Description

Bang Bang Chicken is a crispy, flavorful dish featuring tender boneless chicken coated in a spicy, creamy sauce made with Thai sweet chili, Sriracha, mayonnaise, and honey. This recipe combines buttermilk-soaked chicken fried to golden perfection with a crunchy panko coating, finished with a sweet and spicy bang bang sauce for an irresistible appetizer or main course.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Bang Bang Sauce

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

Chicken

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken tenderloins
1 cup (245 g) buttermilk
3/4 cup (94 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (64 g) cornstarch
1 large egg, room temperature
1 tablespoon Sriracha
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
2 cups (216 g) panko breadcrumbs, plain
Canola oil, for frying
Parsley, chopped, for garnish

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Instructions

Prepare Bang Bang Sauce: In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce, Sriracha, and honey. Mix well and set aside to let the flavors meld.
Make Chicken Batter: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, egg, Sriracha, garlic powder, kosher salt, black pepper, and optional cayenne pepper until smooth and well combined.
Coat Chicken: Add the chicken tenderloins to the batter, tossing to coat each piece thoroughly. Set aside briefly to let the batter adhere.
Prepare Panko Coating: Pour the panko breadcrumbs onto a shallow plate. Working one piece at a time, remove chicken from the batter, shaking off excess batter gently, then dredge each piece in panko breadcrumbs, pressing slightly to ensure the coating sticks well. Place the coated chicken on a clean plate.
Heat Oil: In a large skillet, pour about an inch of canola oil and heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 365°F (185°C).
Fry Chicken: Carefully add chicken pieces to the hot oil in batches to avoid overcrowding. Fry each side for 2-3 minutes until golden brown and reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Maintain oil temperature at 365°F between batches for even cooking.
Drain Chicken: Remove fried chicken and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
Toss in Sauce and Serve: Transfer the drained chicken to a serving plate, toss with the prepared bang bang sauce to coat evenly, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve warm.

Notes

Maintaining oil temperature is key to crispy chicken without greasiness.
Use a thermometer to check the chicken’s internal temperature for safety and juiciness.
Adjust Sriracha levels in sauce and batter according to your heat preference.
Leftover bang bang sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to one week.
For a gluten-free option, substitute all-purpose flour and panko with gluten-free versions.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving (about 4-5 chicken tenders with sauce)
Calories: 480 kcal
Sugar: 9 g
Sodium: 600 mg
Fat: 30 g
Saturated Fat: 5 g
Unsaturated Fat: 21 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 30 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 30 g
Cholesterol: 110 mg