Bang Bang Chicken is a delicious crispy Chinese chicken dish. That is coated in a batter This Bang Bang Chicken with Sweet & Spicy Chili Sauce combines hand-breaded, perfectly seasoned, Panko-crusted chicken with a creamy, sweet and spicy sauce for a flavorful dinner dish that everyone in your family will enjoy.
Okay – who has never heard of Bang Bang Shrimp? It is one of my favorite things to order at Bonefish, but not everyone likes shrimp. Did you know that you can make Bang Bang CHICKEN at home? It is crunchy chicken that is tossed in a creamy, sweet, and spicy chili-based sauce. It is so tasty and will satisfy your sweet and spicy cravings.
This dinner is not difficult or time-consuming to make, making it a great option for a busy weeknight dinner. You will start by whisking together the ingredients for your sauce and then sticking the mixture in the fridge. Then you will mix up your chicken coating, and toss your chicken in that and into the Panko crumbs. After that, all that is left to do is cook the chicken in the skillet and get out your dipping sauce. See? It’s ready in no time at all!
Why You’ll Love This Bang Bang Chicken
- It is the perfect combination of sweet and spicy flavors.
- The panko crumbs give the chicken an ideal amount of crunch.
- It is simple to make, and you can make a large batch.
- Did I already say that it’s delicious? It is SO yummy!
- Your whole family will love this chicken.
Ingredients For Your Thai Bang Bang Chicken
- Chicken Breasts: Use boneless, skinless chicken breast and cut them into 1-inch chunks.
- Panko Bread Crumbs: These are the perfect breadcrumbs to add a light and flaky breading.
- Cornstarch & All-purpose Flour: The base of the batter that makes this recipe so crisp.
- Cayenne Pepper Hot Sauce: You can use your favorite sauce. But my two favorites are Sriracha or Franks hot sauce.
- Sweet Chili Sauce: Adds the perfect amount of sweetness and heat to the sauce.
- Buttermilk: The buttermilk will help break down the chicken so that it is not tough.
- Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Salt, Black Pepper: These seasonings and spices add the perfect flavor. The only thing I would suggest adding is paprika.
- Egg: Helps everything stick together in the batter.
- Honey: Adds the perfect amount of sweetness to the sauce.
- Mayonnaise: This is what gives the sauces its creaminess.
- Oil: I used vegetable oil. But you can use any oil that is good for frying.
How To Make Bang Bang Chicken
- In a small bowl, add mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, honey, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, honey, and cayenne pepper hot sauce. Whisk until well combined. Cover and place in the fridge for later.
- In a small bowl whisk egg until yolk and whites are well combined and set aside.
- In a large bowl add all-purpose flour, buttermilk, cornstarch, whisked egg, 1 tbsp cayenne pepper hot sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and salt. whisk together until ingredients are well combined.
- Add panko bread crumbs to a small bowl and set aside. Then, add 1-2 pieces of cubed chicken to the batter at a time and fully coat. Remove and add to panko bread crumbs and fully coat. Remove and place on a plate. Repeat the process until all chicken is battered.
- In a large skillet add 1/2 cup of vegetable oil. Heat over medium-high heat for 3-4 allow the oil to fully heat up.
- Divide the battered chicken into 2 even batches. Add the first batch of chicken to the skillet and cook until golden brown on all sides. Remove the first batch and place it on a paper towel-lined plate. Then add 1/2 cup of oil and allow to heat up before adding the second batch of chicken.
- Serve while hot and garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Use sweet chili sauce to drizzle over the top and dip in. Enjoy!
NOTE: Serve while hot and garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Use sweet chili sauce to drizzle over the top and dip in. Enjoy!
What to Serve/Pair with Your Bang Bang Chicken
My favorite side to have with this Bang Bang Chicken is rice. You can do a simple white sticky rice, something more flavorful like this Pineapple Rice, or something traditional like this Chicken Fried Rice. It also pairs well with egg rolls or even this Egg Roll in a Bowl. Because the flavor in this Bang Bang Chicken is so bold, I try not to go overboard with the dessert. I like to pair it with something simple, like this Frozen Oreo Dessert.
Popular Substitutions & Additions
- Cassava flour can be used in place of all-purpose flour.
- Feel free to use any of your favorite hot sauces in place of the cayenne hot sauce.
- Light mayo can be used in place of regular mayonnaise.
- This flavorful chicken is delicious served over rice. Pour a little of the dipping sauce onto the rice for some extra flavor.
How To Reheat & Store Bang Bang Chicken
Bang Bang Chicken can be stored in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to 3 days. It can also be stored in the freezer in a freezer safe, sealed container for up to 2 months.
To reheat refrigerated Bang Bang Chicken, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the chicken in an oven-safe dish and bake it for 20 minutes. You won’t want to microwave this chicken – it can get a little soggy, and you want to keep it crunchy.
To reheat frozen Bang Bang Chicken, thaw it completely in the fridge, then bake just as you would the refrigerated Bang Bang Chicken.
Make sure that before you place your chicken in the fridge or the freezer that it has completely cooled.
Bang Bang Chicken With Sweet & Spicy Chili Sauce FAQs
Sure! I usually serve it on the side in case someone doesn’t like the spice, but if you know that everyone who will be eating will enjoy the sauce, feel free to go ahead and toss the chicken in it. Note that it may get soggy, so don’t toss it until you’re ready to serve.
No, for this recipe, you will want to use panko crumbs. Regular bread crumbs won’t give you the crunch that you want for this chicken.
What makes this chicken “bang bang” is the sauce. Bang Bang Sauce is a sweet and savory sauce typically made with mayo, chili sauce, hot sauce, and honey.
Bang Bang Chicken
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 1½ cups Panko bread crumbs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1 tbsp cayenne pepper hot sauce
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup vegetable oil (divided into equal 1/2 cups)
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley (minced)
Dipping Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup sweet chili sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tsp cayenne pepper hot sauce
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, honey, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, honey, and cayenne pepper hot sauce. Whisk until well combined. Cover and place in the fridge for later.
- In a small bowl whisk egg until yolk and whites are well combined and set aside.
- In a large bowl add all-purpose flour, buttermilk, cornstarch, whisked egg, 1 tbsp cayenne pepper hot sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and salt. whisk together until ingredients are well combined.
- Add panko bread crumbs to a small bowl and set aside. Then, add 1-2 pieces of cubed chicken to the batter at a time and fully coat. Remove and add to panko bread crumbs and fully coat. Remove and place on a plate. Repeat the process until all chicken is battered.
- In a large skillet add 1/2 cup of vegetable oil. Heat over medium-high heat for 3-4 allow the oil to fully heat up.
- Divide the battered chicken into 2 even batches. Add the first batch of chicken to the skillet and cook until golden brown on all sides. Remove the first batch and place it on a paper towel-lined plate. Then add 1/2 cup of oil and allow to heat up before adding the second batch of chicken.
- Serve while hot and garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Use sweet chili sauce to drizzle over the top and dip in. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?
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Absolutely fantastic! This coating is good for so many things! Shrimp, calamari, veggies, onions! It’s now a staple in my brain. And the crunch ohhhhhhh the crunch!
Dawn, I am so glad that you liked it. This is one of my favorite recipes.