Bang Bang Chicken Bites bring the heat, the crunch, and a whole lot of flavor. These oven-baked chicken pieces are coated in crispy panko breadcrumbs and finished with a generous drizzle of creamy, sweet-and-spicy sauce. Whether you’re serving them at a party, for game day, or as a crowd-pleasing dinner, these bites pack a punch with every bite.
Moist and flavorful on the inside with a crunchy, golden crust on the outside, they’re tough to resist. Best of all? They’re baked—not fried—so you get the crispiness you crave without all the cleanup.
I love these bites! They’re so tasty and easier to make than you might think. Plus, the recipe is easily doubled if you’re feeding a crowd.
The Backyard Table
Get it NOW and level up your outdoor dining! The Backyard Table - Recipes for Summer Cookouts features 34 of Chef Jenn's BEST recipes for outdoor eating and entertaining.
You'll get ad-free recipes like:
- Grilled Corn Guacamole
- Grilled French Onion Burgers
- Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
- Blueberry Grunt
- and so many more!
Every recipe is created, tested and loved by Chef Jenn and her family - there's no AI here!
Get it now, at a special introductory price of $7.99. That's over 50 pages of foodie love at your fingertips!
Buy Now!
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
- Mayonnaise – Any kind of mayo is fine, but try it with Kewpie. Yum!
- Sweet chili sauce – You can buy bottles of this in the Asian section of your grocery store.
- Sriracha chili sauce – This has some heat to it, so use it sparingly. You can always add more.
- Honey – A touch of honey adds sweetness and balances the heat.
For the Chicken:
- Chicken breasts – Boneless and skinless is what you’ll need. If you par-freeze the breasts, they’ll dice up nice and easily.
- Cornstarch – The cornstarch helps give the chicken bites that velvety texture we all love.
- Buttermilk – If you don’t have buttermilk, you could use regular milk thickened with a spoonfull of sour cream.
- Egg – You just need 1 egg, any size.
- Garlic powder – Powder, not salt! If you use garlic salt, skip adding any additional salt.
- Ground black pepper and Salt
- Panko Breadcrumbs – You need Panko breadcrumbs to give them that irresistible crunch. You can find Panko in the Asian section of your grocery store, or sometimes near the other breadcrumbs.
- Olive oil – Or any other neutral cooking oil for frying.
- Smoked paprika – You can skip this but it gives the bites a lovely smoky flavor.
To Serve:
- Green onions – Fresh green onions, sliced white and green parts.
- Red chili – Any red chili will work. You can sometimes find red jalapenos, or red anaheim peppers.
How to Make Bang Bang Chicken Bites
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. I recommend using heavy-duty baking sheets—they conduct heat evenly and prevent warping for crispier results.
In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the sauce: mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, and honey. Stir until smooth and creamy, then set aside for topping and dipping.
Now prepare your coating station using three shallow dishes. In the first bowl, add cornstarch. In the second, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of black pepper. In the third, mix panko breadcrumbs with olive oil, smoked paprika, the remaining salt, and pepper. Stir until the oil coats the breadcrumbs evenly—this ensures a golden, crisp coating.
Using kitchen tongs (so your hands stay clean), dip each chicken piece into the cornstarch, then into the buttermilk mixture, and finally into the seasoned panko. Make sure each piece is well coated. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them out for optimal crisping.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and golden brown on the outside. Once out of the oven, move them to a serving platter. Drizzle generously with your bang bang sauce and top with sliced green onions and chili. Serve with extra sauce on the side.
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Use parchment paper for easy cleanup and to help the chicken brown evenly.
- Be sure to mix the olive oil thoroughly with the breadcrumbs—it’s the secret to getting that crisp, golden coating.
- Looking for extra heat? Stir a bit more sriracha into your sauce.
Recommended
Make It a Meal
Serve these chicken bites over fluffy jasmine rice, toss them into a bowl with salad greens, or wrap them in lettuce for a fun, low-carb twist. They’re also great with fries or roasted veggies.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or an air fryer to restore the crispiness. Keep the sauce separate and drizzle it on after reheating for the best texture.
Bang Bang Chicken Bites
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 1 teaspoon honey
For the Chicken:
- 1 pound chicken breasts boneless, skinless, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper divided
- 1½ teaspoons salt divided
- 3 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
To Serve:
- 4 green onions sliced diagonally
- 1 red chili thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, combine mayo, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, and honey; set aside.
- Set up three bowls: one with cornstarch; one with buttermilk, egg, garlic powder, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper; and one with panko, paprika, olive oil, remaining salt, and pepper.
- Dredge each piece of chicken in the cornstarch, then dip in the buttermilk mixture, and coat with the seasoned panko.
- Arrange on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through and crispy.
- Serve hot with bang bang sauce drizzled on top and garnished with green onions and chili slices.
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Use parchment paper for easy cleanup and to help the chicken brown evenly.
- Be sure to mix the olive oil thoroughly with the breadcrumbs—it’s the secret to getting that crisp, golden coating.
- Looking for extra heat? Stir a bit more sriracha into your sauce.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.