Slow cooker firecracker chicken is an Asian-inspired dish jam packed with flavor and so easy to make! Cubes of juicy chicken bites browned and then slow cooked in a sweet, spicy, and tangy sauce. This dish is made right in the crockpot so you can set it and forget it, allowing the flavors to meld together and the chicken to become perfectly juicy and tender.
Trim the chicken breasts and cut into bite sized pieces, approximately 1”.
Pour the cornstarch into a shallow bowl and use tongs to evenly coat the chicken pieces. Alternatively, you can pour the cornstarch into a zip top bag and add the chicken, shaking to coat.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and add the coated chicken. Lightly brown on each side, not cooking thoroughly.
Transfer the lightly fried chicken to the basin of a 6 quart slow cooker.
To a small mixing bowl, whisk together the hot wing sauce, brown sugar, water, and apple cider vinegar.
Pour the sauce over the chicken and toss to coat.
Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours, stirring occasionally to make sure the sugars don’t burn.
Once done, garnish with scallions and serve over white rice.
Notes
If you don't have wing sauce on hand, sriracha will work too. So will red pepper flakes. It'll make a spicy firecracker sauce but won't have the buffalo sauce flavor.
Double or triple this recipe to make more. Just be sure to brown the meat in batches to not overcrowd the pan.
If using chicken thighs, trim any excess fat.
Honey works in place of brown sugar.
For a little variation, you can use this recipe with chicken meatballs, turkey meatballs, or even cubed pork.
Toss in some veggies to bulk it up! Red or green bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, etc.
Chunks of pineapple and a bit of pineapple juice for extra sweetness can be a great addition.
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Every slow cooker runs differently. Times given are a general recommendation and should be tested in your own slow cooker and adjusted as needed.