Best Air Fryer Bang Bang Chicken

Looking for a dinner that’s crispy, flavorful, and won’t leave you standing over a hot stove for hours? Air fryer bang bang chicken might just become your new weeknight favorite. This recipe delivers that addictive sweet and spicy sauce with perfectly crunchy chicken bites, all made easier thanks to your air fryer doing most of the work.

The best part? You get all that restaurant-quality crunch without deep frying, and cleanup is a breeze. Whether you’re feeding picky eaters or looking to spice up your usual chicken routine, this bang bang chicken comes together quickly with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.

What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

For this recipe, boneless skinless chicken breasts are your best bet since they’re easy to cut into uniform bite-size pieces that cook evenly in the air fryer. If you only have chicken breasts with the skin on, you can easily remove it yourself with a sharp knife – just grab the skin at one end and pull while using the knife to help separate it from the meat. Chicken thighs can also work if that’s what you have on hand, though they’ll give you a slightly richer, juicier result. The key is making sure all your pieces are roughly the same size so they finish cooking at the same time, and room temperature chicken will cook more evenly than straight-from-the-fridge pieces.

Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you need them:

• Chicken breasts: Chicken thighs work great here and actually stay a bit juicier during cooking. You can also use chicken tenders if you want to skip the cutting step – just adjust cooking time slightly since they’re thinner.
• Panko breadcrumbs: Regular breadcrumbs will work, but your coating won’t be quite as crispy. If you’re gluten-free, try crushed cornflakes or gluten-free panko for a similar crunch.
• All purpose flour: For a gluten-free version, swap in cornstarch or your favorite gluten-free flour blend. The coating will still stick just fine.
• Sweet chili sauce: If you don’t have sweet chili sauce, mix ¼ cup of apricot or peach preserves with 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
• Sriracha: Any hot sauce works here – just adjust the amount based on how spicy you like it. Frank’s RedHot or even a dash of cayenne pepper mixed with a bit of vinegar will do the trick.
• Mayo: Greek yogurt or sour cream can replace mayo if you prefer, though the sauce will be slightly tangier and less creamy.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making air fryer chicken is overcrowding the basket, which prevents proper air circulation and leaves you with unevenly cooked, soggy pieces instead of crispy ones – cook in batches if needed and leave space between each piece.

Skipping the oil spray is another common error that results in dry, pale breading, so make sure to give your breaded chicken a good coating of cooking spray before and halfway through cooking for that golden crunch.

Don’t add the bang bang sauce too early or directly in the air fryer, as the mayo-based sauce will burn and turn bitter – always toss the chicken with sauce after it’s fully cooked and crispy.

Finally, resist the urge to skip checking the internal temperature with a thermometer, since air fryer models vary and cooking times can differ, and you want to hit that safe 165°F without drying out your chicken.

What to Serve With Bang Bang Chicken?

Bang bang chicken is pretty filling on its own, but I love serving it over a bed of white rice or fried rice to soak up all that sweet and spicy sauce. A simple cucumber salad or Asian slaw with a light vinegar dressing helps cut through the richness of the mayo-based sauce and adds a nice crunch. You could also wrap the chicken in lettuce cups for a lighter option, or toss it into a rice bowl with some steamed broccoli and edamame. If you’re feeding a crowd, serve it alongside some egg rolls or spring rolls to make it feel like a full takeout spread at home.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your leftover bang bang chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I like to store the chicken and sauce separately so the coating stays crispier. Just drizzle the sauce on when you’re ready to eat!

Freeze: You can freeze the cooked chicken pieces without the sauce for up to 2 months. Let them cool completely, then arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet to freeze before transferring to a freezer bag. Make the sauce fresh when you’re ready to serve.

Reheat: The air fryer is your best friend for reheating! Pop the chicken back in at 350°F for about 5 minutes to get that crispy coating back. You can also use the oven at 375°F for 8-10 minutes if you don’t have an air fryer handy.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1400-1600
• Protein: 90-105 g
• Fat: 65-80 g
• Carbohydrates: 130-150 g

Ingredients

For the chicken:

• 2 chicken breasts (cut into 1-inch bite-sized chunks)
• 1/2 cup King Arthur all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp salt (to taste)
• 1/4 tsp black pepper (to taste)
• oil spray

For the sauce:

• 1/2 cup Hellmann’s mayo
• 3 tbsp Mae Ploy chili sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp sriracha
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp fresh lime juice
• 1/8 tsp salt (to taste)

Step 1: Prepare the Breading Station and Sauce

• 1/2 cup King Arthur all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup Hellmann’s mayo
• 3 tbsp Mae Ploy chili sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp sriracha
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp fresh lime juice
• 1/8 tsp salt

Set up your breading station by placing flour in the first bowl, whisking together eggs in the second bowl, and combining panko breadcrumbs with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper in the third bowl.

