Name: Sweetfire Chicken Breast
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 lb chicken breast (cut thinly into 1" pieces); 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp white pepper; 1 tbsp shaoxing wine; 2 tbsp light soy sauce; 2 cloves garlic (grated); 1 tbsp ginger (grated); 1/2 cup flour; 1/2 cup cornstarch; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp white pepper; 1/2 tsp baking powder; 4 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tbsp ginger (minced); 1 red bell pepper (cut into 1/2" pieces); 1/2 yellow onion (cut into 1/2" pieces); 6 oz pineapple chunks (cut into 1/2" pieces); 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce; 1/2 cup chicken stock; 1/4 tsp white pepper; 1/4 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp msg; 1/2 tbsp cornstarch; 1 quart neutral oil (for frying)

Ingredient Tips for Sweetfire Chicken Breast

Chicken

chicken breast, cut thinly into 1″ pieces – Make sure to cut your chicken breast into thin 1″ pieces – do not cube them! I used chicken breast, cut into 1″ pieces. Make sure the chicken is cut into similar sizes so it cooks evenly. Substitute with chicken thighs if you prefer. Chicken breast is used often in American Chinese takeout dishes like Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry and Mushroom Chicken.
salt
white pepper – I love white pepper and it’s used very commonly in Chinese cooking (another “secret ingredient” for cooking restaurant quality Chinese food at home). It has an earthier flavor than black pepper. I recommend having some in your pantry but if you can’t find it, you can always substitute with black pepper.
shaoxing wine – This is one of my favorite Chinese pantry staples. It adds a depth of flavor and complexity to the sauce and truly one of my “secret ingredients” for making restaurant quality Chinese food. If you can’t find it, you can substitute with mirin, sherry, or even chicken broth.
light soy sauce – You will need “light” (not “low sodium”) or “all-purpose” soy sauce. Do NOT use dark soy sauce, as it is too intense for this recipe.
garlic
ginger
flour + cornstarch – Combining flour and cornstarch is how you get an addictively crispy and delicious batter. When mixed with the flour, the cornstarch makes the flour coating crispier and gives it that golden brown color! (It has to do with prevention of gluten development.)
salt
white pepper
baking powder – Baking powder is one of my favorite tricks in frying foods that still taste light and airy. The baking powder reacts with the oil and creates tiny air bubbles, which helps the outer layer get crispy while keeping it light and airy.

Vegetables & Aromatics

garlic
ginger
red bell pepper – I used red bell pepper because that is what Panda Express would use for their Sweetfire Chicken Breast. However, you can substitute with any color bell pepper you have or prefer. Bell peppers are a popular vegetable for takeout dishes like Beijing Beef, Drunken Noodles and Black Pepper Beef!
yellow onion
pineapple – You can use fresh or canned pineapple. If using canned pineapple, make sure to drain well. Try to cut the pineapple into similar sizes as the bell pepper. I love the sweetness pineapple adds in dishes like Sweetfire Chicken Breast, as well as Sweet and Sour Pork or Sweet and Sour Chicken

Sauce

sweet chili sauce- you can use store bought or make your own Thai Sweet Chili Sauce at home.
chicken stock – if you don’t have chicken stock on hand, you can substitute with water
white pepper
salt
msg – As always, this is optional
cornstarch – the cornstarch will help thicken the Sweetfire sauce as it cooks in your hot wok or pan

Neutral oil for frying – My favorite neutral oil is avocado oil, but you can also use canola or vegetable oil! I don’t use olive oil when cooking Chinese food for two reasons: 1. It has a low burning point and 2. I find that the flavor profile does not usually go with the dish.

Recipe Instructions for Sweetfire Chicken Breast

1. Marinate Chicken

Slice chicken breast thinly into 1″ pieces. Make sure the chicken are cut into similar sized pieces so they cook evenly.

Marinate cut chicken in a small bowl with salt, white pepper, shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, grated garlic and grated ginger. Set aside.

Chicken breast marinating in a metal bowl.

2. Cut the Vegetables and Aromatics and Make the Sauce

Mince 4 cloves of garlic and 1 tbsp of ginger. Cut red bell pepper and yellow onion into 1/2″ pieces. Cut pineapple into similar size chunks and set aside.

Premix sauce in a small bowl by combining Thai Sweet Chili sauce, chicken stock, white pepper, salt, optional msg, and cornstarch. Set aside.

A whisk mixing the sweetfire chicken breast sauce.

3. Dredge the Chicken

In a large bowl, mix together flour, cornstarch, salt, white pepper, and baking powder. Stir until combined.

Individually coat the chicken pieces in the dry seasoning mix so that there are no dry spots. Be sure to pack the dry mix in to the chicken with your hands (I like squeezing it in) to properly coat the chicken so the batter sticks.

Chicken dredged in flour cornstarch batter.

