Bang Bang Chicken Bites Recipe
Add Preferred SourceBang Bang Chicken Bites are spicy, crispy, and ridiculously satisfying. Coated in crunchy panko breadcrumbs and drizzled with a creamy, sweet-heat bang bang sauce, these bite-sized pieces are perfect for game day snacks, party platters, or even a fun dinner. Each piece is juicy on the inside and golden-crunchy on the outside. And that sauce?! It’s lick-your-plate-clean worthy!
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The best part? They’re oven-baked, not fried, so you get that crispy texture without the mess of deep frying. Seriously, these are so good that I often double the recipe because they disappear so quickly!
Sometimes I make these with boneless chicken thighs, too. Or even cubed pork loin. It’s all delish!
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
- Mayonnaise – Any kind of mayo is fine, but try it with Kewpie. Yum!
- Sweet chili sauce – You can buy bottles of this in the Asian section of your grocery store.
- Sriracha chili sauce – This has some heat to it, so use it sparingly. You can always add more.
- Honey – A touch of honey adds sweetness and balances the heat.
For the Chicken:
- Chicken breasts – Boneless and skinless is what you’ll need. If you par-freeze the breasts, they’ll dice up nice and easily.
- Cornstarch – The cornstarch helps give the chicken bites that velvety texture we all love.
- Buttermilk – If you don’t have buttermilk, you could use regular milk thickened with a spoonfull of sour cream.
- Egg – You just need 1 egg, any size.
- Garlic powder – Powder, not salt! If you use garlic salt, skip adding any additional salt.
- Ground black pepper and Salt
- Panko Breadcrumbs – You need Panko breadcrumbs to give them that irresistible crunch. You can find Panko in the Asian section of your grocery store, or sometimes near the other breadcrumbs.
- Olive oil – Or any other neutral cooking oil for frying.
- Smoked paprika – You can skip this but it gives the bites a lovely smoky flavor.
To Serve:
- Green onions – Fresh green onions, sliced white and green parts.
- Red chili – Any red chili will work. You can sometimes find red jalapenos, or red anaheim peppers.
How To Make Bang Bang Chicken Bites
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Start by preheating your oven to 400°F and lining a baking tray with parchment paper. While the oven heats, make the bang bang sauce by whisking together the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, and honey in a small mixing bowl. Set this aside; you’ll use some for drizzling and some for dipping later.
Next, set up your dredging station using three shallow bowls. In the first bowl, place the cornstarch. In the second bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of black pepper.
In the third bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs with olive oil, smoked paprika, the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt, and the rest of the pepper. Stir the breadcrumb mixture until the oil is evenly distributed; it helps the crumbs brown beautifully. Now dredge each chicken piece in the cornstarch, then dip it into the buttermilk mixture, and finally coat it in the seasoned panko.
Arrange the coated chicken on the prepared baking tray, spacing them out for even cooking. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is crisp and cooked through.
Once baked, transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Drizzle with the bang bang sauce, and garnish with sliced green onions and red chili. Serve immediately with extra sauce on the side.
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Use parchment paper for easier cleanup and even browning.
- Mix the panko and olive oil thoroughly so the coating bakes up golden and crisp.
- Want extra heat? Add a few extra drops of sriracha to the sauce.
Make It A Meal
Serve over jasmine rice or with a crunchy slaw for a more filling option. These bites also pair well with fries or lettuce wraps.
Storage
Store any leftover chicken bites in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer to restore their crispness. Store extra sauce separately and drizzle after reheating.
Bang Bang Chicken Bites
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon sriracha chili sauce
- 1 teaspoon honey
For the Chicken:
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper divided
- 1½ teaspoons salt divided
- 3 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
To Serve:
- 4 green onions sliced on a bias
- 1 red chili thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together mayo, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, and honey. Set aside.
- Set up 3 bowls: one with cornstarch; one with buttermilk, egg, garlic powder, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper; and one with panko, paprika, olive oil, remaining salt, and pepper.
- Dredge chicken in cornstarch, dip in the buttermilk mixture, and coat with the seasoned panko.
- Arrange the coated pieces on the prepared tray.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Transfer to a serving dish. Drizzle with bang bang sauce and top with green onions and red chili. Serve with extra sauce for dipping.
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Use parchment paper for easier cleanup and even browning.
- Mix the panko and olive oil thoroughly so the coating bakes up golden and crisp.
- Want extra heat? Add a few extra drops of sriracha to the sauce.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.
