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Slow Cooker Firecracker Chicken Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.1 from 27 reviews
  • Author: Emma
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 4 hours
  • Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Slow Cooking
  • Cuisine: American

Description

This Slow Cooker Firecracker Chicken recipe features tender bite-sized chicken pieces coated in a crispy cornstarch layer, lightly pan-fried, then slow-cooked in a sweet and tangy hot wing sauce infused with brown sugar and apple cider vinegar. Garnished with fresh scallions and perfect served over white rice, this dish delivers a balanced blend of heat, sweetness, and savory depth with minimal hands-on cooking.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Chicken

  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 1/3 cup oil (for frying)

Sauce

  • 1/2 cup hot wing sauce (Frank’s wing sauce recommended)
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Garnish

  • Scallions, sliced

Instructions

  1. Prepare the chicken: Trim the chicken breasts and cut them into approximately 1-inch bite-sized pieces.
  2. Coat the chicken: Pour the cornstarch into a shallow bowl and use tongs to evenly coat each chicken piece. Alternatively, place cornstarch and chicken in a zip-top bag and shake to coat thoroughly.
  3. Brown the chicken: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cornstarch-coated chicken pieces and lightly brown them on each side until golden, but do not cook through.
  4. Transfer to slow cooker: Move the lightly fried chicken pieces into the basin of a 6-quart slow cooker.
  5. Prepare the sauce: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the hot wing sauce, brown sugar, water, and apple cider vinegar until well combined.
  6. Add sauce to chicken: Pour the prepared sauce over the chicken in the slow cooker and toss gently to evenly coat all pieces.
  7. Cook low and slow: Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 4 hours. Stir occasionally throughout to prevent the sugars from burning and ensure even cooking.
  8. Serve: Once cooking is complete, garnish the chicken with sliced scallions and serve hot over cooked white rice.

Notes

  • Lightly browning the chicken before slow cooking helps develop flavor and texture.
  • Stirring occasionally during slow cooking prevents sugar from settling and burning on the bottom.
  • Use a good quality hot wing sauce for authentic flavor; adjust quantity if less heat is desired.
  • This dish pairs well with steamed white rice or jasmine rice to balance the sweetness and spiciness.
  • Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop or microwave.

Find it online: https://yumrecipesfood.com/slow-cooker-firecracker-chicken-recipe/