Bang bang chicken is the kind of dinner that feels like takeout, but it’s at its best when it’s made at home.

If you’ve ordered bang bang chicken at places like Bonefish Grill, Cheesecake Factory, or your favorite local Asian restaurant, you know the coating is just as important as the sauce. The chicken should stay crisp underneath the creamy sweet-and-spicy sauce, not disappear after the first bite. That’s the version this copycat recipe is aiming for.

Crispy fried shrimp coated in a creamy orange sauce, reminiscent of the flavors found in a classic Bang Bang Chicken Recipe, garnished with sliced green onions and served in a white dish.

Not Breaded Like Chicken Tenders

When it comes to most bang bang chicken recipes, the sauce usually gets all the attention. But it’s actually the chicken underneath that makes the dish work.

At first glance, this looks like bite-sized chicken tenders. Once you bite into it, the coating tells a different story.

Chicken tenders are meant to have a thin, crisp crust. But with bang bang chicken, the coating has to stay crisp after it’s covered with sauce.

That’s why I don’t use a traditional flour, egg, and breadcrumb coating here. Instead, the chicken is coated in batter before it’s pressed into panko.

Raw chicken pieces are marinating in a creamy, seasoned mixture inside a clear glass bowl placed on a dark granite countertop, perfectly prepared for an authentic Bang Bang Chicken Recipe.

The Batter Will Look Thick

If the batter looks thicker than you expected, leave it alone. Don’t be tempted to add more buttermilk. The batter is supposed to look thick.

This isn’t a thin coating that’s meant to disappear around the chicken. The batter should cling to each piece of chicken so the panko has something substantial to stick to. Together, they create the thicker crust that’s part of what makes bang bang chicken feel different from everyday fried chicken.

Several breaded chicken nuggets, reminiscent of a classic Bang Bang Chicken recipe, are being deep-fried in hot oil in a large black skillet on a stovetop, with bubbling oil surrounding the golden pieces.

If regular breadcrumbs are what you have, they’ll still work. The coating just won’t have quite the same crunch. This is one recipe where panko is worth buying.

It’s also normal to have batter left in the bowl after all of the chicken has been coated. The recipe is written with enough batter to coat every piece evenly instead of leaving you scraping the bowl to finish the last few pieces.

A Thick Coating Cooks Differently

A thicker coating changes the way the chicken cooks. You need to be watchful because the outside of the chicken can be beautifully golden before the chicken has finished cooking inside.

I don’t rely on color alone with this recipe. An instant-read thermometer tells you when the thickest pieces have reached 165°F.

A plate of crispy, golden-brown Bang Bang Chicken nuggets rests on a paper towel, with metal tongs picking up a piece. A bowl of spicy orange dipping sauce sits on the side, bringing this Bang Bang Chicken recipe to life atop a wooden table.

The other thing that makes a difference is giving the chicken room to fry. When too many pieces go into the oil at once, the temperature drops, and the coating takes longer to crisp. Smaller batches keep the oil steadier, which helps the coating stay light instead of absorbing extra oil.

Save the Sauce for Last

The sauce is what people think of when they think about bang bang chicken, but it should be the last thing that happens before serving.

Pour the sauce over the chicken too early and the coating immediately starts to soften. Wait until the chicken is ready to eat, and you get the contrast that makes the dish work in the first place: hot, crispy chicken with a cool, creamy sauce.

A hand pours creamy dipping sauce over a plate of golden, crispy Bang Bang Chicken nuggets.

Whether you drizzle the sauce over the top or serve it on the side is up to you. I usually drizzle the sauce over the chicken when we’re having it over fried rice for dinner.

I serve the sauce in a bowl alongside the chicken when I’m putting it out for a party. That way it stays crisp a little longer, and everyone can decide how much sauce they want.

A plate of crispy fried shrimp topped with a tangy sauce and chopped green onions, served alongside a bowl of dipping sauce and a pair of wooden chopsticks on the side, drawing inspiration from the bold flavors found in the classic Bang Bang Chicken Recipe.

