Crispy Firecracker Chicken

Featured in Juicy chicken done your way.

Crunchy chicken pieces are fried to perfection, then tossed in a bold blend of buffalo sauce and honey. The sweetness mellows the heat for a deliciously sticky coating. Topped with sesame seeds and green onions, this dish is loaded with a sweet, spicy, and savory punch in each bite. Great for family dinners or sharing with friends.
alicia in the kitchen
Updated on Sun, 08 Jun 2025 12:22:57 GMT
Golden brown chicken pieces drenched in a sticky, sweet-spicy sauce, sprinkled with green onions on white rice. Pin it
Golden brown chicken pieces drenched in a sticky, sweet-spicy sauce, sprinkled with green onions on white rice. | tasteofsavor.com

🔥🎉 Firecracker Chicken brings you juicy bites wrapped in a crispy crust and doused in bold buffalo sauce. It's awesome for a chill family night or when you've got company. Everybody will want seconds!

INGREDIENTS

  • Mustard Powder: ½ teaspoon, for a pop of tangy taste
  • Butter: 1 tablespoon, melted so the sauce turns out creamy
  • Cornstarch: ¾ cup, gets the chicken super crunchy
  • Apple Cider Vinegar: 2 teaspoons, adds some zip to the sauce
  • Eggs: 3 eggs, beaten until they're mixed and a bit bubbly
  • Light Brown Sugar: 1 cup, makes the sauce sweet and tasty
  • Salt: ¼ teaspoon, ties all the flavors together
  • Vegetable Oil: 1 cup for frying, grab more if you see the pan needs topping off
  • Buffalo Sauce: ¾ cup, brings the spicy kick
  • Chicken: 1 ½ lbs. chicken breast or thighs, no bones or skin, cut into 2-inch chunks and dried off
  • Salt/Pepper: Sprinkle on as much as you like to season up the chicken
  • Soy Sauce: 1 teaspoon, gives the sauce a little extra oomph
  • Garlic Powder: 1 teaspoon, levels up the flavor
  • Chili Powder: ½ teaspoon, totally optional if you want more heat

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 9:
Top the chicken with green onions once baked. Dish it out hot, poured over white rice if you like it that way.
Step 8:
Spoon everything into a 9 x 13 pan and bake for 10 minutes, flip or stir the chicken, and put it back in for 10 more minutes.
Step 7:
Move the fried chicken to a bowl with your sauce. Toss it until every piece is coated well.
Step 6:
Let the golden chicken cool on racks, so any leftover oil drips off and keeps things crispy.
Step 5:
Drop the chicken into hot oil in batches, don’t crowd the pan. Fry 3-4 minutes per side till it's golden and crunchy. Turn the heat down or pour in more oil if needed.
Step 4:
Get your oil heated up in a deep pan at medium-high till it’s 365°F. Dredge a batch of chicken in cornstarch right before frying. Dip ‘em in the egg again.
Step 3:
Whisk up the eggs till frothy. Toss the chicken into the eggs and swirl it around so everything's nice and coated.
Step 2:
Chop your chicken into big chunks, pat everything dry, then sprinkle salt and pepper generously on top.
Step 1:
Crank your oven up to 350°F. Mix all those sauce ingredients in one bowl and set aside while the oven heats up.

Serving and Storage Tips

  • Put the chicken on fluffy white rice and you're set for a solid meal.
  • A finishing sprinkle of green onions or sesame seeds makes it look and taste even better.
  • Leftovers? Stash them in a tight container in the fridge—good for three days.

Tips from Well-Known Chefs

  • Gordon Ramsay always says make sure the oil's piping hot so your chicken stays crisp, not soggy.
  • Ina Garten likes to rest fried chicken a few minutes to lock in the juices before tossing in sauce.
  • Emeril Lagasse keeps it fresh—use good, fresh ingredients so your sauce shines.

VARIATIONS

  • Skip buffalo and use teriyaki for a sweeter, Asian-inspired meal.
  • Crushed peanuts or sesame seeds on top give a nice crunch.
  • Make it heartier by adding steamed veggies next to your chicken.

Spicy Firecracker Chicken

Crispy, golden chicken covered in a spiced-up buffalo sauce for a snack that'll wow any crowd.

Prep Time
20 Minutes
Cook Time
20 Minutes
Total Time
40 Minutes
By: Alicia

Category: Poultry

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: American

Yield: 4 Servings

Dietary: ~

Ingredients

01 1 pound and a half of chicken breasts or thighs, skinless and boneless.
02 Seasonings: salt and pepper as needed.
03 3 eggs, beaten well.
04 1 cup of vegetable oil, more if needed.
05 3/4 cup of cornstarch.
06 3/4 cup hot buffalo sauce.
07 1 cup of tightly packed brown sugar.
08 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar.
09 1 tablespoon of melted butter.
10 1 teaspoon of soy sauce.
11 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
12 1/2 teaspoon chili powder if desired.
13 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder.
14 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Instructions

Step 01

Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Mix up the sauce ingredients and keep them handy.

Step 02

Slice the chicken into 2-inch cubes and pat them dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Step 03

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs until bubbly. Dip each chicken piece into the eggs to coat fully.

Step 04

Warm the vegetable oil in a pan over medium-high heat until it reaches 365°F. Roll the chicken in cornstarch first, then coat with eggs again.

Step 05

Fry the chicken in small groups, turning often, until both sides are perfectly golden. This takes about 3-4 minutes each way.

Step 06

Use a slotted spoon to take out fried chicken. Let it rest on a wire rack to drain excess oil.

Step 07

When all the chicken pieces are fried, mix them with the buffalo sauce. Place them in a baking dish.

Step 08

Pop the chicken in your oven for 10 minutes. Stir with more sauce and bake for another 10 minutes.

Step 09

Sprinkle with chopped green onions, then plate it up over white rice.

Notes

  1. To make it crispier, ensure the oil is fully heated.
  2. You can tweak the spice level by adding more or less buffalo sauce.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 450
  • Total Fat: 25 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 30 g
  • Protein: 30 g