Bang bang chicken tenders are buttermilk soaked chicken strips coated in seasoned flour and fried until golden, then tossed in a sweet, creamy, spicy sauce. The tenders take about forty minutes of hands on time plus a short marinade and serve four.
The sauce blends mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, and honey into a glossy dip that is sweet first and spicy after. Cornstarch in the coating keeps the crust crunchy even after saucing, so every bite stays crisp.
Table of Contents
Why This Bang Bang Chicken Tenders Recipe Works
Buttermilk and a pinch of cayenne tenderize and season the chicken, so the meat stays juicy under the crust.
A mix of flour and cornstarch fries up light and extra crunchy, and it stays that way after you add the sauce.
The creamy sweet and spicy sauce comes together in five minutes from pantry basics and chills while the chicken cooks.
Ingredients for Bang Bang Chicken Tenders
- The chicken uses one pound of tenderloins, one cup of buttermilk, one teaspoon of smoked paprika, half a teaspoon of garlic powder, and a pinch of cayenne.
- The coating is half a cup of flour and two tablespoons of cornstarch, and the sauce is a quarter cup of mayonnaise, two tablespoons of sweet chili sauce, one teaspoon of sriracha, one tablespoon of honey, and one teaspoon of rice vinegar.
Buttermilk. Its mild acid tenderizes the chicken and helps the coating stick.
Flour and cornstarch. Together they fry into a light, crunchy shell.
Mayonnaise. It makes the sauce thick and creamy.
Sweet chili sauce and honey. They add sticky sweetness that balances the heat.
Sriracha. It adds a garlicky, medium kick.
How to Make Bang Bang Chicken Tenders
1. Marinate. Mix the buttermilk, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne in a bag, add the chicken, and chill for two to four hours.
2. Make the coating. Combine the flour and cornstarch in a shallow dish.
3. Dredge. Lift the chicken from the marinade, pat it dry, and press it into the flour mixture, then rest it for ten minutes.
4. Mix the sauce. Stir the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, honey, and rice vinegar until smooth and chill it.
5. Cook. Fry in oil heated to 375 degrees F for four to six minutes, or air fry at 400 degrees F for about eighteen minutes, turning halfway.
6. Toss and serve. Drain the tenders on a wire rack, then toss them in the sauce or serve it on the side.
Pat the chicken dry after the marinade, but leave a thin film of buttermilk on the surface. That film grabs the flour and builds a thick, shaggy crust. Press the flour firmly onto each tender, and let the coated pieces rest for ten minutes so the coating hydrates and sticks while frying.
Fry in small batches so the oil stays hot. Crowding the pot drops the temperature and leaves the crust pale and greasy. Check the oil with a thermometer between batches, and drain the tenders on a wire rack instead of paper towels, which trap steam and soften the underside.
How to Serve Bang Bang Chicken Tenders
Serve the tenders hot over rice or alongside a crisp slaw, with extra sauce for dipping. For more crunchy chicken, try air fryer buttermilk chicken tenders, parmesan crusted air fryer chicken tenders, golden crispy air fryer fried chicken, or sweet chili mayo chicken bowls.
How to Store and Reheat Bang Bang Chicken Tenders
Store leftover tenders and sauce separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat the tenders on a rack in a 400 degree oven or in the air fryer for about eight minutes so the crust crisps again. Do not microwave them, and toss them in sauce only after reheating.
Tips and Variations for Bang Bang Chicken Tenders
Flag the allergens. This dish contains milk, wheat, egg from the mayonnaise, and possibly soy, so check every label.
Do not taste the marinade. Never taste the buttermilk marinade after the raw chicken sat in it, and wash your hands and tools after handling raw poultry.
Check the temperature. Chicken is safe at 165 F in the thickest part.
Be careful with hot oil. Lower the tenders into the oil away from you.
Try the air fryer. Spray the coated tenders with oil first.
Adjust the heat. Add more sriracha for a hotter sauce.
Garnish well. Sesame seeds and sliced scallions add crunch.
Check trusted guidance. Read the FDA safe food handling guidance for cooking and chilling poultry.
You can use chicken breast cut into strips if tenderloins are not available. Slice the breast against the grain into strips about one inch wide, and cook for a minute longer. Even thickness matters more than the cut, so pound thicker pieces lightly before marinating.
To make the dish into a meal, pile the sauced tenders on rice with steamed broccoli, or tuck them into a toasted bun with shredded lettuce. Leftover tenders also work chopped over a salad with a drizzle of the extra sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bang Bang Chicken Tenders
How do you keep bang bang chicken tenders crunchy?
Rest the coated chicken, fry in small batches, drain on a rack, and sauce just before serving.
Can you make bang bang chicken tenders in the air fryer?
Yes. Spray the coating with oil and air fry at 400 degrees F for about eighteen minutes, turning halfway.
Can you make bang bang chicken tenders ahead of time?
Marinate the chicken a day early and make the sauce ahead, then cook just before serving.
Can I use plain milk in place of buttermilk?
Yes. Stir one tablespoon of lemon juice into the milk and let it sit for five minutes.
How spicy is the sauce?
It is mild to medium, and you can add or reduce the sriracha to taste.
Bang Bang Chicken Tenders
Equipment
- Large skillet or air fryer
- Wire rack
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 lb chicken tenderloins
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp sweet chili sauce
- 1 tsp sriracha
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 cup vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
Cooking
- Marinate. Chill the chicken in the buttermilk and spices for 2 to 4 hours.
- Coat. Dredge in the flour and cornstarch and rest for 10 minutes.
- Sauce. Stir the mayonnaise, chili sauce, sriracha, honey, and vinegar together and chill.
- Cook. Fry at 375 F for 4 to 6 minutes or air fry at 400 F for 18 minutes.
- Toss. Drain on a rack and toss in the sauce.
