Healthier homemade Paleo Firecracker Chicken – Crispy battered chicken chunks tossed in a sticky sweet and spicy sauce | Gluten Free + Soy Free

While this might not be the most authentic Chinese recipe, firecracker chicken sure is a favourite when it comes to western takeout.

It’s like if sweet and sour chicken had a baby with a plate of spicy hot wings. Crispy, sticky, sweet and spicy goodness gently fried and then baked into a red hot glaze of goodness. 

Let’s get to it!

How to Make: Paleo Firecracker Chicken

The Sauce

Start out by mixing your sauce together – simply add everything to a small bowl and whisk to combine and set aside until you’re ready to bake your chicken.

The Chicken 

Cut up your chicken into bite-sized pieces if you haven’t already. Place the chicken in a shallow dish or bowl and cover with your starch. Toss until all sides of the chicken are coated in starch. Once coated in chicken, dip the chicken pieces in egg and then add your chicken pieces to a heated, oiled pan and fry. Make sure not to overcrowd your pan as you cook or you’ll struggle to end up with any crispy pieces. Let the chicken cook undisturbed for about 2-3 minutes before flipping and cooking on the other side another minute or two. You want to cook the chicken just long enough to form a crispy, goldened crust on the outside. The insides don’t need to be fully cooked at this point because you will finish it off in the oven.

Once all of the chicken has been fried, add the pieces to a large casserole dish and pour over the sauce. Give it all a good stir and then bake for about 20 minutes to finish off the chicken. The starch on the chicken will mix with the sauce as it bakes to create a sticky glaze that holds on to the chicken.

Fried and Baked?

This type of chicken is one that would normally be deep fried if you were order in a restaurant or for takeout. Instead of full on deep frying we’re frying the chicken first in a little bit of oil to form a crispy crust and then cooking it fully by baking it in the oven. This makes for a healthier dish that’s lighter on the calories. 

Tips for crispy chicken pieces

• Start out by making sure your oil is HOT. Your chicken won’t crisp up properly if you add it to the pan before the oil has fully heated up. To check if it’s hot enough, get the tips of your fingers slightly wet and flick a few water droplets into the pan. If the oil sizzles when hit with water it’s good to go. If not, wait a minute and try again. 
• Don’t overcrowd your pan. You’ll need to cook the chicken in a few batches so that you can leave a little space in between each piece otherwise you’ll struggle to get truly crispy chicken. 

What kind of hot sauce?

Typical firecracker chicken recipes usually call for buffalo style hot sauce which is made with butter. In order to keep this recipe paleo/dairy free I’ve just used standard hot sauce like Franks Original. If you don’t need this recipe to be paleo then feel free to use a buffalo sauce, otherwise make sure you check your labels!

Other Chinese Inspired Takeout Recipes You Might Like

• Paleo + Low FODMAP Sweet & Sour Chicken
• Whole30 Mongolian Beef
• Chicken with Ginger and Spring Onion
• Paleo Cashew Chicken
• Lemon Chicken
• Spring Onion and Ginger Egg Drop Soup

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Recipe

Paleo Firecracker Chicken

Yield: 4 servings Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 35 minutes Total Time: 45 minutes

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Paleo Firecracker Chicken - Crispy battered chicken chunks tossed in a sticky sweet and spicy sauce | Gluten Free + Soy Free

Ingredients

Sauce

• 3 tablespoons | 45 ml hot sauce
• 3 tablespoons | 62 grams honey
• 2 teaspoons | 10 ml apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon | 15 ml coconut aminos
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (add more to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions

Chicken

• 1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1/3 cup | 43 grams arrowroot or tapioca starch (you can use cornstarch if you don't need this to be paleo/grain free)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large egg beaten
• 2 tablespoons |25 grams coconut oil

Need help converting to weights? Check out my cups to grams Conversion Guide.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch casserole dish. Set aside.
2. Add all of the ingredients for the sauce to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
3. Mix together the starch, black pepper and salt together in a medium sized mixing bowl. In another bowl whisk together the eggs.
4. Toss the chicken pieces in the starch making sure to coat all the sides well. Transfer the coated chicken pieces to the whisked eggs - dip each piece of chicken in egg.
5. Add a tablespoon or two of coconut oil to a non stick skillet. When the oil is hot. Add the chicken. Fry over medium heat, a couple of minutes on each side until a gold crust forms on each chicken piece.
6. Arrange the chicken in a single layer in the greased casserole dish. Pour the sauce over the top of the chicken, stir with a spoon to coat each piece in the sauce.
7. Place in the oven and bake 20 minutes. About halfway through the cook time take the chicken out and stir once more to coat in sauce. Top with green onions and serve.

Notes

You can use gluten free soy sauce/tamari in place of the coconut aminos but keep in mind that soy is much saltier than coconut aminos so you won't need the added salt in the sauce.

Tips for crispy chicken pieces

• Start out by making sure your oil is HOT. Your chicken won’t crisp up properly if you add it to the pan before the oil has fully heated up. To check if it’s hot enough, get the tips of your fingers slightly wet and flick a few water droplets into the pan. If the oil sizzles when hit with water it’s good to go. If not, wait a minute and try again. 
• Don’t overcrowd your pan. You’ll need to cook the chicken in a few batches so that you can leave a little space in between each piece otherwise you’ll struggle to get truly crispy chicken. 

What kind of hot sauce?

Typical firecracker chicken recipes usually call for buffalo style hot sauce which is made with butter. In order to keep this recipe paleo/dairy free I've just used standard hot sauce like Franks Original. If you don't need this recipe to be paleo then feel free to use a buffalo sauce, otherwise make sure you check your labels!

Nutrition Information

Yield: 4

Serving Size:

4 oz. chicken pieces Calories: 300Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 162mgSodium: 1228mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 0gSugar: 15gProtein: 31g

Nutrition information is an estimate and not always accurate.

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© A Saucy Kitchen, Sarah Nevins

Course: Mains Cuisine: Asian

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  Bob's Red Mill Arrowroot Starch/Flour, 16-ounce