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Bang-Bang Chicken

30-MinutesChickenDinnerEggFriedGarlicHeartyQuickSauceSavorySpicyStove-TopSweet
Time :30 minutes
Yield :6 servings
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The Scoop

Sweet, spicy, crispy, creamy- basically, this chicken has no interest in being subtle.
Juicy chicken gets wrapped in a crunchy panko coating, fried until golden, then hit with a creamy bang-bang sauce that brings the perfect mix of heat and sweetness.
It's the kind of dish that mysteriously disappears before everyone has even sat down.
Hack it:
Cut back on the hot sauce and add a little extra sweet chili sauce for a gentler version that still has plenty of flavor.
Add cayenne, crushed red pepper, or a spoonful of sriracha to the batter or sauce if you like your bang with a little more bang.
Try a lighter cooking method: Spray the breaded chicken generously with oil and air-fry at 400°F until crisp and cooked through, flipping halfway.
Use shrimp, tofu, or cauliflower instead of chicken. For cauliflower, cut it into bite-sized florets so every piece gets plenty of crunchy coating.
Leftovers:
Bang-Bang Wraps: Slice the chicken and tuck it into tortillas with lettuce, cucumber, and extra sauce.
Crunchy Rice Bowls: Chop the chicken over rice with edamame, shredded carrots, avocado, and a drizzle of bang-bang sauce.
Spicy Chicken Salad: Toss chopped leftovers with greens, cucumber, cabbage, and a little extra sauce thinned with lime juice.
Bang-Bang Tacos: Reheat the chicken until crisp, then pile into small tortillas with cabbage, avocado, and cilantro.

Ingredients

For the sauce:

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • salt, to taste
  • pepper, to taste

For the chicken:

  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 4 chicken breasts boneless and skinless, cut into strips
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • neutral oil, to taste

Directions

  • In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, the sweet chili sauce, the hot sauce, the honey, the extra salt, and the extra pepper.
  • Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, the cornstarch, the garlic powder, the smoked paprika, the remaining salt, and the remaining pepper.
  • To the same bowl, add the hot sauce, egg, and buttermilk.
  • Whisk until a smooth batter forms.
  • Toss the chicken strips in the batter and set them aside.
  • In a separate mixing bowl, add the panko.
  • Heat about 1/2 inch of the oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat, monitoring the oil temperature carefully to ensure it stays around 350 degrees F through the frying process.
  • Place the battered chicken strips in the breadcrumbs one at a time until well-coated.
  • Carefully place in the oil and fry on both sides until crispy and cooked through, about 3 minutes.
  • Place the fried chicken on a paper towel to absorb the excess moisture.
  • Repeat in batches until you have fried all of the chicken pieces.
  • Drizzle the sauce over the fried chicken and serve with the extra sauce for dipping.
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