Bang Bang Chicken

So, I stumbled on this Bang Bang Chicken recipe while trying to use up a ton of leftover chicken. I’d never had authentic Bang Bang Chicken, but this… this was a revelation. It’s not traditional, I know, but it’s dangerously addictive.

What makes this recipe so great? It’s ridiculously easy, crazy flavorful, and incredibly versatile. Plus, that sweet and spicy sauce? Forget about it. I’ve been known to make extra just to dip my fries in.

Okay, real talk – the frying part took me like five tries to get right. But once I nailed the temperature, it was smooth sailing. It’s also super adaptable – feel free to adjust the spice level to your liking.

What You’ll Need

(Serves 4, Prep time: 15 mins, Cook time: 25 mins, Calories: ~404kcal)

• ⅓ cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
• ¼ cup potato starch (see note)
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon shichimi togarashi (Japanese red pepper condiment – honestly, a pinch of red pepper flakes works too!)
• Oil, for frying
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
• 1 teaspoon gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)

Steps

1. Whisk together milk and egg. Toss in the chicken and let it chill for 15 minutes. Then, drain the chicken.
2. Throw the potato starch, flour, salt, pepper, and shichimi togarashi in a big zip-top bag. Shake it until everything is nicely mixed. Add the chicken, seal it, and shake again until the chicken is fully coated.
3. Heat your oil in a large skillet to 325°F (yeah, I know, took me forever to figure out the right temp). Carefully drop in the chicken, about 5-8 pieces at a time. Fry for 90 seconds, then transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
4. Crank the oil up to 350°F. Re-fry the chicken in batches for another 90 seconds. Again, paper towel-lined plate is your friend.
5. Whisk together the mayo, honey, sweet chili sauce, and gochujang. Add the fried chicken and toss until it’s all coated in that glorious sauce. Serve immediately and prepare for deliciousness.

Substitutions That Actually Work

• Potato Starch: Cornstarch works just fine here.
• Shichimi Togarashi: Red pepper flakes, or even a dash of cayenne, will do the trick.
• Gochujang: If you don’t have gochujang, a little extra sweet chili sauce can help.

Making It Diabetes-Friendly

This one’s tricky! The honey and sweet chili sauce are where most of the sugar is. You could try using a sugar-free mayo and sweet chili sauce, and perhaps a sugar substitute instead of honey (like stevia or erythritol). But honestly, I haven’t tried it, so your mileage may vary.

Tips & Storage

• Don’t overcrowd the pan when frying; it’ll lower the oil temperature and your chicken won’t get crispy.
• Leftovers are great cold, which is perfect for lunch the next day! Just store them in an airtight container in the fridge.