Description
Bang Bang Chicken is a crispy, sweet, and spicy game night snack featuring double-coated fried chicken tossed or drizzled with a creamy, fiery bang bang sauce. It’s quick to make, crowd-pleasing, and easily adaptable for gluten-free, dairy-free, or vegetarian diets.
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized chunks
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (substitute gluten-free flour if needed)
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- Vegetable oil for frying (canola or peanut oil recommended)
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (light or vegan mayo optional)
- 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt (optional)
- 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha or hot sauce (adjust to taste)
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Pinch of salt
- Thinly sliced green onions (for garnish, optional)
- Sesame seeds (for garnish, optional)
- Chopped cilantro (for garnish, optional)
- Lime wedges (for garnish, optional)
Instructions
- Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces and pat dry with paper towels.
- Season chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika; toss to coat evenly.
- In one bowl, whisk together flour and cornstarch. In a second bowl, beat eggs.
- Dredge each chicken piece in flour/cornstarch mix, then dip in beaten eggs, then back into flour mix for a double coating.
- Set coated chicken on a plate and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Pour 1-2 inches of vegetable oil into a deep skillet or Dutch oven and heat to 350°F.
- Fry chicken pieces in batches for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through (internal temp 165°F). Drain on wire rack or paper towels.
- Repeat until all chicken is fried.
- For the sauce: In a bowl, mix mayonnaise, Greek yogurt (optional), sweet chili sauce, Sriracha, honey, vinegar, garlic powder, and a pinch of salt. Whisk until smooth and creamy. Adjust heat or sweetness to taste.
- Toss chicken in sauce for sticky coating or drizzle sauce over chicken for extra crunch. Serve extra sauce on the side for dipping.
- Garnish with green onions, sesame seeds, cilantro, and lime wedges.
- Serve immediately for best crunch.
Notes
Double coating with flour and cornstarch ensures extra crunch. For gluten-free, use GF flour and check chili sauce. For dairy-free, skip Greek yogurt and use vegan mayo. Air fryer and oven methods work for lighter versions. Sauce can be tossed or drizzled for different textures. Chicken thighs are juicier, breasts are leaner. Vegetarian option: use cauliflower or tofu. Let coated chicken rest before frying for best breading adhesion.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 6 pieces per serving
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 25
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 22
Keywords: bang bang chicken, crispy chicken, game night snack, sweet spicy chicken, appetizer, Asian-inspired, fried chicken, easy chicken recipe, gluten-free option, dairy-free option