One ingredient that doesn’t get much attention is the rice vinegar. There’s only a small amount in this recipe, but it keeps the sauce from tasting too rich. Without it, the mayonnaise and sweet chili sauce can start to feel heavy after a few bites.

The same style of sweet-and-spicy sauce shows up on our bang bang shrimp and bang bang shrimp pasta.

Chicken Breasts or Thighs?

This recipe was tested with boneless, skinless chicken breasts because they cook quickly and give the coating plenty of surface area.

If you prefer boneless thighs, they’ll work too. They’ll be a little juicier and have a richer flavor, but because they weren’t part of the recipe testing, you may need to adjust the cooking time while still cooking them to 165°F.

I’d choose whichever your family enjoys most. The coating works well with either.

Can You Bake or Air Fry It?

I know this is one of the first questions people ask. This recipe was developed for frying, and that’s the only method I’ve tested. A battered coating behaves differently in an air fryer or oven than it does in hot oil, so I’m not comfortable guessing at times and temperatures just to offer another option.

When I have a version that gives me the same crisp coating, I’ll add it here. Until then, I’d rather recommend the method I know works.

Planning Ahead

Bang bang chicken is at its best fresh from the fryer, but that doesn’t mean everything has to be made at the last minute.

The sauce can be mixed a day or two ahead and kept in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.
If you’re entertaining, you can also fry the chicken earlier in the day and reheat it in a hot oven until the coating crisps up again.
Don’t add the sauce until you’re ready to serve.

Recipe Test Notes – Last Updated July 2026

In May 2026, my independent recipe tester, Angela, tested this recipe using boneless chicken breasts and the fried method. Her biggest note was that the coating stayed attached throughout frying, with no bare spots on the chicken. She also found the chicken stayed tender and thought the sauce had enough heat to notice without overpowering the rest of the dish. She didn’t recommend any changes before publication.

A hand dips a crispy breaded Bang Bang Chicken strip into a small glass bowl of orange dipping sauce, with more chicken strips on a white plate.

This post was originally published in December 2021. It was updated in July 2026 with new photos and additional instructions.

If you enjoy cooking your favorite restaurant meals at home, you can browse more options on my copycat recipes page.

Bang Bang Chicken

5 from 1 vote

Fried chicken bites with a thick, crunchy panko coating, served with a sweet and spicy bang bang sauce for drizzling or dipping.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Servings

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Ingredients

1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch chunks
3 cups vegetable oil, for frying
3½ cups panko bread crumbs, for dredging the coated chicken chunks

Sauce

½ cup mayonnaise
⅓ cup sweet chili sauce
2 tablespoons hot sauce
1 tablespoon honey
½ tablespoon rice wine vinegar

Batter

¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons onion powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon chili powder
1½ cups buttermilk
1 extra large egg, beaten
2 teaspoons hot sauce

Instructions

Sauce

Using a small mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, hot sauce, honey and rice wine vinegar, until completely smooth. Set it aside.

Batter and Cooking

Using a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, onion powder, kosher salt, black pepper and chili powder.
Whisk in the buttermilk, beaten egg and hot sauce. Whisk until smooth.
Submerge the cut chicken chunks in the batter.
Using either a 2 to 3 quart heavy-bottomed saucepan or a 10-inch skillet over medium high heat, add the vegetable oil. I found that around 325°F is a good fry temp.
Using either a medium-sized shallow bowl, or a pie plate for the panko bread crumbs for dredging.
Line a plate or pan with paper towels for draining the cooked chicken bites.
Once the oil is heated, dredge a portion of the battered chicken in the crumbs, pressing so they stick.
Add the dredged chicken to the heated oil and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the coating is deep golden brown and the chicken reaches 165°F in the center.
Remove from the oil and drain on the paper towels. Repeat the steps until all the chicken is cooked.
Drizzle with the sauce, and/or dip in the sauce.

Notes

Using a new jar of room temperature, unopened mayonnaise may make a noticeable positive difference in the flavor.
You can increase the chili powder for the batter if you desire more spice.
You can make your own buttermilk using whole or 2% milk and lemon juice or distilled vinegar. For every 1 cup of milk, stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar.