Description
Bang Bang Chicken is a crispy, spicy fried chicken dish tossed in a creamy, tangy, and slightly sweet sauce that delivers a perfect balance of heat and flavor. This recipe features juicy chicken breasts coated in a seasoned batter, fried until golden, and then drizzled with a homemade Bang Bang Sauce made with mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, honey, and Sriracha. It's a crowd-pleasing appetizer or main that's easy to prepare and perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce (e.g., Frank's)
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce (e.g., Sriracha)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- salt and pepper to taste
For Chicken
- 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 cup buttermilk (use more if batter is too thick)
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce (e.g., Sriracha)
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- vegetable oil for frying (about 1/2 inch in skillet)
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, hot sauce, honey, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Make the batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Add hot sauce, egg, and buttermilk, whisking until smooth.
- Coat the chicken: Add the chicken pieces to the batter and toss to coat evenly. Set aside to let the batter cling to the chicken.
- Breadcrumb coating: Pour Panko breadcrumbs into another bowl. Working one piece at a time, coat each battered chicken piece thoroughly with breadcrumbs. Add more breadcrumbs if needed to cover all pieces.
- Heat the oil: Pour about ½ inch of vegetable oil into a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat until hot.
- Fry the chicken: Add a few chicken pieces to the hot oil without overcrowding. Fry each side for about 3 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and golden brown. Remove and place on paper towels to drain excess oil. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces.
- Serve: Drizzle the crispy chicken with the prepared Bang Bang Sauce and serve immediately for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Adjust the spice level of the sauce by using more or less hot sauce according to your preference.
- For juicier chicken, chicken thighs can be used instead of breasts; just adjust cooking time accordingly.
- If Panko breadcrumbs aren't available, regular breadcrumbs or crushed cornflakes are good alternatives, though texture will differ slightly.
- Ensure oil is hot before frying to achieve perfect crispiness—test by dropping small batter piece; it should sizzle immediately.
- The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
- Coated chicken can be refrigerated for up to 4 hours before frying without loss of quality.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
