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Firecracker Chicken

Firecracker chicken features crispy golden chicken bites coated in a vivid red-orange, glossy firecracker sauce. Caramelized sweet heat sriracha-brown-sugar style sauce clings to every piece with visible red pepper flakes for an Asian spicy chicken weeknight dinner vibe.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Marinating 20 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Asian-American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken coating
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 0.25 cup cornstarch
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • salt, pepper, and 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 (adjust to taste)
  • sesame seeds for garnish
  • green onions for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Coat the chicken
  1. Toss boneless skinless chicken breasts with cornstarch, all-purpose flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder until every piece is coated and looks lightly dusty.
  2. Spread the coated chicken on a sheet pan and refrigerate for 20 minutes to marinate and set the coating.
Fry until crisp and cooked through
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a pan to 375°F and fry chicken in batches in about 1/2 inch of oil for 3-4 minutes per side until deep golden.
  2. Drain the fried chicken on the sheet pan until excess oil is removed, keeping the bites crisp.
Make the firecracker sauce
  1. Combine hot sauce (Frank's RedHot), brown sugar, butter, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the butter melts.
  2. Continue stirring until the sauce turns smooth and glossy, about 2-3 minutes, with a vivid red-orange color.
Caramelize and serve
  1. Toss the crispy chicken in the saucepan sauce until every piece is fully coated and visibly glistening.
  2. Return the coated chicken to the pan for 1-2 minutes to caramelize, watching for a thicker, sticky shine.
  3. Serve immediately with sesame seeds and green onions on top.

Notes

For the crispiest firecracker chicken, keep the oil at a steady 375°F and fry in small batches so the coating doesn’t steam. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for 3 days; reheat in an oven or air fryer to restore crunch (freeze yes, up to 2 months) . For a gluten-free swap, replace all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and use gluten-free soy sauce.