Our Air Fryer Bang Bang Chicken is crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and coated in a creamy sweet and spicy sauce that will keep you coming back for more!
Bang Bang Chicken is a popular Sichuanese dish that has taken the culinary world by storm in recent years. Today it is found in restaurants all over the United States. The dish originated in the Sichuan province of China and is now enjoyed worldwide for its unique blend of flavors and textures.
One of the best things about bang bang chicken is its versatility. It can be served as a main dish, appetizer or even as a salad, making it a perfect option for any meal. It can be made spicy or mild depending on your taste preferences, and the mildly spicy and tangy sauce gives it a depth of flavor that is sure to please any palate.
In addition to its delicious taste, bang bang chicken has a humorous history. The dish gets its name from the sound of street vendors using a wooden stick hitting the bowl while mixing the sauce, which sounds like “bang bang”. While it originated as a street food in Sichuan, it quickly gained popularity and made its way into upscale restaurants. Today, it is a beloved dish that has become a staple in many Chinese and Chinese-inspired restaurants around the world.
We don’t claim that our air fryer version of Bang Bang Chicken is authentic, but it is inspired by the Sichuan dish that so many love. You’ll definitely want to give this one a try!
Not into chicken? Try our Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp instead or give these Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos a try!
Ingredient Notes:
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Chicken – This recipe will use a pound and a half of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Chicken tenders or thighs would work here as well.
Breading – Grab some cornstarch, salt, pepper, and eggs for this breading.
Bang Bang Sauce – You’ll need mayo, Thai sweet chili sauce, and sriracha.
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How to Make Bang Bang Chicken in an Air Fryer:
- Prepare the chicken– Chop your chicken into bite-sized pieces, then pat them dry with a paper towel. Grab a shallow dish and add your cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Grab a second shallow dish and add in your eggs, then whisk the eggs together. Dip each piece of chicken in the starch mixture, then egg, then back into the starch.
- Air fry the chicken– Spray your air fryer basket with non stick spray and arrange your chicken in an even layer. Leaving space between each individual piece of chicken will make the chicken more crisp. Spray the chicken with an oil mist on each piece and air fry for five minutes at 380 degrees F. Flip the chicken and spray again, then cook for five more minutes. The chicken should have an internal temperature of 165 degrees F when safe to eat.
- Make the Bang Bang– In a small bowl whisk together mayo, chili sauce, and sriracha until smooth. Drizzle this sauce over the chicken right before serving.
Meat Thermometer
We use and love this ThermoPro meat thermometer anytime we’re making chicken, steak, or pork chops! It’s the easiest way to ensure meat is cooked to the perfect temperature every time and is a great gift for beginner cooks too!
FAQ:
Once chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees F or 74 degrees C it is safe to eat.
The heat of bang bang is primarily in the sriracha. If you like it a bit spicier double the sriracha to a teaspoon. If you like it less spicy, cut it to a quarter teaspoon.
Bang Bang Chicken is delicious served over rice, in a lettuce wrap, or with a side of crispy french fries.
Recipe Tips!
This recipe is complimented well by thinly sliced jalapenos on top of the chicken! Feel free to add a little bit of sliced jalapeno if you like it a little more on the hot side!
While cooking your chicken, if you see white spots of corn starch on the chicken, you missed that spot with oil spray. It is just a dry spot and won’t hurt anything, but that spot might be a bit less crispy.
Bang Bang Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cracked pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon water
For the Bang Bang sauce:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup Thai sweet chili sauce
- ½ teaspoon sriracha more to taste
Instructions
To make the chicken:
- Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Pat dry with a paper towel.
- Add the cornstarch, salt, and pepper to a shallow dish and stir to combine
- Whisk the eggs and water together in a second shallow dish.
- Dip each piece of chicken into the cornstarch to coat. Dip in the egg, and then back into the cornstarch.
- Spray an air fryer basket with non-stick spray and arrange the chicken in an even layer, leaving space for air to flow between each piece.
- Spray chicken liberally with non-stick spray, making sure to coat each piece.
- Air fry at 380 degrees for 5 minutes.
- Flip chicken and spray again with non-stick spray. Continue cooking for 4-5 minutes or until an internal thermometer reads 165 degrees.
To make the sauce:
- Whisk together the mayonnaise, chili sauce, and sriracha until smooth.
- Taste and add additional sriracha, if desired, for more spice.
To serve:
- Drizzle the sauce over the chicken and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Penny says
Hello Chad and Karly
This recipe was absolutely DELICIOUS!
The coating on the chicken bites was so nice and crunchy and the Sauce was excellent!!
We enjoyed this with rice and a nice curry sauce that my husband made.
Thank you for your recipes they are all sooo Good!
Karly Campbell says
I’m so glad you liked the recipe! Thanks for the review!