If you love Panda Express SweetFire Chicken Breast as much as we do, you’ll be ecstatic to find out just how easy this copycat recipe is to make at home! If you have yet to try this tangy-sweet chicken dish, then you are truly missing out! Crispy chunks of lightly coated fried chicken breast are wok fried with slices of onion, red bell pepper and pineapple, then coated with a garlic sweet chili sauce to make this super delicious, quick dinner!
Delicious Panda Express SweetFire Chicken Breast is a house favorite, and a super quick and easy to make family meal!!
Panda Express SweetFire Chicken Breast {Copycat Recipe}
While Orange Chicken may have been the long-time favorite for our homemade Panda Express copycat recipes, it has been replaced recently with this newer Panda chicken entree! There is just the right amount of heat from the Thai Sweet Chili Sauce (you can add more to your liking, a pinch of chili paste, or throw in some additional crushed red pepper flakes…we do!) that balances with the sweetness of the dish perfectly. Add in the sensational flavors of the fresh onion, red pepper and pineapple and you have a nicely balanced homemade meal!
Did I mention how quick this chicken dish is to make? If you need it on the table even faster, you can substitute in some fried chicken nuggets. With that change, the whole meal can be ready in about 15 minutes!
How To Make Panda Express Sweet Fire Chicken Breast
Wok fried battered chicken breast pieces to make our Panda Express SweetFire Chicken Breast copycat recipe.
We’ll start out by coating the chunks of chicken breast with the cornstarch while the vegetable oil heats in the wok (or frying pan). Followed with getting the rest of our dredging station ready (beat the eggs in a small bowl, add the all-purpose flour to another). We will dip the cornstarch-coated chicken breast pieces in the egg, then the flour before adding directly into the heated oil in the wok.
Be careful when placing chicken in the wok, so as to not burn yourself!
Frying the veggies and pineapple in the wok, before adding the chicken and sauce to make Panda Express SweetFire Chicken Breast.
Leave some of the oil from frying the chicken pieces in your wok, about a 1/2 Tbsp for frying the next step. *Note that you can add all of these ingredients (garlic, onion, red bell pepper and pineapple) at once. However, we like our onion a bit more cooked than the rest, and our pineapple barely cooked. Cook your chopped onion with the minced garlic for about a minute, then add the red bell pepper and toss with the onion. Cook for an additional minute before adding the pineapple.
Wok fried chicken breast and vegetables with pineapple and Thai sweet chili sauce.
Add the fried chicken breast pieces back into the wok and toss to coat with sauce. *Note for the best, and closest to Panda’s flavor, add some chili paste (we use Sambal Oelek brand). About a teaspoon will do, add more to taste.
Have fun with this easy, homemade version of Panda Express SweetFire Chicken. Enjoy!
Panda Express Recipes
- Panda Express Orange Chicken
- Panda Express Shanghai Angus Steak
- Panda Express Chow Mein
- Panda Express Honey Walnut Shrimp
- Panda Express SweetFire Chicken Breast (this page)
- Easy Fried Rice Better than Panda!
- Panda Express Mushroom Chicken
- Panda Express Beijing Beef
Panda Express SweetFire Chicken Breast Copycat
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs chicken breast (boneless, skinless cut into bite size thin cut 1 inch pieces)
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil (about 1/2 cup for wok frying the chicken + 1 Tbsp for the stir fry)
- 2 large eggs (beaten)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp garlic (minced)
- 1 red bell pepper (chopped into 1 inch pieces)
- 2 cups pineapple chunks (or a 20 oz can of pineapple chunks)
- 2/3 cup Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
- 1 Tbsp green onion (sliced - optional garnish)
Instructions
- Coat the cut chicken with the cornstarch and bring the vegetable oil to 375 degrees F (190 degrees) in your wok or frying pan.
- Ready two other bowls (small to medium) with the beaten eggs in one and the all-purpose flour in another to complete your dredging station.
- Place your coated chicken pieces into the eggs, then coat with flour before placing (carefully!) into the heated oil in your wok or skillet. Cook until lightly golden, in batches (if needed) until all of your chicken is cooked.
- Remove all of the chicken as it cooks completely, set on a paper towel to drain the excess oil off. Clean your wok or skillet as needed, leaving about 1/2 Tbsp of the cooking oil in the wok.
- Place the minced garlic and onion slices in the wok, cook for about a minute, then add the red bell pepper pieces. Cook for an additional minute, then add the pineapple chunks. Stir to toss together.
- Add the cooked chicken pieces back into the wok, then pour the sauce over all of the cooked ingredients. Stir to coat. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma’s kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
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