This easy bang bang chicken recipe is crispy and crunchy on the outside and juicy and tender on the inside. Served with a rich and creamy sweet and spicy mayo chili sauce, this fried chicken is truly irresistible.
Easy Bang Bang Chicken Recipe
Crispy fried chicken bites paired with a drizzling of sweet and spicy mayo sauce make this chicken irresistibly good! Bang Bang Chicken holds a special spot on my favorites list, and this recipe tops anything I’ve tasted at restaurants. The fried chicken is wonderfully crispy, while the inside remains juicy and delicious. A perfect combo of spices, including chili powder, garlic powder, and white pepper, marinate the chicken, adding to its fantastic flavors. However, the real game-changer is the bang bang sauce – a blend of creamy richness with mayo, red pepper flakes, and sweet chili sauce. The rice vinegar introduces a refreshing tang, while the honey imparts a gentle sweetness to balance the flavors. Prepare to be addicted – this recipe will have you coming back for more, time and again!
What Is Bang Bang Chicken?
Bang bang chicken is a Chinese dish that was originally a street food in Sichuan. It’s made out of bite-size pieces of juicy chicken, which is usually fried until crispy. The meat is served with a sweet chili dipping sauce that’s rich, creamy, spicy, and sweet.
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Recipe
- Super easy. The flavors in this crispy chicken might be intense, but the work required is not. This is a very easy chicken recipe to make, and it only takes 20 minutes.
- Better than takeout. This juicy rendition of Bang Bang Chicken is truly better than any restaurant version I’ve ever had. The meat is moist but crunchy, and the tangy and spicy sauce is so good that you’ll be tempted to eat it with a spoon.
- So crispy. One of the secrets to this chicken recipe is the panko breadcrumbs, which are smaller and lighter than regular breadcrumbs. This makes the breading on the chicken extra crunchy when you fry it.
- Versatile. This dish can be eaten in many different ways. You can dip it in the bang bang sauce and eat it as an appetizer, snack, or side dish, or you can drizzle the sauce on top and eat the meat as an entree. It’s also great for parties and game days!
Ingredients For Bang Bang Chicken
- Chicken breasts – Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs, if that is what you prefer.
- Egg: Acts as a binder and helps the coating adhere to the chicken.
- Buttermilk: Makes the chicken moist and tender, and adds a slight tanginess.
- Salt & Pepper
- Garlic powder
- Chili powder
- White pepper
- All-purpose flour: Creates a light, crispy coating when fried.
- Cornstarch
- Panko breadcrumbs: Add an extra layer of crunch to the chicken’s exterior.
- Vegetable oil: For frying the chicken.
- Mayonnaise: The base for the bang bang sauce.
- Sweet chili sauce
- Honey: Enhances the sweetness in the sauce, balancing the spice.
- Rice vinegar
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Salt & Pepper
How to Make Bang Bang Chicken
- Cut. Slice the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Add the egg and buttermilk to a bowl and whisk together until combined. Add the garlic powder, chili powder, white pepper, salt, and black pepper to the buttermilk mixture, and whisk until incorporated.
- Add the flour. Put the flour and the cornstarch in the mixture and mix until smooth.
- Prepare the breadcrumbs. Pour the panko breadcrumbs into a bowl.
- Dredge the chicken. Dip the pieces of chicken into the buttermilk batter until fully coated, then place it in the breadcrumbs. Gently press the breadcrumbs into the meat.
- Heat oil. Pour about 2 inches of oil into a deep skillet, then heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 350˚F.
- Fry. Working in batches, add some of the chicken pieces to the oil and fry until golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Drain the chicken on paper towels and repeat until all of the meat is cooked.
- Make the sauce. Add all of the bang bang chicken sauce ingredients to a bowl, and whisk until smooth and blended. Taste, then add salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve. Garnish the bang bang chicken with optional chopped green onions, and serve it with the sauce in a dipping bowl or drizzled over the meat.
