If you love Wagamama Firecracker Chicken you’ll adore this copycat recipe: tender chicken, crunchy vegetables and a few HOT chillies in a sweet-and-spicy sauce. I serve it the Wagamama way — rice in the middle with a generous sprinkle of shichimi.
“Easy to do and delicious 😋”
– Alina
Nicky’s Notes
Wagamama’s Firecracker Chicken is one of my favourite orders — it’s vibrant, sticky, spicy and sweet. I haven’t got the original recipe, so this is my best recreation based on tasting the dish, reading the menu description and referencing similar dishes from the Wagamama cookbook.
The result is a sweet, fiery stir fry with fragrant garlic and a balanced sweet-tangy heat. Personally I think it’s even better than the takeaway!
Table of Contents
- Nicky’s Notes
- What’s in firecracker sauce?
- How to marinade the chicken
- For the stir fry we need
- What is shichimi?
- What type of dried chillies to use
- To make the stir-fry
- Recipe Tip
- Watch how to make it
- Firecracker Chicken Recipe
- More delicious stir fry recipes
- Equipment
What’s in firecracker sauce?
The sauce layers spicy, sweet, salty and tangy flavours. Key components used here are:
- Spicy: fresh chilli, chilli sauce, white pepper
- Sweet: brown sugar and ketchup
- Salty: light and dark soy sauce, fish sauce
- Tangy: malt vinegar and tamarind paste
- Garlic for fragrance and chicken (breast is used here) — some of the sauce is used to marinate the chicken.
How to marinade the chicken:
- Combine oil, chopped chilli, chilli sauce, garlic, brown sugar, light and dark soy, ketchup, malt vinegar, tamarind, fish sauce and a pinch of white pepper.
- Reserve two-thirds of the sauce and add one-third to the chicken. Cover and chill to marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight for deeper flavour.
For the stir fry we need:
- Vegetable oil, crisp peppers, mangetout (snow peas), onion, dried chillies and spring onions (scallions).
- Serve with rice and garnish with shichimi, sesame seeds and lime wedges.
What is shichimi?
Shichimi (shichimi togarashi) is a Japanese seven-spice blend typically containing chilli, citrus peel (yuzu or orange), ginger, sansho (Japanese pepper), nori or aonori, and sesame seeds. It adds heat and citrusy complexity when sprinkled over the finished dish.
What type of dried chillies to use
Japanese dried chillies are ideal but not essential. Dried arbol, Tianjin or Kashmiri chillies work well — they add colour and an extra kick to the stir-fry.
To make the stir-fry
- Fry the marinated chicken in hot oil until slightly browned and nearly cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon.
- Cook sliced onion for a couple of minutes, then add the reserved sauce and bring to a bubble.
- Add the peppers, mangetout and dried chillies and cook briefly. Return the chicken, stir through spring onions and cook another minute. Add a splash of water if the sauce needs loosening.
- Check chicken is cooked through, then turn off the heat and prepare to serve.
Recipe Tip
How to make a mound of rice
- Lightly oil a small bowl and pack it with hot boiled rice. Press the rice down firmly with a spoon or clean fingers.
- Place a plate over the bowl, flip both over, then tap the bowl gently and lift it off to release a neat rice mound.
- It may take a try or two, so practice once before plating all portions.
To Serve:
- Spoon the firecracker chicken around the rice, then sprinkle the rice with shichimi powder and mixed sesame seeds.
- Top with a lime wedge and enjoy immediately.
Most ingredients are pantry staples apart from dried chillies and shichimi. If you can’t find shichimi locally, specialist shops and online suppliers typically stock it.
Watch how to make it
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Firecracker Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken and marinade:
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 red chilli, chopped finely
- 1 tbsp chilli sauce (eg sriracha)
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 4 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp malt vinegar
- 1 tbsp tamarind paste
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- pinch white pepper
- 3 medium chicken breasts (about 525g), sliced into bite-size chunks
Stir Fry:
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 medium white onion, sliced into wedges
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped into chunks
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped into chunks
- 85 g (1 cup) mangetout (snow peas)
- 12 dried arbol chillies (or Tianjin)
- small bunch spring onions (scallions), chopped
- splash of water (optional)
To Serve:
- boiled long grain rice
- 1 ½ tsp shichimi powder
- 1 tsp black sesame seeds
- 1 tsp white sesame seeds
- wedges of lime
Instructions
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Place all marinade ingredients in a large bowl and mix together.
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Add one-third of the marinade to the chicken, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or overnight).
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Cook rice according to packet instructions.
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Heat oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Scoop the chicken from the marinade with a slotted spoon and fry until slightly browned and almost cooked through.
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Add the sliced onion and cook for 2 minutes to soften.
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Pour in the reserved marinade and stir until bubbling and heated through.
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Add peppers, mangetout and dried chillies. Cook for about a minute, then stir in spring onions. Add a splash of water if the sauce needs loosening.
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Check chicken is fully cooked, then remove from heat.
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Mould the cooked rice into bowls to create mounds, then transfer to serving plates.
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Spoon the firecracker chicken around the rice and sprinkle shichimi and sesame seeds over the rice.
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Top with a lime wedge and serve immediately.
Notes
This stir-fry is best served immediately so the chicken stays tender and the vegetables remain crisp. Leftovers can be cooled, covered and refrigerated for up to one day and are tasty cold or reheated.
Scaling the recipe
You can scale the recipe by keeping the same ratios: halve for 2 people or double for 8. If doubling, cook in batches so everything sears properly.
Nutrition info
Nutrition shown is approximate and excludes rice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is approximate and should be used as a guide.
This post was first published in June 2015 and updated with new photos and tips.
More delicious stir fry recipes:
Asian
Quick Chicken Stir Fry
Asian
Beef Stir Fry
Asian
Kung Pao Chicken
Asian
Spicy Mee Goreng (Fried Noodles)
Quick & Easy
Pineapple Pork Stir Fry
Asian
Beef and Broccoli [Quick & Easy]
Equipment:
What you’ll need:
- Sharp kitchen knife and chopping board
- Large bowl for marinating
- Measuring spoons, garlic press (optional)
- Wok or large frying pan/skillet
- Wooden or silicone spoon and a rice steamer or saucepan for rice
Some ingredients, such as shichimi and specific dried chillies, may be easier to source online or at specialist stores. Nutrition and timings are approximate.