Firecracker Chicken

5 from 16 votes

This easy Firecracker Chicken recipe is sweet, spicy, and pan-fried to crispy perfection in one skillet. Just like takeout, but cheaper and faster!

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Total Time35

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Chinese

Total Cost: $6.25 recipe / $1.56 serving

Servings: servings (about 6oz per serving)

Calories: 420kcal

Author: Melissa Nolan

Equipment

Medium Skillet
Ziplock Bag

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts boneless and skinless, cut into 1-inch pieces (1.5lb, 680g) $4.01
½ cup corn starch $0.48
1 tsp garlic powder $0.06
1 tsp salt $0.04
1 tsp black pepper freshly cracked, $0.16
¼ cup vegetable oil divided $0.17*
½ cup buffalo sauce $1.04
½ cup brown sugar $0.24
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar $0.04
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes $0.01

Instructions

Gather and prepare all ingredients.
Place the chicken, cornstarch, garlic powder, salt, and pepper into a ziplock bag. Seal and gently shake to coat every piece of chicken.
Using a medium-sized skillet, warm 2 Tbsp of oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, carefully place each piece of chicken in the skillet. Work in two batches, so you don't overcrowd. Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes on one side until golden.
Flip the pieces over and continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes. Remove the cooked chicken from the skillet. Add the remaining oil and continue cooking all the chicken until it is done, then remove it from the skillet and set aside.
Pour the buffalo sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and red pepper flakes into the skillet. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and the sauce is thick, 2 minutes.
Place the chicken back in the skillet and stir to coat in the sauce and warm through.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*Depending on the level of heat and the amount of corn starch on the chicken, your pan may become dry and burn the chicken. Add more oil, if needed, throughout the cooking process and/or turn down the heat if the skillet seems too hot.

Nutrition

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