1-First step: prep the oven and pan Start by preheating your oven to 350°F. Coat a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with cooking spray and set it aside. This keeps the chicken from sticking once it moves from the skillet to the oven. While the oven heats, gather your chicken, breading ingredients, and sauce ingredients so everything is ready to go.

2-Second step: season and coat the chicken Pat the chicken pieces dry if needed. Put the boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces, into a bowl and season them with salt and pepper. Toss the chicken in cornstarch until each piece is lightly coated. Then dip the coated chicken into the beaten eggs, making sure every side gets covered. This double layer is what helps create the crispy exterior.

3-Third step: brown the chicken in batches Heat the vegetable oil or canola oil in a large pan over high heat. The pan should be very hot before the chicken goes in. Add the chicken pieces in batches, not all at once, so the pan does not cool down. Brown the chicken until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. You do not need to cook it all the way through at this stage because it will finish in the oven. Once browned, transfer the chicken to the prepared baking pan.

4-Fourth step: mix the sauce In a bowl, whisk together the buffalo hot sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and red pepper flakes. Stir until the sugar starts to dissolve and the sauce looks smooth. If you want a milder version, leave out the red pepper flakes. If you want more heat, add a little extra.

5-Fifth step: pour and bake Pour the sauce evenly over the chicken in the baking pan. Make sure each piece gets coated. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 35 minutes. Stir the chicken halfway through baking so the sauce spreads around and the chicken cooks evenly. As it bakes, the cornstarch helps the sauce thicken and cling to the chicken pieces.

6-Final step: garnish and serve When the chicken is done, remove it from the oven and spoon any sauce from the pan over the top. Garnish with sliced green onions for a fresh finish. Serve the Firecracker Chicken right away while the coating is still crisp and the sauce is hot.