Firecracker Chicken Crispy Bake (Print-Friendly Format)

Crispy chicken coated in bold firecracker sauce, baked for a tender finish. Delicious with rice or vegetables.

# Required Ingredients:

→ Chicken

01 - 680 g boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs
02 - Salt, to taste
03 - Black pepper, to taste

→ Breading and Frying

04 - 3 large eggs, whisked
05 - 240 ml vegetable oil, plus more as needed
06 - 90 g cornstarch

→ Firecracker Sauce

07 - 180 ml buffalo sauce (recommended: Frank's RedHot)
08 - 200 g packed light brown sugar
09 - 10 ml apple cider vinegar
10 - 14 g unsalted butter, melted
11 - 5 ml soy sauce
12 - 5 ml garlic powder
13 - 2.5 ml chili powder (optional)
14 - 2.5 ml mustard powder
15 - 1.25 ml salt

→ Finishing

16 - Green onions, sliced, for garnish

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 175°C. In a medium bowl, thoroughly whisk together buffalo sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, melted butter, soy sauce, garlic powder, chili powder (if using), mustard powder, and salt. Set aside.
02 - Cut chicken into 5 cm pieces and pat completely dry using paper towels. Season evenly with salt and black pepper.
03 - In a separate bowl, vigorously whisk eggs until homogenous and slightly frothy. Add chicken pieces and toss until well coated.
04 - Heat 240 ml vegetable oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat to 185°C. Working in batches, toss chicken pieces in cornstarch, then briefly dip each back into the whisked eggs before frying.
05 - Fry chicken pieces in batches, leaving space around each piece for optimal crisping. Cook about 3–4 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through, adjusting heat as needed and adding more oil if necessary.
06 - Remove fried chicken using a slotted spoon and transfer to a wire rack set over parchment or wax paper to drain excess oil and maintain crispness.
07 - Once all chicken is fried, place chicken in a large mixing bowl. Add the prepared Firecracker sauce and gently toss to coat evenly. Transfer sauced chicken to a 23 x 33 cm baking dish.
08 - Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove, gently toss chicken in the sauce, then return to oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
09 - Remove from oven, garnish with sliced green onions, and serve immediately with steamed white rice or vegetable fried rice.

# Additional Information:

01 - For best results, ensure oil is fully heated before adding chicken to achieve maximum crispiness.
02 - Peanut oil can be substituted for a richer flavor profile.
03 - Adding a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce will intensify the heat.
04 - Leftover Firecracker chicken is excellent as a pizza topping with blue cheese or ranch.
05 - To make perfectly cooked white rice, simmer 1 part rice to 2 parts broth covered for 15 minutes; let rest 10 minutes before fluffing.
06 - For storage, refrigerate chicken in an airtight container up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Go Back