I perfected a chicken coated in a tangy, spicy sauce by using an unexpected ingredient that changes how the textures and flavors play together, and as someone with a Food Obsession I’m eager to tell you the story behind it.

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I can’t help but brag about my Bang Bang Chicken. Picture boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs that stay juicy under a crunchy bite and a tangy, spicy glaze with sweet chili sauce notes.

There’s always that weird pause at the table where everyone stares, forks hovering, wondering if it’s snack or main. If you’re a Yummy Foodies fan or dig Spicy Recipes that make you smile and wince, this hits the spot.

It’s loud, a little reckless, and honestly you’ll want to know more.

Ingredients

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Chicken: main protein source, low carb, filling, lean if ya trim fat.
Flour and cornstarch: make crunch add carbs and calories, little fiber, not real nutritious.
Eggs: bind the coating add protein and fat, simple kitchen staple.
Mayonnaise: creamy base adds richness and fat, makes sauce smooth and indulgent.
Sweet chili sauce: sweet tangy flavor, adds sugar and glaze, brings sticky bright zip.
Sriracha and honey: Sriracha brings heat honey adds sweetness both boost flavor and calories.
Scallions and sesame: fresh onion bite light crunch little calories nice garnish and aroma.

Ingredient Quantities

1 lb (450 g) boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

1 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 large eggs

About 2 cups vegetable oil for frying

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup sweet chili sauce

2 tbsp sriracha

1 tbsp honey

1 tsp rice vinegar

1 small garlic clove, minced

2 scallions thinly sliced for garnish

1 tsp sesame seeds, toasted (optional)

How to Make this

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1. Cut 1 lb chicken into bite sized pieces, pat very dry with paper towels (this helps the coating stick and get super crispy).

2. In a bowl whisk together 1/2 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.

3. Beat 2 large eggs in another bowl.

4. Dredge each piece in the flour mixture, dip in the eggs, then coat again in the flour/cornstarch mix for a double crust; let the coated pieces rest 5 minutes so the coating adheres better.

5. Pour about 2 cups vegetable oil into a heavy skillet or medium pot and heat to 350 to 360°F if you have a thermometer. No thermometer? drop a tiny pinch of the flour mix into the oil it should sizzle immediately and bubble. Fry in batches so you don’t overcrowd, 3 to 4 minutes per batch until golden brown and internal temp reaches 165°F. Drain on a wire rack or paper towels and keep warm in a low oven if needed. don’t crowd the pan or the oil temp will crash and you’ll get soggy pieces.

6. While the chicken fries, whisk together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/3 cup sweet chili sauce, 2 tbsp sriracha, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tsp rice vinegar and 1 small minced garlic clove until smooth. Taste and tweak the heat or sweetness if you want it milder or hotter.

7. Toss the hot fried chicken with most of the sauce so it’s nicely coated, reserve a little for dipping or drizzle on top if you like it less saucy.

8. Garnish with 2 scallions thinly sliced and sprinkle 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds if using. The scallions add freshness so don’t skip em.

9. Serve immediately with rice, steamed veggies or slaw. Eat fast while its still crispy, but careful it’s hot.

Equipment Needed

1. Chef’s knife
2. Cutting board
3. Paper towels
4. Two mixing bowls (one for flour mix, one for eggs)
5. Whisk (or fork) and measuring spoons/cups
6. Heavy skillet or medium pot for frying
7. Instant read thermometer (for oil and chicken)
8. Tongs and a slotted spoon or spider strainer
9. Wire rack and baking sheet (or extra paper towels)
10. Small bowl and spoon for the sauce

FAQ

Q: Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts? A: Yes, thighs work great, theyre juicier and more forgiving. Cut into even pieces and fry until internal temp reaches 165°F (74°C), you might need a minute or two longer than breasts.

Q: How do I keep the chicken extra crispy? A: Double coat (flour mix, egg, then flour mix again), pat pieces dry first, fry at 350-375°F (175-190°C), dont overcrowd the pan, and drain on a wire rack not paper so steam wont make it soggy.

Q: Can I bake or air fry this instead of deep frying? A: Yep. Oven: bake at 425°F for about 18-25 minutes, flip halfway, spray with oil. Air fryer: 400°F for 8-12 minutes, flip once and spray. Texture wont be exactly the same but still tasty.

Q: How spicy is the sauce and can I make it milder? A: It has a nice spicy-sweet kick from sriracha and sweet chili sauce. To mellow it, cut the sriracha in half or leave it out, add more mayo or honey to smooth it out.

