Bang Bang Chicken is the reason I keep a bottle of sweet chili sauce in my pantry at all times. The creamy Bang Bang Sauce, which uses sweet chili sauce as a base, is what makes this dish. It’s a creamy, spicy, slightly sweet mix that clings to every crispy piece of chicken. I make this one on repeat because the ratio of crunch to sauce is exactly right.
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The buttermilk soak keeps the chicken juicy under all that crunchy coating, and the cornstarch and flour combination gives it a shatter-crisp exterior that holds up under the sauce. Bang Bang Chicken started as a Bonefish Grill appetizer, but home cooks everywhere have made it their own, and mine leans a little heavier on the sriracha than most.
This recipe is endlessly adjustable. Add more sriracha if you like it hot, or leave it out entirely and let the sweet chili sauce carry the dish on its own. You can also swap the honey in the sauce for a squeeze of lime if you want something brighter instead of sweeter.
Ingredient Notes
Buttermilk does double duty here. It tenderizes the chicken while it soaks, and it gives the flour mixture something to cling to once you start dredging.
Cornstarch mixed with all-purpose flour is what gives the coating its crunch. Cornstarch alone fries up brittle and a little too delicate, while flour alone can turn gummy, so the combination is worth keeping.
Sweet chili sauce is the backbone of the sauce, and Thai brands like Mae Ploy are widely available in the international aisle of most grocery stores. If you can’t find it, a mix of ketchup, a little rice vinegar, and a pinch of sugar gets you close.
Sriracha is where you control the heat. Start with one tablespoon and taste before adding more, since sriracha brands vary quite a bit in spice level.
Honey is optional in the sauce. I add it when my sweet chili sauce is on the milder side and I want the sauce to have a bit more depth.
How To Make Bang Bang Chicken
Bang Bang Chicken comes together in three simple stages. First the chicken soaks in buttermilk while you mix up the dry coating, then it gets dredged and fried in batches until deeply golden. While the chicken cools slightly on paper towels, whisk together the sauce. The last step is just tossing everything together, or if you’d rather keep the chicken extra crispy, drizzling the sauce over the top instead of tossing.
What To Serve With It
Bang Bang Chicken is rich and a little spicy, so I like to serve it alongside something cool and crunchy to balance it out. A bowl of Japanese Cucumber Salad or Spicy Cucumber Salad does the job well, since the acidity cuts right through the creamy sauce. For a full meal, spoon the chicken over a bowl of Pork Fried Rice instead of plain rice, or serve it alongside a skillet of Singapore Noodles for a takeout-style spread. However you serve it, keep the sides simple so the chicken stays the star of the plate.
Bang Bang Chicken
Robin Donovan
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- Oil for frying
For the sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
- 1 to 2 tablespoons sriracha to taste
- 1 tablespoon honey optional, for extra sweetness
Instructions
- Place the chicken pieces in a bowl with the buttermilk and let them marinate for 15 minutes.
- Mix the coating. In another bowl, mix together the cornstarch, flour, salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Heat the oil. Heat oil in a deep skillet to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Coat the chicken. Take the chicken out of the buttermilk and dredge it in the flour mixture, pressing firmly so the coating sticks well.
- Fry the chicken. Fry the chicken in batches so the pan isn’t crowded, until golden and cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes per batch. Drain the pieces on paper towels.
- Make the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, and honey, if using.
- Toss and serve. Toss the warm chicken with the sauce just before serving, or drizzle the sauce over the top if you want to keep the coating extra crisp.