While your breading station is ready, mix together mayo, chili sauce, sriracha, sugar, lime juice, and salt in a small bowl to create your bang bang sauce.

Set both aside—this prep work ensures smooth, efficient coating without delays once you start breading the chicken.

Step 2: Bread the Chicken Pieces

• 2 chicken breasts
• salt and pepper for seasoning
• flour, egg, and breadcrumb mixture from Step 1

Pat the chicken breast chunks dry with paper towels, then season lightly with salt and pepper.

Working with one piece at a time, coat the chicken in flour, shaking off excess, then dip into the beaten egg, and finally roll in the panko breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently so the coating adheres.

I like to let each breaded piece sit on a plate for a minute or two before air frying—this helps the coating set and stay crispy rather than flaking off during cooking.

Step 3: Preheat Air Fryer and Prepare Chicken for Cooking

• oil spray
• breaded chicken from Step 2

Preheat your air fryer to 400°F for 5 minutes.

While it heats, arrange the breaded chicken pieces from Step 2 in a single layer on a plate.

Once the air fryer is ready, lightly spray the chicken pieces with oil on all sides—this is crucial for achieving that golden, crispy exterior that makes air fryer chicken so satisfying.

Step 4: Air Fry the Chicken

• breaded and oiled chicken from Step 3

Place the oiled chicken pieces in the air fryer basket in a single layer, working in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding.

Cook at 400°F for 12-15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through at the 7-minute mark to ensure even browning.

Check that the thickest pieces have reached an internal temperature of 165°F with a meat thermometer.

I find that shaking the basket at the 7-minute mark really makes a difference—it prevents any pieces from sticking and ensures all sides brown evenly.

Step 5: Finish and Serve

• cooked chicken from Step 4
• bang bang sauce from Step 1

Transfer the cooked chicken to a serving bowl or plate.

Pour the bang bang sauce from Step 1 over the warm chicken and toss gently to coat evenly, or serve it alongside as a dipping sauce for individual preference.

The sauce is silky and flavorful warm or at room temperature, so either works perfectly.

Best Air Fryer Bang Bang Chicken

Delicious Best Air Fryer Bang Bang Chicken recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings 2 servings

Calories 1500 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the chicken:

• 2 chicken breasts (cut into 1-inch bite-sized chunks)
• 1/2 cup King Arthur all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp salt (to taste)
• 1/4 tsp black pepper (to taste)
• oil spray

For the sauce:

• 1/2 cup Hellmann's mayo
• 3 tbsp Mae Ploy chili sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp sriracha
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp fresh lime juice
• 1/8 tsp salt (to taste)

Instructions

 

• Set up your breading station by placing flour in the first bowl, whisking together eggs in the second bowl, and combining panko breadcrumbs with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper in the third bowl. While your breading station is ready, mix together mayo, chili sauce, sriracha, sugar, lime juice, and salt in a small bowl to create your bang bang sauce. Set both aside—this prep work ensures smooth, efficient coating without delays once you start breading the chicken.
• Pat the chicken breast chunks dry with paper towels, then season lightly with salt and pepper. Working with one piece at a time, coat the chicken in flour, shaking off excess, then dip into the beaten egg, and finally roll in the panko breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently so the coating adheres. I like to let each breaded piece sit on a plate for a minute or two before air frying—this helps the coating set and stay crispy rather than flaking off during cooking.
• Preheat your air fryer to 400°F for 5 minutes. While it heats, arrange the breaded chicken pieces from Step 2 in a single layer on a plate. Once the air fryer is ready, lightly spray the chicken pieces with oil on all sides—this is crucial for achieving that golden, crispy exterior that makes air fryer chicken so satisfying.
• Place the oiled chicken pieces in the air fryer basket in a single layer, working in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding. Cook at 400°F for 12-15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through at the 7-minute mark to ensure even browning. Check that the thickest pieces have reached an internal temperature of 165°F with a meat thermometer. I find that shaking the basket at the 7-minute mark really makes a difference—it prevents any pieces from sticking and ensures all sides brown evenly.
• Transfer the cooked chicken to a serving bowl or plate. Pour the bang bang sauce from Step 1 over the warm chicken and toss gently to coat evenly, or serve it alongside as a dipping sauce for individual preference. The sauce is silky and flavorful warm or at room temperature, so either works perfectly.