown-sugar alternative (or reduce brown sugar slightly) while keeping the hot sauce and vinegar ratios for the same sweet-heat balance.