Valentina Ablaev
This bang bang chicken is going to become your new favorite chicken recipe. Let me paint you a picture, a bite of chicken with the crispiest exterior, and a juicy center. What makes this chicken truly memorable is our sweet and spicy bang bang sauce. Do be warned, you might have to start making this dish weekly, yes, it’s that good!
This recipe makes the chicken version of our favorite bang bang shrimp copycat recipe! We love to serve them as an appetizer or as bang bang tacos for an entree! You can even make this bang bang chicken on skewers for a fun variation!
Before You Start
- Have all of your ingredients ready. You’ll need the ingredients for the bang bang sauce as well as the chicken and batter. It’s so simple!
- Get the right oil. When frying anything, choosing the right oil is vital. To get the chicken nice and crispy, you need an oil with a high smoke point, like canola oil, vegetable oil, peanut oil or avocado oil.
- Set up your station. When battering and frying chicken, it’s best to have a large bowl for the dredge.
Tools for this Recipe
Shop all of Valentina’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and kitchen must-haves!
- This is my favorite mixing bowl for all recipes. It has a lid on it which makes it great to store things.
- Ginger is easiest to grate with a microplane zester, however, I like a garlic press for the garlic.
- I used my cast iron skillet for this recipe. They aren’t cheap and it was an investment but I love cooking with these pans.
- Highly recommend a splatter guard when frying anything to keep the stovetop to keep it clean.
Key Ingredients for Bang Bang Chicken
- Chicken – Boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed into bite-sized pieces.
- Dredge – A simple mixture of flour, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder, to have chicken that is seasoned inside and out.
- Oil – For frying to achieve the perfect crispy chicken.
- Sauce – A creamy bang bang sauce made with mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, lemon juice and sriracha for a delicious flavor.
Chicken Breast vs Chicken Thighs
When it comes to fried chicken, it comes down to personal preference or using what you have on hand. For this recipe, we prefer chicken breast for its tender bite, but when making orange chicken from scratch, we like to use chicken thighs for their rich flavor and juiciness.
However, either cut of chicken will work great for the recipe.
How to Make Crispy Bang Bang Chicken
- Make the dredge. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour and seasonings.
2. Prep chicken. Cubed chicken and toss in the flour mixture until the chicken is evenly coated.
3. Fry chicken. In a large pan, heat the oil. Add the chicken pieces one at a time and allow them to fry to golden-brown in batches. Don’t overcrowd the pan with chicken; otherwise, the oil will cool, and the chicken will be soggy.
4. Prepare sauce. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients.
5. Sauce it up. Once the chicken is all cooked, add it to a large bowl. Pour about ¾ of the sauce and gently toss to combine.
6. Plate. Add to a plate and drizzle with extra sauce, garnish with sesame seeds, green onion, and serve!
Expert Tips for Cooking Bang Bang Chicken
- The best crispy chicken. To get crispy chicken, be sure to fry in batches. You can also take it a step further by adding the crispy chicken to a platter lined with paper towel to absorb excess grease.
- Bulk up the dish. Make this bang bang chicken a complete meal by adding vegetables just like in our chicken stir fry! The result is a colorful and flavorful dish that is also better for you!
How to Serve Bang Bang Chicken
- Wrap: Use this chicken to create the most delicious wrap, similar to our crispy chicken wraps.
- Bowl: Make a bang bang chicken rice bowl by adding the crispy chicken to a bowl of jasmine rice! Use your favorite toppings, such as corn and homemade coleslaw, for a crunchy addition.
- Tacos: Serve the most delicious bang bang chicken tacos. Add the chicken to soft tortillas and garnish with extra bang bang sauce.
Store & Reheat
- Storage. Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat. Add the chicken to a skillet and reheat over medium heat. You can also reheat the chicken in an air fryer at 350°F for 8 minutes for a crispy result.
- Freeze. Store leftovers for longer by freezing them! Add the chicken to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat: Add the frozen chicken to the air fryer and cook for 15 minutes at 325°F or until warmed throughout. Serve with extra sauce, and enjoy!
More Easy Recipes
If you enjoyed this bang bang chicken recipe, be sure to try our other easy chicken recipes; here are some of our favorites:
One Pan Meals- Chicken
- Chicken
- Hot Sandwiches
- Chicken
- Hot Sandwiches
- Grains and Pasta
If you tried this Bang Bang Chicken recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below – we appreciate it!
Bang Bang Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breast or thighs
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 Tbsp cup corn starch
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp ground paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- Oil for frying
sauce:
- ⅔ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sweet chili sauce
- 1 Tbsp sriracha or hot sauce
- ½ tsp lemon juice or white vinegar
- 2 tsp sugar
Instructions
- Cube the chicken into even bite-sized pieces.
- In a deep dish or bowl, add the flour, corn starch salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic. Whisk to combine.
- Dredge the chicken into the flour mixture.
- Heat the oil and cook the chicken in batches until golden and crispy.
- Add the chicken to a wire rack to drip off excess oil, and keep the chicken crispy, or just add it to a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Add chicken to a bowl, drizzle with the bang bang sauce, and toss lightly.
- Serve and enjoy, friends.
Notes
- Choose the right oil. Selecting the right oil is crucial for perfectly crispy chicken. Look for oils with a high smoke point, such as canola, vegetable, or avocado oil.
- Prep your fry station. Before you start battering and frying, set up your station. Use a large bowl for dredging the chicken and have the chicken prepped in a separate bowl for the easiest cooking process.
- Achieve the crispiest chicken. For the best texture, fry the chicken in small batches. This method helps maintain the oil temperature and prevents overcrowding.
- Make it a meal. Turn your bang bang chicken into a complete, colorful dish by tossing in some vegetables, just like in stir-fry. It’s a simple way to boost flavor, texture, and nutrition!
Nutrition
Recipe FAQs
For a healthier variation, you can cook the chicken in the air fryer. Arrange the chicken in the air fryer basket and spray with cooking oil. Air fry at 380°F for about 10 minutes, checking that the chicken is cooked through (this can vary depending on chicken piece sizes)
Make this bang bang sauce fit into your goals by swapping out mayo for nonfat greek yogurt.
