This firecracker chicken is a favourite for many reasons. It's sweet, it's a little sour, and it's got a pleasant warming kick to it.
This recreation of a popular restaurant dish happened during the lockdown (lots of creativity needed to cope with the dining-out limitations). This sweet and fiery dish gave me the pick-me-up I needed... and the best part is, it's pretty straightforward to make.
Serves: 3-4 Prep Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 25 Minutes Total Cook Time: 45 Minutes
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons sriracha sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tamarind sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- Birds Eye Chilli flakes*
*Add as much or as little as you like to suit your preferred heat level.
OTHER INGREDIENTS
- 3 large chicken breasts
- 1x each red, yellow and green bell peppers
- 1 large onion
- Handful of sugar snap peas
- 3 garlic cloves
- Handful dry whole chillis
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Method
Cut your chicken into medium sized chunks and set aside. You want your chicken pieces to cook quickly but you also don't want them to dry out, so getting the size right is important.
Using a different chopping board, de-seed and cut your peppers into large chunks. Peel your onions, cut them into similar sized chunks and separate the layers of the onion.
Peel and finely slice your garlic cloves. I chose to slice the garlic cloves rather than crush them for this recipe because it gives off a sweeter and more subtle taste.
In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the firecracker sauce.
Pour the sauce mix into a pan and allow to bubble on a medium-high heat with the lid off. You want to cook the sauce till it becomes thick and a little sticky. This should take about 8-10 minutes.
In a separate pan placed on medium heat, soften the garlic in olive oil
Add in your chicken pieces and allow to cook through
Add all the vegetables and dried chillis and cook till they soften but still have a little bite
Pour in your cooked sauce and stir to evenly coat
Allow to simmer gently on low heat for a couple more minutes to let the sauce infuse into the chicken and vegetables, then your firecracker chicken is ready to serve!
I served mine with some steamed white rice topped with sesame seeds, and a lime wedge. You can of course serve it with some quinoa or even couscous. This is such a beautiful and delicious dish that has quickly become a house staple. I hope you enjoy it!
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