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Bring a bang to your dinner table with this explosive bang bang chicken! It’s crispy but tender and coated in a thick, creamy sauce that’s savory, spicy, and sweet all at once!
If you’re looking for more Chinese-inspired dishes that are loaded with flavor, here are a few recipes to add to the dinner lineup: firecracker chicken, General Tso’s chicken, and kung pao chicken!
Bang Bang Chicken Recipe
Imagine tender chunks of juicy, battered chicken, coated in a delightful homemade sauce that packs a flavorful punch. That’s bang bang chicken, a dish filled with all the best sweet, savory, and spicy flavors. With its zesty and creamy sauce, it will leave your family begging for seconds!
So, why settle for takeout when you can whip up a batch of bang bang chicken? It’s super easy to make and the homemade sauce only needs a few simple ingredients to whip up. Fresh is always best! Not only does homemade bang bang sauce taste better, but it’s also free from preservatives that bottled sauces have. And can we talk about the flavor? The creamy mayo tames the heat of the Sriracha and sweet chili sauce, creating a harmonious medley that’s impossible to resist. You’re going to love it.
All Ingredients Needed
To make this homemade bang bang chicken, all you need to do is break out your spice rack and a few staple ingredients from your pantry. Feel free to customize the flavor to preference!
- Boneless Chicken Breasts: Perfect for absorbing the flavors of the sauce and creating a satisfying texture. You can also use boneless chicken thighs if you prefer for a juicier result.
- Whole Milk: The whole milk acts as a binding agent, helping the flour and cornstarch stick to the chicken.
- Large Egg: The egg adds richness to the chicken coating and helps bind the ingredients together.
- Cornstarch and All-Purpose Flour: For the perfect crispy coating!
- Salt and Black Pepper: This acts as the first layer of seasoning for the bang bang chicken.
- Vegetable Oil: For frying the chicken in.
For the Bang Bang Sauce:
- Mayonnaise: Acting as the creamy base, mayonnaise adds richness and smoothness. Greek yogurt or sour cream can also be used.
- Honey: Adds sweetness and also helps to balance out the heat.
- Sweet Chili Sauce: Tangy and mildly spicy, sweet chili sauce brings a unique flavor to the sauce.
- Sriracha: Mix this in for the perfect kick of spice!
- Salt: Adjust to taste to boost the overall flavor of the sauce.
- Sesame Seeds: (Optional) For garnish. Sesame seeds also add an extra pop of nutty flavor.
Let’s Make Bang Bang Chicken!
It’s actually pretty easy to make bang bang chicken at home. And trust me, it will taste better than your favorite takeout spot! Your family won’t be able to get enough of the chicken’s crispy, juicy goodness coated in a creamy, slightly spicy sauce. Complete the meal by serving bang bang chicken with a tasty bed of white or fried rice!
Preparing the Sauce and Batter
- Prepare Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together your mayonnaise, honey, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, and sesame seeds. Then set aside.
- Cut Chicken: Prepare your chicken by cutting it all into 1 inch cubes.
- Prepare Batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together your milk and egg. Then in a separate bowl, whisk together your cornstarch, flour, salt, and pepper.
- Egg Mixture: Place all your cubed chicken into the bowl of milk and egg, stir to coat completely. While the chicken is soaking in the milk mixture for a minute, heat your frying oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
- Coat in Flour: Remove the chicken from the milk and egg mixture, allowing any excess liquid to drip off. Then pour your flour mixture into a large plastic bag, place all your soaked chicken into the bag, seal it up and shake the bag to coat the chicken completely with the flour mixture.
Frying
- Add to Skillet: You may need to cook the chicken in a couple batches. remove the chicken from the bag and carefully place into the hot oil.
- Fry: Fry the chicken for about 3-4 minutes, rotating throughout so it cooks evenly. The chicken should be golden brown and cooked through.
- Transfer to Plate: Remove from the oil and then place on a paper towel lined plate to allow excess oil to drip off.
- Toss in Sauce: Once all the chicken is done, transfer it all into your bowl with the sauce and stir so each piece is coated evenly.
- Serve: Bang bang chicken is best enjoyed fresh!
Can I Bake Bang Bang Chicken Instead?
Yes! If you want to avoid the mess of cooking in oil, here’s how to bake your bang bang chicken in the oven instead.
- Preheat Oven: If you want to bake your chicken, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment or foil.
