Description

Bang Bang Chicken is a crispy, spicy, and sweet fried chicken dish coated in a creamy and tangy sauce featuring Thai sweet chili and Sriracha. This recipe combines tender chicken tenderloins coated in a buttermilk batter and panko breadcrumbs, fried to golden perfection and tossed in a flavorful Bang Bang Sauce, making for an irresistible appetizer or main course.

Ingredients

Scale

Bang Bang Sauce

1 cup (232 g) mayonnaise
½ cup (132 g) Thai sweet chili sauce
1 teaspoon Sriracha, or more to taste
2 tablespoons honey

Chicken

1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken tenderloins
1 cup (245 g) buttermilk
¾ cup (94 g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (64 g) cornstarch
1 large egg, room temperature
1 tablespoon Sriracha
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
2 cups (216 g) panko breadcrumbs, plain
Canola oil, for frying
Parsley, chopped, for garnish

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Instructions

Make Bang Bang Sauce: In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce, Sriracha, and honey. Mix well until completely blended and set aside for later use.
Prepare Chicken Batter: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together buttermilk, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, egg, Sriracha, garlic powder, kosher salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper (if using) until smooth.
Coat Chicken in Batter: Add chicken tenderloins to the batter and toss well to ensure each piece is fully coated.
Prepare Panko Coating: Spread the panko breadcrumbs on a shallow plate.
Bread the Chicken: Working one piece at a time, remove chicken from the batter, gently shake off excess, then dredge into the panko breadcrumbs, pressing lightly to adhere. Place coated chicken on a clean plate. Repeat for all pieces.
Heat Oil: Pour about one inch of canola oil into a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 365°F.
Fry the Chicken: Carefully add chicken pieces in batches without overcrowding. Fry for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Maintain oil temperature between batches.
Drain Oil: Transfer fried chicken to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
Toss with Sauce and Serve: Place drained chicken into a large bowl, toss with prepared Bang Bang Sauce until evenly coated. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve warm.

Notes

Maintaining the oil temperature is crucial for crispy chicken—use a thermometer for accuracy.
For spicier sauce, increase Sriracha according to taste.
If you prefer a lighter version, baking the coated chicken at 425°F until crispy can be a substitute method.
Leftover Bang Bang Chicken can be refrigerated for up to 2 days but is best enjoyed fresh.
Substitute mayonnaise with vegan mayo for a dairy-free variation.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving (about 6 oz chicken with sauce)
Calories: 580 kcal
Sugar: 9 g
Sodium: 720 mg
Fat: 38 g
Saturated Fat: 6 g
Unsaturated Fat: 28 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 34 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 32 g
Cholesterol: 115 mg