Q: How long can I store leftovers and best way to reheat? A: Store chicken and sauce separately in the fridge up to 3-4 days. Reheat in oven or air fryer at 350°F until hot to keep crisp, microwave will make it soggy but it still tastes fine.

Q: Can I make parts of this ahead of time? A: Sure, make the sauce a day ahead it actually gets better, and you can prep and flour the chicken up to a few hours ahead then keep chilled. Fry right before serving for best crunch.

Bang Bang Chicken Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Chicken (1 lb): firm tofu (press 30 min, cube and fry for crispy bites), shrimp (peeled, cooks faster so fry less), or cauliflower florets (bite-size, par-cook then fry or roast)
All purpose flour / Cornstarch (coating): rice flour (lighter crisp), potato starch or tapioca starch (great crunch), or a gluten free 1-to-1 flour blend
Mayonnaise (sauce): Greek yogurt or sour cream (tangy and lighter), vegan mayo (plant based swap), or softened cream cheese thinned with a little milk for a richer sauce
Sriracha (heat): chili garlic sauce or sambal oelek (similar heat and texture), gochujang thinned with a splash of water and rice vinegar (deeper umami), or hot honey/your favorite hot sauce to tweak sweetness

Pro Tips

– Pat the chicken super dry, and if you’ve got time do a quick salt brine for 15 to 30 minutes before coating. It makes the meat juicier and gives the crust something to stick to, just rinse and pat dry if you brine.

– Let the double-coated pieces chill on a tray for 15 to 20 minutes in the fridge before frying. That little rest helps the crust set so it wont fall off in the oil and it cuts down on splatter.

– Keep the oil temp steady and fry in small batches so the oil doesnt drop too much. If you dont have a thermometer use a wooden chopstick: when small steady bubbles cling to it the oil is ready. Wait for the oil to come back up between batches.

– Toss the chicken with the sauce while the pieces are piping hot but dont drown everything in sauce unless you want soggy bites. Reserve some sauce for dipping so folks can control how saucy they want it.

– For extra light crispness add a pinch of baking powder to the dry mix or swap some cornstarch for potato starch, and always toast sesame seeds in a dry pan at the last minute so they smell great and dont burn.

Bang Bang Chicken Recipe

Recipe by Sam Ecclestone

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

servings

Calories

770

kcal

Equipment: 1. Chef’s knife
2. Cutting board
3. Paper towels
4. Two mixing bowls (one for flour mix, one for eggs)
5. Whisk (or fork) and measuring spoons/cups
6. Heavy skillet or medium pot for frying
7. Instant read thermometer (for oil and chicken)
8. Tongs and a slotted spoon or spider strainer
9. Wire rack and baking sheet (or extra paper towels)
10. Small bowl and spoon for the sauce

Ingredients

1 lb (450 g) boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 large eggs
About 2 cups vegetable oil for frying
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sweet chili sauce
2 tbsp sriracha
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 scallions thinly sliced for garnish
1 tsp sesame seeds, toasted (optional)

Directions

Cut 1 lb chicken into bite sized pieces, pat very dry with paper towels (this helps the coating stick and get super crispy).
In a bowl whisk together 1/2 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
Beat 2 large eggs in another bowl.
Dredge each piece in the flour mixture, dip in the eggs, then coat again in the flour/cornstarch mix for a double crust; let the coated pieces rest 5 minutes so the coating adheres better.
Pour about 2 cups vegetable oil into a heavy skillet or medium pot and heat to 350 to 360°F if you have a thermometer. No thermometer? drop a tiny pinch of the flour mix into the oil it should sizzle immediately and bubble. Fry in batches so you don't overcrowd, 3 to 4 minutes per batch until golden brown and internal temp reaches 165°F. Drain on a wire rack or paper towels and keep warm in a low oven if needed. don't crowd the pan or the oil temp will crash and you'll get soggy pieces.
While the chicken fries, whisk together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/3 cup sweet chili sauce, 2 tbsp sriracha, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tsp rice vinegar and 1 small minced garlic clove until smooth. Taste and tweak the heat or sweetness if you want it milder or hotter.
Toss the hot fried chicken with most of the sauce so it's nicely coated, reserve a little for dipping or drizzle on top if you like it less saucy.
Garnish with 2 scallions thinly sliced and sprinkle 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds if using. The scallions add freshness so don't skip em.
Serve immediately with rice, steamed veggies or slaw. Eat fast while its still crispy, but careful it's hot.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.