BEST BANG BANG CHICKEN EVER

Craving that creamy, spicy, and utterly addictive Bang Bang Chicken from your favorite restaurant? Imagine perfectly crispy chicken, coated in a luscious, sweet, and tangy sauce that makes your taste buds sing. This Bang Bang Chicken recipe will bring all that deliciousness right into your kitchen, and trust me, you’ll never want to order takeout again!

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

• 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Vegetable oil, for frying

For the Bang Bang Sauce:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
• 2 tablespoons sriracha (or more, to taste)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar

Optional Garnishes:

• Chopped green onions
• Sesame seeds
• Red pepper flakes

Let’s Talk About Bang Bang Sauce

The heart of any truly amazing Bang Bang Chicken is, without a doubt, the sauce. It’s the perfect balance of creamy, sweet, spicy, and tangy. It’s incredibly versatile, too! While this recipe is for chicken, that delicious Bang Bang Sauce can be used on shrimp, tofu, or even as a dipping sauce for vegetables. Once you learn How To Make Bang Bang Sauce, you’ll find yourself using it on everything! A crucial part of getting the flavor just right is using good quality ingredients. Don’t skimp on the mayonnaise or the sweet chili sauce – they really make a difference.

Secrets to Crispy Chicken Perfection

Achieving that perfect crispy coating is key to a great Bang Bang Chicken Recipe. Here are a few tips to ensure your chicken comes out perfectly crunchy every time:

• Buttermilk Soak: Don’t skip the buttermilk! It tenderizes the chicken and helps the coating adhere better.
• Double Dredge (Optional): For extra crispiness, you can dredge the chicken in the cornstarch mixture, then back into the buttermilk, and then back into the cornstarch mixture again before frying.
• Hot Oil: Make sure your oil is hot enough (around 350°F or 175°C) before adding the chicken. Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature for best results.
• Don’t Overcrowd the Pan: Fry the chicken in batches to avoid lowering the oil temperature, which can result in soggy chicken.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare the Chicken:

1. Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces.
2. Place the chicken pieces in a bowl and pour the buttermilk over them. Make sure all the chicken is submerged. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours.

Make the Breading:

1. In a shallow dish, whisk together the cornstarch, flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.

Fry the Chicken:

1. Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer to 350°F (175°C).
2. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, letting any excess drip off.
3. Dredge each piece of chicken in the cornstarch mixture, making sure it’s fully coated.
4. Carefully place the chicken in the hot oil, working in batches to avoid overcrowding.
5. Fry for 3-5 minutes per batch, or until golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C).
6. Remove the chicken from the oil and place it on a wire rack to drain excess oil.

Prepare the Bang Bang Sauce:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, honey, and rice vinegar until smooth. Taste and adjust the amount of sriracha to your liking.

Assemble the Bang Bang Chicken:

1. Place the fried chicken in a large bowl and pour the Bang Bang Sauce over it. Toss to coat evenly.
2. Transfer the Bang Bang Chicken to a serving dish and garnish with chopped green onions, sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes (if desired).
3. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Variations and Substitutions

Want to customize your Bang Bang Chicken? Here are a few ideas:

• Healthier Version: Air fry the chicken instead of deep frying it for a lower-fat option. Simply spray the breaded chicken with cooking oil and air fry at 400°F (200°C) for 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway through.
• Spicier Version: Add more sriracha to the sauce or use a pinch of cayenne pepper in the breading for an extra kick.
• Gluten-Free Version: Use gluten-free flour and cornstarch in the breading.
• Chicken Alternatives: Try this recipe with shrimp, tofu, or even cauliflower florets.

Serving Suggestions

Bang Bang Chicken is delicious on its own, but it’s even better when served with complimentary sides. Consider these options:

• Rice: Serve over steamed white rice or brown rice.
• Noodles: Toss the Bang Bang Chicken with cooked noodles for a complete meal. You might also enjoy Sticky Garlic Chicken Noodles for another great Asian-inspired dish.
• Vegetables: Serve with a side of steamed broccoli, green beans, or a fresh salad.
• Bowls: Create your own Bang Bang Chicken Bowls! with rice, veggies, and your favorite toppings. You could also check out this Firecracker Ground Chicken Bowl for another bowl idea!

Tips for Storing and Reheating

Leftover Bang Bang Chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. However, the chicken will lose some of its crispiness as it sits in the sauce.

To reheat, you can microwave it (though the chicken will be softest), or for better results, bake it in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 minutes, or until heated through. You might also consider reheating the chicken separately from the sauce and tossing them together just before serving to maintain some crispness.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This Bang Bang Chicken recipe is not only incredibly delicious but also surprisingly easy to make at home. You’ll save money by skipping takeout, and you can customize the flavors to your liking. Plus, there’s something so satisfying about creating a restaurant-quality dish in your own kitchen. Give it a try – you won’t be disappointed! And if you love this, you should try Sweet & Spicy Chicken Bowl or Sweet Chili Chicken and even Sesame Chicken!

Best Bang Bang Chicken Ever

Amelia Chen-Morrison

This Bang Bang Chicken recipe brings the creamy, spicy, and addictive flavors of your favorite restaurant dish right to your kitchen. Perfectly crispy chicken is coated in a luscious, sweet, and tangy sauce for a truly satisfying meal. You’ll never want takeout again!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian-inspired

Servings 4

Calories 600 kcal

Equipment

• Large bowl
• Shallow Dish
• Whisk
• Large, heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer
• Thermometer
• Wire rack
• Medium bowl
• Serving dish

Ingredients

  

• 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup cornstarch
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup sweet chili sauce
• 2 tablespoons sriracha or more, to taste
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• Chopped green onions, for garnish
• Sesame seeds, for garnish
• Red pepper flakes, for garnish

Instructions

 

• Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces.
• Place the chicken pieces in a bowl and pour the buttermilk over them. Make sure all the chicken is submerged. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours.
• In a shallow dish, whisk together the cornstarch, flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
• Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer to 350°F (175°C).
• Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, letting any excess drip off.
• Dredge each piece of chicken in the cornstarch mixture, making sure it’s fully coated.
• Carefully place the chicken in the hot oil, working in batches to avoid overcrowding.
• Fry for 3-5 minutes per batch, or until golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C).
• Remove the chicken from the oil and place it on a wire rack to drain excess oil.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, honey, and rice vinegar until smooth. Taste and adjust the amount of sriracha to your liking.
• Place the fried chicken in a large bowl and pour the Bang Bang Sauce over it. Toss to coat evenly.
• Transfer the Bang Bang Chicken to a serving dish and garnish with chopped green onions, sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes (if desired).
• Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes

For extra crispiness, double dredge the chicken: dredge in the cornstarch mixture, then buttermilk, then cornstarch again before frying. Air fry the chicken at 400°F (200°C) for 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway through, for a healthier version. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat in the oven for best results. For a spicier version, add more sriracha to the sauce or cayenne pepper to the breading.