The best way to describe Bang-Bang Chicken is as elevated popcorn chicken. Another way would be popcorn chicken with a kick! One “Bang” comes from the crispiness of the battered and fried chicken. The other “Bang” comes from the sweet-and-spicy dipping sauce. Bang-Bang Chicken is excellent served with steamed edamame or other veggies.
Ingredients
For the sauce:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
For the chicken:
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 4 chicken breasts boneless and skinless, cut into strips
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- neutral oil, to taste
Directions
Step 1 -In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, the sweet chili sauce, the hot sauce, the honey, the extra salt, and the extra pepper.
Step 2 -Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Step 3 -In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, the cornstarch, the garlic powder, the smoked paprika, the remaining salt, and the remaining pepper.
Step 4 -To the same bowl, add the hot sauce, egg, and buttermilk.
Step 5 -Whisk until a smooth batter forms.
Step 6 -Toss the chicken strips in the batter and set them aside.
Step 7 -In a separate mixing bowl, add the panko.
Step 8 -Heat about 1/2 inch of the oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat, monitoring the oil temperature carefully to ensure it stays around 350 degrees F through the frying process.
Step 9 -Place the battered chicken strips in the breadcrumbs one at a time until well-coated.
Step 10 -Carefully place in the oil and fry on both sides until crispy and cooked through, about 3 minutes.
Step 11 -Place the fried chicken on a paper towel to absorb the excess moisture.
Step 12 -Repeat in batches until you have fried all of the chicken pieces.
Step 13 -Drizzle the sauce over the fried chicken and serve with the extra sauce for dipping.
