Bang Bang Chicken
This Bang Bang Chicken is crispy panko coated chicken bites under a creamy sweet chili sauce that takes 4 ingredients and 2 minutes. Fry it, bake it, or air fry it. Resting the coated pieces before cooking is what keeps the crust on.
Servings: 6
Calories: 497kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
For Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sweet chili sauce I used Frank's
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce I used Sriracha
- 2 tablespoons honey
- salt and pepper to taste
For Chicken
- 4 chicken breasts boneless, skinless, cut into small
- ½ cup all-purpose flour plus more as needed
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon pepper or to taste
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce I used Sriracha
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup buttermilk use more if batter is too thick
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs plus more as needed
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Stir the ½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup sweet chili sauce, 1 tablespoon sriracha, 2 tablespoons honey, and a pinch of salt and pepper together in a bowl. Refrigerate until serving.
- In a medium bowl, mix the ½ cup all purpose flour, ½ cup cornstarch, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Add the 1 tablespoon sriracha, 1 large egg, and ¾ cup buttermilk and whisk until smooth. The batter should be about the consistency of pancake batter, thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If it's thin, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time. Add the chicken pieces to the batter and toss until each piece is coated.
- Place the 1 cup panko breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. Lift each piece of chicken out of the batter, let the excess drip off, then press it into the panko on both sides. Set the coated pieces on a wire rack. Let the coated chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes. This sets the coating so it doesn't slide off during cooking.
- Add about ½ inch of vegetable oil to a large skillet and heat over medium high to 350 to 375°F. Fry the chicken in batches, about 3 minutes per side, until deep golden and an instant read thermometer reads 165°F. Don't crowd the pan and flip only once. Let the oil return to temperature between batches.
- Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Drizzle with the sauce just before serving, or serve the sauce on the side for dipping.
Video
Notes
- Thick batter: about pancake consistency. A thin batter can't hold panko and the coating will slide off.
- Rest the coated pieces 5 to 10 minutes before cooking. The single most effective step for keeping the crust on.
- Press the panko on, don't roll the chicken in it.
- Oil at 350 to 375°F. Too cool gives you greasy chicken, too hot burns the coating before the middle cooks.
- 165°F, checked with a thermometer.
- Wire rack, not paper towels. Paper traps steam and softens the underside.
- Sauce at the last minute, or on the side. It softens the coating quickly.
- Air fryer: 400°F for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway, sprayed with oil. Oven: 400°F on a rack for 20 to 25 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 497kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 750mg | Potassium: 415mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 318IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 2mg