Once the chicken is dredged in the seasoning mix, let them rest for 10-15 minutes. This helps the batter stick to the chicken when frying!

4. Fry the Chicken

In a heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven, heat neutral oil until 350F. Fry chicken at 350F for 3-4 minutes. If the oil temperature drops below 325F, remove some of the chicken and fry in batches.

Remove the chicken and let the oil come back to 350F, then fry again for another 1-2 minutes for extra crispiness.

Chicken pieces double frying in oil in a wok.

Remove and immediately season with salt, to taste.

5. Stir-Fry to Finish Sweetfire Chicken Breast

In a pan or wok, heat 2 tbsp of neutral oil over high heat. Fry garlic and ginger for 15 seconds. Add cut bell pepper and onions and stir fry for another 1-2 minutes – this is just to get some color on the vegetables. Add pineapple and stir fry for another 30 seconds.

Peppers and onions stir frying in a wok.

Add premixed sauce and stir for a few seconds until thickened.

Sauce being added to the peppers, onions and pineapple in a wok.

Fried chicken breast added back into the wok with peppers, onions, pineapple and sauce

Add back your fried chicken and stir until combined and the chicken is coated in the sauce. Serve immediately with rice and enjoy your Sweetfire Chicken Breast!

PRO TIPS

Expert Tips for Sweetfire Chicken Breast

Cut the Chicken and Vegetables into Uniform Pieces

Whether you use chicken breast or thigh, make sure to cut your chicken into uniform pieces to ensure that your Sweetfire Chicken Breast cooks evenly.
Cut the bell peppers, onion, and pineapple into similar sized pieces/chunks.

Pre-mix Your Sauce

The cooking process for the Sweetfire Chicken Breast sauce is FAST so it’s a great idea to premix your sauce together, then add it straight into the pan! The corn starch will help thicken the sauce into that velvety texture that Chinese restaurants made so famous.

Dredging Tips

Individually coat the chicken pieces in the dry seasoning mix so that there are no dry spots. Be sure to pack the dry mix in to the chicken with your hands (I like squeezing it in) to properly coat the chicken so the batter sticks.
Once the chicken is dredged in the seasoning mix, let them rest for 10-15 minutes. This helps the batter stick to the chicken when frying!

Monitor the Oil Temperature

Do not let your frying oil drop below 325F when frying! I highly recommend you use a thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature. If you see it dropping below 325F, remove some of the chicken and fry your chicken in batches. Frying at a low temperature will result in too much moisture and make your Sweetfire Chicken Breast soggy and oily.

Double Frying

Frying for a second time is the secret to the best American Chinese takeout dishes. I love this technique because it gets the batter of the Sweetfire Chicken Breast EXTRA crispy and also allows for batter to stick better to the orange sauce.

Sweetfire Chicken Breast on a plate with white rice and a pair of chopsticks.

What Should I Serve with Sweetfire Chicken Breast?

Love Panda Express and want to make a Panda Express inspired meal with your Sweetfire Chicken Breast? You have to start with Panda Express Chow Mein and Egg Fried Rice. Add another protein, like Beef and Broccoli or Orange Chicken; you could even add more with String Bean Chicken and Honey Walnut Shrimp! Don’t forget the Egg Rolls and you got yourself a perfect meal!

Storage, Reheating, and Make Ahead Tips

You can store Sweetfire Chicken Breast in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

I like reheat Sweetfire Chicken Breast in the air fryer in order to crisp up the chicken (if you love air fryer recipes – try my Air Fryer Chicken Wings, Air Fryer Chicken Tenders, or Air Fryer Orange Chicken). When reheating the chicken in the air fryer, the sauce with further caramelize and infuse into the crispy batter! Air fry at 350°F for 6-8 minutes or until warmed through and crispy.

Alternatively, reheat in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes until warmed through. I don’t recommend reheating Sweetfire Chicken Breast (or any fried chicken) in the microwave unless you don’t care about the texture and just want to heat it back up as quickly as possible.

Cooking With a Wok (Alternatives)

By now, you know that I LOVE cooking with my carbon steel wok! It is my #1 most recommended kitchen tool, as I believe it is perfect for high-heat cooking and results in restaurant quality Chinese food!

If it is your first time cooking with a wok, make sure to read my “How To Season a Wok” post. There is a video included that shows exactly how to season your brand new wok and how to maintain it so it lasts for years.

If you cannot or do not want to use a wok, you can use a large pan, cast iron, or even a dutch oven.

My KEY TIP would be to avoid crowding your pan – crowding can lead to your Sweetfire Chicken Breast not cooking thoroughly and becoming mushy. If you think your dish will be crowded, use a larger pan, cast iron, or dutch oven, OR cook in batches.

If you tried this Sweetfire Chicken Breast or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!

Sweetfire Chicken Breast – Copycat (VIDEO)

Watch the Sweetfire Chicken Breast Recipe Video Below!

Table of Contents