Tips for Success
- Don’t crowd the pot. Make sure to cook your chicken in batches so that it’s not overcrowded when frying. If you cook too many pieces at once, it will drop the heat of the oil and keep the meat from getting properly crispy.
- Make the sauce ahead of time. This entire chicken and tangy sauce takes just 20 minutes to make. But if you have the time, try making the bang bang chicken sauce in advance and storing it in the fridge for a few hours or even overnight. That will give the flavors time to meld, and the sauce will taste even better.
- Use the wet hand method. Dredging chicken can get really messy. To simplify it, use the wet hand method when breading the meat. Use one hand to put the chicken in the batter and remove it from the batter. Then, use your other hand to cover the battered chicken in panko breadcrumbs. This will keep your hands from getting gummy and messy, and it will ensure that the breading on the chicken is light and crispy.
- Adjust the sauce. Bang bang sauce is one of my favorite foods, but everyone makes it a little bit differently. Adjust the ingredients in the sauce based on what you like; make it sweeter, spicier, or tangier.
Serving Suggestions
Because this fried bang bang chicken with a creamy dipping sauce is quite rich, I like to serve it with a light and fresh veggie side dish.
- Avocado Tomato Salad
- Garlic Butter Roasted Asparagus
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Radishes
- Caprese Stuffed Avocados
- Easy Oven Roasted Vegetables
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Leftover bang bang chicken will last in the fridge for 3 days if stored in an airtight container. You can reheat the chicken in a 400˚F oven for 10 minutes or in a 400˚F air fryer for 5 minutes.
- The chicken can also be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for 4 months. You can reheat the chicken straight from the freezer, in a 400˚F oven for 15-20 minutes, or in a 400˚F air fryer for 8-10 minutes.
- Store leftover bang bang sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. I do not recommend freezing the sauce.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
I make chicken dinners all the time because they’re easy, delicious, and affordable. Here are a few more chicken recipes that I think you’ll love.
- Chicken Tetrazzini
- Crockpot Chicken Fajitas
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
- Lemon Chicken
- Yogurt Marinated Chicken
- Chicken Piccata
Bang Bang Chicken
Bang Bang Chicken is a flavor-packed dish made with perfectly seasoned and fried chicken bites generously drizzled with a signature spicy and tangy Bang Bang sauce.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 670kcal
Ingredients
For The Chicken
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or chicken thighs
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1⅓ cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- vegetable oil, for frying
For The Sauce
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
For The Chicken
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Add the egg and buttermilk to a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Whisk in the garlic powder, chili powder, white pepper, salt, and black pepper. Add the flour and cornstarch and mix until a smooth batter forms.
- Place the panko breadcrumbs in a separate bowl.
- Dip the chicken pieces into the buttermilk batter until evenly coated, then allow the excess batter to drip off.
- Roll the battered chicken pieces in the panko breadcrumbs, gently pressing the breadcrumbs into the meat. Set aside.
- Heat 2 inches of oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat until it reaches 350˚F.
- Carefully add some of the chicken pieces to the hot oil, and do not crowd the pan. Fry the chicken for 5 to 7 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
- Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels. Repeat until all of the chicken is fried.
For The Sauce
- Add the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, honey, rice vinegar, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper flakes to a bowl, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk until blended. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and garnish with green onions.
- Serve with the sauce on the side or drizzled on top.
Notes
- Fry in Batches: Avoid overcrowding the chicken while frying to ensure each piece gets perfectly crispy. Cooking too many at once can lower the oil’s temperature.
- Prep The Sauce: While it doesn’t take long to make the sauce, preparing it and letting it sit in the fridge for a few hours can enhance the flavor. Feel free to tweak the bang bang sauce to your liking, adjusting the sweetness, spice level, etc.
- Dredging: To avoid a mess, use one hand for the wet batter and the other for applying the panko breadcrumbs to make the breading process less messy and ensure a light, crispy coating.
- Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for 4 months. Store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 weeks.
Nutrition
Calories: 670kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 20g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 1221mg | Potassium: 427mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 393IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 142mg | Iron: 3mg
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