- Add to Baking Sheet: Remove the flour-coated chicken from the bag and place in a single layer on the lined pan. Then bake for 18-20 minutes, rotating halfway through
- Coat With Sauce: Coat with bang bang sauce and enjoy!
Storing Leftovers
Be sure to store any leftovers you have, because they’ll make a quick and easy lunch for later!
- In the Refrigerator: In an airtight container, bang bang chicken will stay good for about 3 days. Keep in mind that the chicken may lose some of its crispiness when stored.
- Reheating: To reheat, pop in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, warm in a skillet over medium heat, or microwave until warmed through. Make sure the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit before you serve it.
More Better-Than-Takeout Recipes
For more Chinese-inspired dinners that the whole family will love, here are a few of my favorite recipes. Each is packed with mouthwatering flavor that will have your kids licking their plates! For an unforgettable meal, serve with a bed of fried rice and homemade crab rangoon or egg rolls!
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Bang Bang Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- ⅓ cup whole milk
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups vegetable oil for frying
Bang Bang Sauce
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together your mayonnaise, honey, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, and sesame seeds. Set aside.
- Prepare your chicken by cutting it all into 1 inch cubes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together your milk and egg. In a separate bowl, whisk together your cornstarch, flour, salt, and pepper.
- Place all your cubed chicken into the bowl of milk and egg, stir to coat completely. While the chicken is soaking in the milk mixture for a minute, heat your frying oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
- Remove the chicken from the milk and egg mixture, allowing any excess liquid to drip off.
- Pour your flour mixture into a large plastic bag, place all your soaked chicken into the bag, seal it up and shake the bag to coat the chicken completely with the flour mixture.
- You may need to cook the chicken in a couple batches, remove the chicken from the bag and carefully place them into the hot oil.
- Fry the chicken for about 3-4 minutes, rotating throughout to evenly cook. The chicken should be golden brown and cooked through.
- Remove from the oil and place on a paper towel lined plate to allow excess oil to drip off.
- Once all the chicken is done, transfer it all into your bowl with the sauce and stir to coat each piece evenly.
- Best enjoyed fresh!
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I just made this for the 3rd time! Love it! For leftover chicken, should I mix with the sauce and refrigerate or refrigerate sauce and chicken separately and then mix once chicken is warmed up the following day?
This was delicious and easy to make!!! I kept some chicken not sauced to give my kids with sauce on the side…2 out of 3 loved it! Great recipe, thank you!
I just made this and it’s delish.
I doubled the entire recipe however not the siracha ( thank goodness)
Nice and spicy in a good way and I personally wouldn’t change anything about the recipe.
I served it on a bit of rice .
This recipe is definitely going in my recipe book for the very near future.
can the chicken be cooked in an air frier ?
Yes! Follow all of the original instructions to prepare the chicken, then air fry for about 15 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. (For even cooking, shake halfway through.) Then toss with the sauce and serve!
Made for dinner, this was perfect!
So nice it must be very yummy and delicious. Thank you for the sharing.
I would definitely say not to bake this! I did yesterday and it never changed color and it still had the flour on it. Some of the flour was harder from being baked but some was still powdery. I baked it as you said at 375° 18-20 minutes . I did mine for 22 hoping it would brown up a bit but it didn’t. I was going to turn up heat at that point, but then knew the chicken would be way over-cooked. Hubby still liked it but I had a hard time with the flour on it. Loved the sauce and I will make this again, only I will fry it. I was trying to avoid the mess. I’m a seasoned cook and the batter is same I use a lot, only frying. Thanks for your great recipes, I use them a lot.
stop lying
This was really good. I think next time I will bake the chicken instead of frying (easier to do) and will heat the sauce up. When I added the hot chicken to the sauce, it did cool it down. Will make again. Thanks for sharing.
Is sweet chili sauce the same as the chili sauce in the bottle?
Sweet chili sauce is different. It’s more liquidy and sweet because it has sugar in it. Chili sauce is more like a ketchup-type sauce. Here is my recipe for sweet chili sauce if you want to make it from scratch! Sweet Chili Sauce
Excellent. The only change I made was the addition of ground crushed red pepper flakes, about half a teaspoon just because we like a bit of heat. I looked at the posted picture and topped the chicken with sesame seeds and thinly sliced green onion. Served with white rice and a nice syrah.
Easy to make. Tasted great And very filling.
I recommend, just as this recipe reads.
How about a revised version of this for air frying (less calories!).
Great idea! I will keep that in mind.
Would this work in the air fryer?
I haven’t tried it in my air fryer yet but I will and let you know!