Description
Firecracker Chicken is a crispy, spicy, and sweet dish featuring tender chicken pieces fried to golden perfection, then coated in a tangy buffalo and brown sugar sauce. Baked briefly to meld the flavors, this recipe creates a perfect balance of heat and sweetness that pairs wonderfully with rice or vegetables.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 1 ½ lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 eggs, whisked
- ¾ cup cornstarch
- 1 cup vegetable oil (plus more as needed)
Firecracker Sauce
- ¾ cup buffalo sauce
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder (optional)
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Sauce: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a bowl, thoroughly whisk together buffalo sauce, light brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, melted butter, soy sauce, garlic powder, chili powder, mustard powder, and salt. Set aside to let the flavors meld.
- Prepare Chicken: Cut the chicken into approximately 2-inch pieces. Pat the pieces completely dry with paper towels to ensure crispiness when frying. Season all sides evenly with salt and pepper.
- Coat Chicken with Egg: Whisk the eggs vigorously in a medium bowl until small air pockets form and the mixture is uniform in color. Add the chicken pieces to the eggs and toss to coat thoroughly.
- Heat Oil for Frying: In a deep skillet or heavy-bottomed pan, heat 1 cup of vegetable oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 365 degrees Fahrenheit. Maintain this temperature for optimal frying crispness.
- Coat Chicken with Cornstarch and Fry: Before frying, coat the first batch of chicken pieces lightly with cornstarch, then quickly dip them back into the whisked eggs for an extra crispy coating. Fry the chicken in batches, ensuring there is enough space around each piece so edges crisp properly. Cook each side for about 3-4 minutes until light brown and crispy, adjusting heat as needed. Add more oil if necessary during cooking.
- Drain and Crisp: Use a slotted spoon to carefully transfer the fried chicken onto wire cooling racks placed over wax or parchment paper to catch excess grease. This step ensures the bottom stays crispy and prevents sogginess.
- Coat Chicken with Sauce: Once all chicken batches are fried, place all pieces into a large bowl containing the prepared firecracker sauce. Gently toss to coat the chicken evenly with the sauce.
- Bake the Chicken: Transfer the coated chicken to a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then remove and gently toss again to redistribute sauce. Return to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes to let the sauce set and flavor intensify.
- Serve: Remove from oven, garnish with sliced green onions if desired, and serve hot with white rice or vegetable fried rice.
Notes
- Patting the chicken dry before coating is key to achieving a crispy texture.
- Maintaining oil temperature around 365°F ensures even and crispy frying without greasy chicken.
- Using wire racks to drain the chicken prevents steam buildup and sogginess.
- The sauce combines spicy buffalo sauce with sweetness from brown sugar for a balanced flavor.
- Adjust chili powder to control heat level; omit if preferred milder.
- Serve immediately after baking for best texture and flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Firecracker Chicken, crispy chicken, spicy chicken, buffalo chicken, fried chicken recipe, tangy chicken, sweet and spicy sauce
