Panda Express Firecracker Chicken Breast

I've been perfecting my Panda Express copycat recipes for years, and this tasty chicken entree is no exception. My easy Panda Express firecracker chicken breast copycat recipe brings the bold, spicy flavors of your favorite takeout right to your kitchen.

🥘 Ingredients

Chicken & Marinade

• Chicken Breast- Boneless, skinless, cut into thin, long strips. Or, you can use chicken thighs.
• Cornstarch, Cold Water, Cooking Oil, Salt - Mixed with sliced chicken before assembling the other ingredients. Add an egg white for tenderizing the chicken and retaining moisture if desired.

Firecracker Chicken Sauce

• Sesame Oil - A touch of sesame oil is essential for the signature deep, umami flavor.
• Shaoxing Wine - I love this cooking wine; if you don't have it on hand, use dry sherry, mirin, or rice vinegar as the last option. Take a look at my best Shaoxing wine substitutes here for more alternatives.
• Soy Sauce - A key ingredient in any stir fry, and the reason you won't need any salt. I prefer low-sodium soy sauce.
• Water - Water is the base for the firecracker sauce.
• Cornstarch - The cornstarch is what makes the sauce thick and sticky, like it is from Panda Express.

Stir Fry Ingredients

• Cooking Oil - You can use your preferred high-heat cooking oil. Panda Express primarily uses soybean oil, but canola oil and peanut oil are commonly used in takeout recipes.
• Red Chili Peppers - Whole, dried chile peppers. You can use less than the suggested amount if you don't want your food to be super spicy.
• Ground Ginger - Ground ginger, or fresh ginger paste, is the secret ingredient to this delectable sauce. You can also use my ginger garlic paste, which I make in large batches and keep in the fridge to use.
• Garlic - Minced fresh garlic or use half the amount of garlic powder.
• Red & Yellow Bell Pepper - Half of each, cut into even chunks.
• Onion - Yellow or white onion, diced or cut into chunks.
• Crushed Red Pepper - Dried red pepper flakes add a little more kick. You can also use Sambal Oelek, up to about a tablespoon.
• Black Beans - Drain and rinse the beans before using. They are optional, but for authenticity, Panda does include black beans in their version. Alternatively, black bean paste can also be used.

🔪 How To Make Panda Express Firecracker Chicken

Grab your measuring utensils, a knife, a cutting board, and a large wok or frying pan to get started. This recipe makes two generous servings of stir-fried chicken and vegetables.

Mix The Marinade & Prep The Chicken

Step 1: Marinate the chicken. Slice the 12 ounces (340 grams) of boneless, skinless chicken breast into thin strips and place in a medium mixing bowl (photo 1) or food storage bag. Add 2 teaspoons of cornstarch, 2 teaspoons of water, 1 teaspoon of cooking oil, and 1 pinch of salt (photo 2). Coat the chicken in the marinade and refrigerate for 30 minutes up to overnight.

Combine Sauce Ingredients

Step 2: Combine the sauce ingredients. While the pan is heating, combine 1 teaspoon of sesame seed oil, 1 teaspoon of Shaoxing wine, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, and ¼ cup (59 milliliters) of water in a small bowl. Set aside.

Sear The Chicken

Step 3: Heat your pan. Heat a large wok or skillet with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil over high heat until shimmering hot.

Step 4: Sear the chicken strips. Quickly sear the sliced chicken breast (photo 3) for 1-2 minutes until there are no sections with pink color. Separate the meat with your spatula as you stir frequently. Set the seared cooked chicken aside on a wire rack over a paper towel-lined plate (photo 4) to allow the excess oil to drip.

*Wipe out your wok or frying pan to clean out any debris, if needed, before stir-frying the rest of the ingredients.

Sear The Aromatics

Step 5: Add chiles, garlic, ginger, seasoning, and beans. Add the 8 chili peppers to the wok (photo 5) and stir frequently until they darken in color. Then add 1 teaspoon of grated ginger, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes, and 1½ teaspoons of black beans (photos 6, 7). Stir-fry for 30 seconds.

Add Sauce, Stir-Fry & Serve

Step 6: Add the chicken and sauce. Return the chicken to the wok (photo 8) and pour in the sauce mixture (photo 9). Stir constantly until the sauce thickens.

Step 7: Stir-fry the peppers and onion. Add ½ red bell pepper, ½ yellow bell pepper, and ½ yellow or white onion to the wok (photo 10) and stir-fry for 30 seconds to a minute (or until they reach your desired level of tenderness). *The vegetables are typically tender-crisp in this dish.

Step 8: Enjoy. Remove from the heat and serve immediately while nice and hot. Garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds if desired.

💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes

• Slice the chicken thin for fast, even cooking. Slice the chicken into thin, long, even strips. This helps it cook quickly at high heat without drying out.
• Adjust heat to taste. Between the dried chilies, crushed red pepper, and ginger, this dish brings the fire. If you're spice-sensitive, reduce the crushed red pepper or skip a few dried chilies to find your perfect balance of heat.
• More or less veggies. Just like the chili peppers, you can add more veggies if you like, or swap a few of your favorites in based on what your family likes or what is in season. I like to add green beans, zucchini, asparagus, yellow squash, and snap peas, but carrots and celery are my winter go-to additions.
• About the black beans. Panda Express uses fermented black beans (douchi) for an earthy, umami flavor. They can be hard to find in regular grocery stores, but canned black beans, black bean sauce, or black bean paste are good substitutes. For a more authentic taste, look for douchi at Asian markets or online (or feel free to leave them out).
• I love using a wok. It makes tossing everything over high heat quick and easy. If you don’t have one, a large skillet will work too. Just be sure it’s very hot before you start cooking.
• Want a thicker sauce? If your sauce isn't thick enough, simmer it for a minute or two longer while stirring. You can also mix ½ teaspoon extra cornstarch with a splash of water to make a slurry and add it if needed.

🥡 Storing & Reheating

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freezing

Freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw frozen firecracker chicken in the fridge overnight before reheating.

Reheating

Reheat in a skillet over medium heat until hot. Single portions can be reheated in the microwave, covered with a damp paper towel, for 1-2 minutes on high power.

📖 Recipe Card