Description
Crispy bang bang chicken delivers a fiery dance of Korean-inspired flavors that ignite taste buds with bold, zesty sensations. Crunchy coating and spicy sauce create an irresistible culinary experience you won’t forget.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 1 lb (453.6 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
Coating Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 cup buttermilk
Seasoning:
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking Oil:
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Bang Bang Sauce:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon sriracha (adjust for spice preference)
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Immerse chicken pieces in buttermilk, allowing them to rest and absorb flavors for a minimum of 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours for enhanced tenderness.
- Create a seasoned dredging mixture by combining flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper in a wide, shallow container.
- Carefully extract chicken from buttermilk, allowing excess liquid to drip away, then thoroughly coat each piece in the prepared seasoned flour blend, ensuring complete and even coverage.
- Preheat vegetable oil in a deep skillet to medium-high temperature, creating a hot cooking environment for frying.
- Carefully lower coated chicken pieces into the hot oil, cooking in small batches to maintain optimal oil temperature and prevent overcrowding.
- Fry each piece for approximately 3-4 minutes per side, rotating to achieve a uniform golden-brown exterior and ensuring the internal temperature reaches full doneness.
- Transfer fried chicken to a paper towel-lined surface to drain excess oil and maintain crispiness.
- Craft the signature bang bang sauce by whisking together mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, and honey, adjusting the heat and sweetness according to personal preference.
- Finish the dish by either generously coating the crispy chicken in the vibrant sauce or presenting the sauce separately as a complementary dipping option.
Notes
- Buttermilk Magic: Marinating chicken in buttermilk tenderizes the meat and adds a subtle tangy flavor, creating incredibly juicy results.
- Temperature Control: Use a cooking thermometer to ensure chicken reaches 165°F internally for safe and perfectly cooked meat without drying out.
- Gluten-Free Swap: Replace regular flour with gluten-free flour blend or almond flour to make the recipe suitable for those with gluten sensitivities.
- Spice Level Adjustment: Customize the sriracha and chili sauce ratio to control heat intensity, making the dish mild or fiery hot based on personal preference.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus marination)
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 720
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 880 mg
- Fat: 42 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 32 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 29 g
- Cholesterol: 105 mg