Panda Express Sweet Fire Chicken Recipe

This Sweet Fire Chicken is a perfect Panda Express copycat with chicken, red pepper, onion and pineapple in a spicy sweet chili sauce.

This dish is perfect for recreating your favorite takeout meal at home. And, it's quick, easy, and packed with bold, delicious flavors!

Why you'll love this recipe

• The best copycat: This Panda Express sweet fire chicken copycat recipe tastes just like the original, but you can make it yourself at home.
• Sweet and spicy: You'll get an amazing blend of sweet and spicy flavors, with sweetness from the pineapple and sweet chili sauce, and a bit of heat from the chili flakes.

Ingredients and substitutions

• Boneless chicken breasts – you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead.
• All-purpose flour – a cornstarch mixture will work, although you may not get as thick of a coating.
• Eggs – buttermilk can be used too (if you don't have any on hand, mix 1 tbsp lemon juice with 1 cup of milk).
• Cooking oil – I use canola oil, but you can substitute it with any neutral flavour of cooking oil.
• Yellow onion – feel free to use white or red onion in place of the yellow onion.
• Red bell pepper – feel free to use any type of bell pepper in this dish.
• Pineapple chunks – fresh pineapple gives the dish the best flavour, but you can use canned pineapple chunks if you want to.
• Sweet chili sauce – use your favourite store-bought sauce or make your own.
• Chili flakes – adjust based on your spice tolerance.
• Green onions – leave these out if you’re not a fan of green onions.
• White rice – brown would also be good.

How to make Panda Express sweet fire chicken

Step 1: Coat the chicken.

Coat the chicken in the egg mixture, then toss in flour.

Step 2: Cook the chicken.

Heat oil, then add the chicken pieces.

Step 3: Add the veggies.

Add in the red peppers and onions.

Step 4: Add pineapple and sauce.

Stir in pineapple chunks, sweet chili sauce and chili flakes. Cook until the sauce thickens then serve and enjoy!

Frequently asked questions

What does sweet fire chicken taste like?

Sweet fire chicken tastes a little bit sweet and a little bit spicy. You’ll get the sweetness from the pineapple, and the spice from the sweet chili sauce and red chili flakes. It’s the perfect combo!

How spicy is it?

Thanks to the sweet pineapple and sweet chili sauce, the flavour is not terribly spicy. Red chili flakes are the main source of spicy heat in this dish and because the amount of chili flakes is easy to adjust, you can make it as spicy or mild as you want to.

Can you bake the chicken instead?

I personally haven't tried baking the chicken, and it wouldn't get as crispy as if you pan fried it. Plus, you'll still need to use the skillet to fry up the veggies and make the sauce. If you really want to, you can try baking the chicken on a parchment-lined sheet pan for 10-15 mins at 375°F.

What to serve with panda express sweet fire chicken

• Rice (I like white but any variety works)
• Egg rolls
• Cauliflower rice for a low-carb option
• Crispy green beans
• Asparagus

Storing and reheating

Storing: Store leftovers in airtight containers or meal prep bowls in the fridge for up to 5 days. For the freshest results, keep the chicken separate from the vegetables and sauce.

Reheating: The best way to reheat is in a skillet over medium heat to maintain the chicken’s texture. If using the microwave, sprinkle a bit of water over the chicken to prevent it from drying out, then heat in 30-second intervals until warmed through.

Freezing: You can freeze sweet fire chicken for up to 3 months. Let it defrost in the fridge overnight then reheat as normal. Serve with fresh rice and dig in.

Meal prep tools for this recipe

• Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on turning this meal into your weekly lunches.
• I get all my free-range chicken from Butcher Box, conveniently delivered to me frozen.
• You can order sweet chili sauce online.