Bang Bang Chicken
Bang Bang Chicken is chicken tenderloins with panko crust that are deep-fried until they are a crispy golden brown and then topped with homemade bang bang sauce. Deliciously crispy and tangy chicken! I also have Bang Bang Shrimp, which you will love!
Chicken Bang Bang We all know about Bang Bang Shrimp, but the sauce is so good that you should use it on other foods as well. I have this chicken covered in sauce, as well as bang bang chicken skewers and bang bang salmon that you have to try. And if you want to turn this bang bang chicken into a full meal, I have a lot of great side dishes that will go well with it.
Before coating, the chicken tenders are crispy. This way of serving is better than coating!
Ingredients
- Chicken tenderloins
- Full-fat buttermilk
- Panko
- Canola or vegetable oil, for frying
- Homemade mayonnaise (for Bang Bang Sauce)
- Sweet chili sauce (for Bang Bang Sauce)
- Sriracha (optional, for Bang Bang Sauce or buttermilk mixture)
- Cayenne pepper (optional, for buttermilk mixture)
Instructions
- Look for chicken tenderloins (tenders) that don’t have bones or skin. You could also cut chicken breasts into strips, but those wouldn’t be chicken tenderloins, which are smaller pieces of meat that are on the underside of the chicken breast. No matter what, this recipe will be your new favorite way to make chicken!
- If desired, add more cayenne pepper and Sriracha sauce to the buttermilk mixture to make the breading a little hotter.
- Dip each chicken tenderloin in buttermilk, then dredge in panko to coat completely.
- Heat canola or vegetable oil in a deep pot or fryer to 350-375°F.
- Carefully add coated chicken tenderloins to the hot oil, ensuring not to overcrowd.
- Deep-fry until crispy golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F).
- Remove chicken from oil and drain excess oil.
- Don’t throw away the oil after frying the chicken in canola or vegetable oil. First, learn how to clean used cooking oil so you don’t waste it.
- This sauce is sweet and spicy at the same time. You can use both homemade mayonnaise and sweet chili sauce in the sauce. You can always add more Sriracha to the sauce if you want it to be hotter. You can make the sauce ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for up to five days.
- Top with homemade bang bang sauce and enjoy!
Alternative Cooking Methods
You can also use your air fryer for this recipe. The chicken will still be crispy, but there won’t be any oil mess. Do everything the same up to the point of deep-frying. After that, spray each chicken tender that has been coated with cooking spray. Put a few in the basket of your air fryer, but don’t fill it too full. Fry the tenders in the air at 400°F for 10 minutes, turning them over halfway through. And then, pour on some bang bang sauce and enjoy!
Of course! You could also bake the chicken in the oven. Set the oven to 425°F. Put the chicken tenders that have been coated on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, flipping them over halfway through. The chicken is done when the inside temperature reaches 165°F. They won’t be as crunchy as frying them in oil or an air fryer, but they still taste great!
Storage and Serving Suggestions
You can easily store cooked chicken in the fridge or the freezer, no matter how you cooked it. Let the chicken cool completely, or for about 30 minutes, before putting it in either of the storage options. After that, cover the chicken with aluminum foil. You can keep the chicken in the fridge for up to five days in an airtight container. Put the chicken in a freezer bag and keep it there for up to six months.
