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Bang Bang Chicken Crispy

cornstarch-coated fried chicken bites tossed in a sweet and spicy mayo-based sauce.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Fry 5 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • About 3 cups vegetable oil for frying
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons sriracha
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
  • 2 green onions sliced
  • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Method
 

  1. Marinate chicken in buttermilk, 20 minutes minimum, up to overnight.
  2. Whisk cornstarch, flour, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper together.
  3. Heat oil to 350°F in a Dutch oven.
  4. Dredge chicken, letting excess buttermilk drip off first.
  5. Fry in 3 batches, 3 to 4 minutes each, until golden and 165°F internal.
  6. Rest fried pieces on a wire rack, not paper towels.
  7. Whisk sauce ingredients in a separate bowl.
  8. Toss hot chicken in sauce right before serving, garnish with green onion and sesame seeds.

Notes

Storage: Refrigerate unsauced chicken 3 to 4 days, sauced chicken up to 2 days. Freeze unsauced, cooled chicken up to 2 months. Reheat in an oven or air fryer, not the microwave.
Notes: The 2-to-1 cornstarch-to-flour ratio gives the crispest crust. Oil below 325°F is the most common cause of greasy results. Sauce only what you'll serve within 10 minutes.