It’s common on some popular Chinese take-out menus—and with good reason, because it’s delicious.
What Is Firecracker Chicken?
Firecracker chicken is lightly fried on the stovetop and then baked with a simple spicy sauce, which is typically made with a mix of buffalo sauce, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar. (My favorite buffalo sauce? Frank’s or Sweet Baby Ray’s.) The sauce bakes down into a glaze, and the resulting dish is a little crispy and a little sticky, a litte spicy and a little sweet. It’s in the same family as a sweet and sour chicken, but with more of a kick to it, thanks to the buffalo sauce.
Making the Perfect Sticky Glaze
If you cook a lot, it might seem odd to bread the chicken in cornstarch and egg, and then add it straight to the skillet with no outer breading layer on the chicken. But this mix of egg and cornstarch makes a crust on the chicken that will both thicken the sauce and help it stick to the chicken.
An Easy Take-Out Meal at Home
Once you lightly fry the chicken pieces in your skillet, the rest of the recipe is as easy as tossing the chicken pieces in the sauce and baking them until they are cooked through and the sauce is beautifully thickened. You can use either chicken breasts or chicken thighs for this dish. Serve it over cooked rice or salad greens. It’s a winner for sure and about as easy as Chinese take-out can get at home. Enjoy!
More Easy Chinese Recipes to Try
Ginger Beef Stir Fry Kung Pao Chicken Quick and Easy Egg Drop Soup Ginger Sesame Garlic Shrimp Scallion Pancakes
Whisk together the eggs in a medium mixing bowl. Line a plate with paper towels. Arrange everything near your stove. As soon as the oil is hot, transfer the coated chicken to the bowl with the eggs and toss to coat well. Scoop out the chicken pieces with a slotted spoon, allowing any excess egg to drain off, and transfer the chicken to the skillet in an even layer. Cook for about 3 minutes per side until a crust forms and the chicken is a light tan color. The chicken will not be cooked through at this point. Transfer to a 9x13 baking dish. Add sauce and toss to combine.
