Julie Clark
Posted:
Bang Bang Chicken
May contain affiliate links. Terms of Use Policy.
Make bang bang chicken at home in about 30 minutes. Lightly crisp chicken bites tossed in a creamy sweet chili and sriracha sauce, served in a rice bowl with fresh veggies for an easy weeknight dinner.
If you love the sweet-and-spicy flavor of firecracker chicken nachos, firecracker shrimp and bang bang shrimp, this bang bang chicken bowl is an easy dinner to add to your rotation. Served over steamed rice with fresh vegetables, it turns the classic restaurant-style appetizer into a simple, gluten free meal.
Lightly Crispy Bang Bang Chicken Without Heavy Breading
I love Asian inspired recipes, but I don’t often love the heavy buttermilk breading that comes on the chicken, shrimp or steak.
So for our home recipes, I leave the breading off, like in hoisin chicken, chicken stir fry, pepper steak and chicken fried rice.
For this bang bang chicken recipe, I wanted a light crisp to each bite, so tossed the bite-size chicken pieces in cornstarch to lightly coat them. Using cornstarch keeps the recipe naturally gluten-free, and adds just a slightly crispy exterior as it fries in the skillet.
I make this spicy chicken as meal prep for the week, then serve it in bowls, on salads or in wraps. It’s delicious and you’ll love how easy it is!
Try our chicken tenders, garlic parmesan chicken and shredded chicken for meal prep, too!
Enjoy! -Julie
Ingredients
Chicken breasts or chicken thighs both work well. The cooking time is a little more forgiving with chicken thighs since they can cook to a higher temperature.
The bang bang sauce ingredients are straight forward and simple: sriracha sauce, thaw sweet chili sauce and mayo. Or if you have kewpie mayo on hand, use that, but regular mayo works well, too.
For the bang bang chicken bowls, use any fresh veggies you’d like. I prefer cucumber, cabbage and carrots, plus snipped chives or freshly snipped cilantro.
See the recipe card for full ingredients and amounts.
Keep the bang bang chicken crisp.
After the chicken fries in a skillet, remove it to a wire rack with paper towels underneath to catch any drips. This will help keep the light coating crisp instead of getting soggy.
Then toss with bang bang sauce right before serving.
Bang Bang Chicken (30 Minute Recipe)
Make bang bang chicken at home in about 30 minutes. Lightly crisp chicken bites tossed in a creamy sweet chili and sriracha sauce, served in a rice bowl with fresh veggies for an easy weeknight dinner.
Servings 4
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Ingredients
For the sauce:
- 1/2 cup kewpie mayo or regular mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
- 3 tablespoons sriracha sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
For the chicken:
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
- vegetable oil or olive oil for frying
Optional for serving:
- chopped green onions
- sesame seeds
- steamed white rice
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the mayo, sweet chili sauce, sriracha and red pepper flakes. Whisk well and set aside.½ cup kewpie mayo, ⅓ cup Thai sweet chili sauce, 3 tablespoons sriracha sauce, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels. 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and garlic salt. Place the chicken pieces in the cornstarch to coat completely, then set aside on a plate. ½ cup cornstarch, 1 ½ teaspoons garlic salt
- Heat 1–2 inches of oil in a deep skillet or saucepan to 350°F. Fry the chicken in batches (don’t overcrowd the pan) for about 2-3 minutes per side or until golden and crispy. The internal temperature of the chicken should be 165ºF. Transfer to a wire rack with paper towels underneath to catch any drips. vegetable oil or olive oil
- While the chicken is still hot, toss in a large bowl with the bang bang sauce until evenly coated.
- Serve immediately over rice, and sprinkle with with green onions and sesame seeds. chopped green onions, sesame seeds, steamed white rice
Notes
- For an even crispier texture, dip the chicken pieces in buttermilk first, then let it drip and coat with cornstarch.
- Want to bake in the oven or use an air fryer instead of deep-frying? Use panko breadcrumbs for extra crunch, and lightly spray the chicken with oil before cooking.
- Adjust the spice level by reducing or increasing the red pepper flakes, or add a little cayenne pepper or more sriracha if you like extra heat.
- Store leftover bang bang chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 490kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 121mg | Sodium: 1721mg | Potassium: 652mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 122IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I air fry or bake bang bang chicken instead of frying it?
Yes. If you’d rather skip frying, you can bake or air fry the chicken and still get great results.
Air fryer: After coating the chicken in the cornstarch mixture, lightly spray the pieces with cooking spray and place them in the air fryer in a single layer. Cook at 400°F for 10–12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until the chicken is golden and cooked through.
Oven: Spread the coated chicken pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet and lightly spray with cooking spray or drizzle with a little oil. Bake at 425°F for 12-15 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking, until the chicken is lightly crisp and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Once the chicken is cooked, toss it with the bang bang sauce just before serving so it stays as crisp as possible.
Can I make bang bang chicken ahead of time?
Yes, with one small adjustment. For the best texture, it’s best to keep the chicken and sauce separate until you’re ready to serve. You can cook the chicken ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 days, and the bang bang sauce can also be mixed and refrigerated in advance.
When you’re ready to eat, reheat the bang bang chicken in a 350°F oven or air fryer for 5–8 minutes to help bring back some of the crisp texture. Then toss the hot chicken with the sauce and serve over rice with your vegetables. Mixing the sauce in right before serving keeps the coating from getting soggy.
