Bang Bang Chicken Recipe

Bang bang chicken on a bed of rice on a black plate.

Bang Bang Chicken Recipe

This Bang Bang Chicken recipe is a lighter, fresher take on the fried classic. There's no breading required, and we cook it quickly in the oven or air fryer for crisp, caramelized edges and juicy chicken. Tossed in a deliciously creamy, sweet-spicy bang bang sauce, it's a quick and flavor packed dish that's perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 363kcal

Author Colleen Milne

Equipment

Ingredients

Bang Bang Sauce

½ cup whole egg mayonnaise
¼ cup Thai sweet chili sauce
3 tablespoon sriracha sauce

Chicken

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs cubed
1 tablespoon oil
2 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
sliced green onions and sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

Make the bang bang sauce by whisking together the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, and sriracha in a small bowl. Refrigerate until the chicken is cooked.
If you're using the oven, and not an air fryer, to cook the chicken, preheat it to 425°, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs, and cut into one inch cubes.
In a large bowl, toss the chicken pieces with the oil.
Add the cornstarch and toss to coat the chicken pieces.
Add the garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper, stirring to combine.
Spread the chicken in a single layer in the basket of the air fryer, or, on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Be sure to leave space around the pieces.
Air fry at 400° for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway through. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may have to cook in batches. Or bake in an oven pre-heated to 425° for 20-25 minutes, turning halfway through. For either cooking method, the chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°.
In a large bowl, toss the chicken with sauce. Start with half the sauce, adding more if you prefer. Serve the remaining sauce on the side for dipping.
Serve with rice and vegetables, garnished with green onion slices, and/or sesame seeds.

Notes

Spice level. You can change the amount of sriracha in the sauce to make it more or less spicy. Decrease the quantity from 3 to 2 tablespoons for less heat, and increase it for more of a spicy sauce. Add a tablespoon at time, tasting until you have the right amount of heat for your liking. You can also add a pinch of cayenne pepper when you're seasoning the chicken.
Chicken pieces. I prefer to cut the chicken into bite sized pieces before cooking. It results in more surface area for each chicken piece to crisp, and to hold on the sauce. However, if you prefer, you can use whole chicken pieces, but will need to increase the cooking time by up to 10 minutes. You can also thread the chicken pieces onto skewers to cook on the grill. Grill for 10 minutes on each side, or until internal temperature is 165°
Cornstarch. Don't skip the cornstarch. It results in crispier, juicier chicken. You can substitute potato starch or tapioca starch.
Don't crowd. Be sure to cook the chicken pieces in a single layer and leave space around them. Otherwise, you'll will end up with steamed, instead of browned and crisp chicken.
Cooking times. The cooking times in this recipe are approximate, because air fryers and ovens can vary. The best way to tell if chicken is cooked perfectly is to use an instant read thermometer. The internal temperature should be 165°
Make ahead. You can cook the chicken and make the sauce ahead of time. Keep them separate in the fridge. Reheat the chicken on a baking sheet in the oven at 350° for 10 minutes, or in the air fryer at 400° for 5 minutes.
Storage. Store bang bang chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Freezing. Freeze cooked and completely cooled chicken, without sauce, in a freezer safe container or resealable bag for up to 3 months. Thaw the chicken overnight in the fridge, make the sauce, and reheat as instructed above. Toss with the bang bang sauce before serving.

Nutrition