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.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American, Chinese

Keyword: bang bang chicken, bang bang chicken recipe, bang bang chicken sauce

Servings: servings

Author: Katerina | Easy Weeknight Recipes

Equipment

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