Firecracker Chicken
Firecracker Chicken
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken, breast or thigh, cut into small bite-sized pieces
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 6 tablespoons cornstarch
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 3 cups cooking oil, enough to cover chicken for frying, or as needed
For the Firecracker Sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/4 cup red hot buffalo sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon white or rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
For Serving
- 2 cups rice, cooked, for serving
- 2 tablespoons green onions, sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Pat the chicken pieces thoroughly dry with paper towels to remove all moisture. In a bowl with the chicken, add the lightly beaten egg, finely minced fresh ginger, minced garlic clove, black pepper, and salt. Mix all ingredients together until the chicken is well coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the chicken to marinate.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
In a separate bowl, combine the cornstarch, all-purpose flour, and baking powder. Whisk these dry ingredients together until well mixed. After the chicken has marinated, remove the plastic wrap and add the dry coating mixture to the chicken. Mix until every piece of chicken is thoroughly coated with the dry mixture.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
Place a pan over medium-high heat. Add the butter, honey, red hot buffalo sauce, soy sauce, white or rice vinegar, brown sugar, chili flakes, garlic powder, and ground mustard to the pan. Whisk all the sauce ingredients together and bring the mixture to a simmer. Taste the sauce and adjust the flavor as needed (more chili flakes for spice, more brown sugar for sweetness). Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the sauce to continue simmering for about 2 to 3 minutes until it has thickened. Remove the sauce from the heat and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Set a clean pan or deep pot over medium heat. Pour enough cooking oil into the pan to cover the chicken pieces for frying (about 3 inches deep). Heat the oil until it reaches 350-375°F (175-190°C).
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 360
- 5
Carefully add the coated chicken pieces to the hot oil in batches, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan. Fry the chicken for 4-6 minutes per batch, or until golden brown and cooked through. Use a slotted spoon or spider to remove the cooked chicken from the oil and place it on a wire rack set over paper towels to drain excess oil.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
Once all the chicken is fried, transfer it to a large bowl. Pour the prepared firecracker sauce over the crispy chicken. Toss gently to ensure all pieces are evenly coated.
⏱️ 3 min
- 7
Serve the firecracker chicken immediately over cooked rice, garnished with sliced green onions.
⏱️ 2 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Firecracker Chicken
For the Chicken
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken, breast or thigh, cut into small bite-sized pieces
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 6 tablespoons cornstarch
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 3 cups cooking oil, enough to cover chicken for frying, or as needed
For the Firecracker Sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/4 cup red hot buffalo sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon white or rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
For Serving
- 2 cups rice, cooked, for serving
- 2 tablespoons green onions, sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Pat the chicken pieces thoroughly dry with paper towels to remove all moisture. In a bowl with the chicken, add the lightly beaten egg, finely minced fresh ginger, minced garlic clove, black pepper, and salt. Mix all ingredients together until the chicken is well coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the chicken to marinate.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
In a separate bowl, combine the cornstarch, all-purpose flour, and baking powder. Whisk these dry ingredients together until well mixed. After the chicken has marinated, remove the plastic wrap and add the dry coating mixture to the chicken. Mix until every piece of chicken is thoroughly coated with the dry mixture.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
Place a pan over medium-high heat. Add the butter, honey, red hot buffalo sauce, soy sauce, white or rice vinegar, brown sugar, chili flakes, garlic powder, and ground mustard to the pan. Whisk all the sauce ingredients together and bring the mixture to a simmer. Taste the sauce and adjust the flavor as needed (more chili flakes for spice, more brown sugar for sweetness). Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the sauce to continue simmering for about 2 to 3 minutes until it has thickened. Remove the sauce from the heat and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Set a clean pan or deep pot over medium heat. Pour enough cooking oil into the pan to cover the chicken pieces for frying (about 3 inches deep). Heat the oil until it reaches 350-375°F (175-190°C).
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 360 - 5
Carefully add the coated chicken pieces to the hot oil in batches, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan. Fry the chicken for 4-6 minutes per batch, or until golden brown and cooked through. Use a slotted spoon or spider to remove the cooked chicken from the oil and place it on a wire rack set over paper towels to drain excess oil.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
Once all the chicken is fried, transfer it to a large bowl. Pour the prepared firecracker sauce over the crispy chicken. Toss gently to ensure all pieces are evenly coated.
⏱️ 3 min - 7
Serve the firecracker chicken immediately over cooked rice, garnished with sliced green onions.
⏱️ 2 min