Description
Firecracker Chicken is a spicy, flavorful baked chicken dish featuring a zesty sauce made with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar, and hot sauce. This easy recipe results in tender, juicy chicken breasts perfectly coated in a sticky, sweet, and spicy glaze, ideal for a quick weeknight dinner paired with your favorite sides.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken
- 4 chicken breasts (boneless and skinless, about 1 1/2 lbs)
Firecracker Sauce
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon ginger (fresh, chopped)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (low sodium)
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar (packed)
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce (such as Sriracha)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper (ground)
Optional Garnish
- 1 green onion (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon parsley (fresh, chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure it reaches the right temperature for baking the chicken evenly and quickly.
- Make Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the minced garlic, chopped ginger, olive oil, low sodium soy sauce, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, hot sauce, and ground black pepper until well combined.
- Prepare Chicken: Place the boneless skinless chicken breasts in a 9×13-inch baking dish and pour half of the firecracker sauce over them. Brush the sauce evenly over the entire surface of the chicken.
- Flip and Sauce: Flip the chicken breasts over and pour the remaining sauce on top. Brush or spoon the sauce from the baking dish to ensure all sides are fully covered with the flavorful glaze.
- Bake Chicken: Transfer the uncovered baking dish to the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes. The cooking time may vary slightly depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts. The chicken is done when it is completely opaque all the way through and registers between 165 to 170 degrees Fahrenheit on an instant-read thermometer.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for about 5 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute for a juicy result. Garnish with chopped green onion and parsley if desired, and serve with your favorite side dish such as rice, slaw, or roasted vegetables.
Notes
- Adjusting Spice: Reduce the amount of red pepper flakes and hot sauce if you prefer a milder flavor, or double them if you like it spicy.
- Chicken Options: Though breasts cook fastest, you can use thighs or drumsticks; just increase the baking time accordingly and check for an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Make Ahead: Prepare the sauce and marinate the chicken up to one day in advance. When ready, bake the chicken straight from the refrigerator, adding an additional 5 minutes to the cooking time.
- Freezing: You can freeze the chicken baked or unbaked for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven for best texture and flavor.
- Serving Idea: Serve with rice, coleslaw, or roasted vegetables to soak up the delicious sticky-sweet sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 580 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 33 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
