Okay, fine – we admit it. Air fryers are actually amazing, and these crispy bang bang chicken bites prove why everyone’s obsessed with them.
We resisted the air fryer hype for way too long, but these air fryer chicken bites converted us completely. The air fryer creates this insanely crispy coating while keeping the chicken incredibly juicy inside – something that’s honestly hard to achieve even with traditional frying. That buttermilk marinade keeps everything tender, while the panko gets golden and crunchy in just 10 minutes.
But let’s talk about this bang bang sauce – it’s the perfect balance of creamy, sweet, and spicy that makes these bites absolutely addictive. We’ve served these at parties with our air fryer bang bang shrimp, made them for quick dinners, and honestly caught ourselves sneaking them straight from the air fryer basket.
Once you try this recipe, you’ll understand why we finally jumped on the air fryer bandwagon.
🔪 Ingredients & Tools You’ll Need for this Bang Bang Chicken Recipe
For the Chicken Bites:
- Boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- All-purpose flour
- Cornstarch
- Buttermilk
- Egg
- Hot sauce
- Garlic powder, onion powder
- Kosher salt & black pepper
- Panko breadcrumbs or Pork Panko if you’re keeping it Keto
- Cooking spray, for air fryer
For the Bang Bang Sauce:
- Mayonnaise
- Thai Sweet chili sauce
- Sriracha
- Honey
- Salt & black pepper
- Chopped green onions, for garnish
Equipment
- Air fryer
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Tongs
- Baking sheet (for prepping coated chicken)
📝 Step-by-Step Instructions For Air Fryer Chicken Bites
- Prep the chicken: Pat the chicken dry and cut it into 1-inch bite-sized pieces.
- Make the marinade: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, buttermilk, egg, hot sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper until smooth. Add chicken, toss to coat, and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Bread the bites: Remove chicken from marinade, shaking off excess. Press each piece firmly into panko breadcrumbs until fully coated. Place on a baking sheet.
- Air fry: Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil or cooking spray. Arrange chicken in a single layer, leaving space between each piece. Spray tops with cooking spray. Cook at 375°F for 10–12 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden brown and crisp. Internal temperature should hit 165°F.
- Make the sauce: While the chicken cooks, whisk together mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, honey, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
- Toss and serve: Transfer hot chicken bites to a large bowl. Drizzle with Bang Bang sauce, toss to coat, and garnish with green onions.
🔄 Substitutions & Variations
- Protein swaps: Try shrimp, cauliflower, or even tofu instead of chicken.
- Breadcrumbs: Use pork panko, crushed cornflakes, or seasoned breadcrumbs if you don’t have panko.
- Sauce tweaks: Add lime juice for brightness or swap honey for agave.
💡 Meat Nerd Tips
- Bread chicken up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerate until ready to air fry for extra crunch.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer – cook in batches so the coating stays crisp.
- Preheat the air fryer (3 to 5 minutes at 375°F) for better browning and even cooking.
- Want more kick? Add extra sriracha to the sauce or bump up the hot sauce in the marinade.
- For a lighter sauce, swap half the mayo with Greek yogurt.
- Dark meat advantage: Chicken thighs hold up better in the air fryer and stay juicier than breasts, especially when cooking in batches.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
- Serve with extra Bang Bang sauce for dipping.
- Pair with crisp veggies like celery sticks or cucumber slices to balance the richness.
- Turn into dinner: serve over steamed rice or with a crunchy slaw.
🧊 Leftovers & Storage
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F for 5 to 6 minutes to restore crispiness.
Have you tried this recipe? Do us a favor and rate the recipe card with the ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ and drop a comment to help out the next reader.
Air Fryer Bang Bang Chicken Bites Recipe
The chicken bites that make your air fryer worth owning. Crispy coating that shatters when you bite it, juicy meat that makes you forget frozen nuggets exist, and a sauce so good you'll hide it from your family.
Recommended Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Whisk
- tongs
- Baking sheet for prepping coated chicken
Ingredients
For the Chicken Bites:
- 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- Cooking spray for air fryer
For the Bang Bang Sauce:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
- 2 teaspoons sriracha
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Chopped green onions for garnish
Instructions
Prep the chicken bites:
- Pat the chicken dry and cut it into 1-inch bite-sized pieces.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all purpose flour, cornstarch, egg, hot sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper and buttermilk until smooth.
- Add the chicken pieces, toss to coat, and let marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Remove chicken pieces from the buttermilk mixture, shaking off excess.
- Dredge each piece in the panko breadcrumbs, pressing gently until fully coated on all sides.
Air fry the chicken bites:
- Meanwhile, preheat your air fryer for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
- Place chicken bites in a single layer, leaving space between each piece. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray as well.
- Cook at 375°F (190°C) for 10–12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crispy. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
Make the Bang bang sauce:
- In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, and honey until smooth.
Serve:
- Transfer hot chicken bites to a large bowl.
- Drizzle with Bang Bang sauce or serve in a bowl on the side for dipping.
- Garnish with green onions and serve.
Notes
- Cook the chicken in batches so the coating stays crisp.
- Preheat the air fryer for 3 minutes at 375°F to get better browning and even cooking.
- Bread the chicken up to 4 hours ahead and keep it in the fridge until ready to air fry for extra crunch.
- If you like more heat, add extra sriracha to the sauce or a little more hot sauce to the marinade.
- For a lighter sauce, swap half the mayo with Greek yogurt.
- Chicken thighs hold up better in the air fryer and stay juicier than breasts, especially when cooking multiple batches.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 690kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 166mg | Sodium: 1095mg | Potassium: 802mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 183IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 3mg
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❓Bang Bang Chicken Bites FAQs
Is the Bang Bang sauce very spicy?
Not overly. It’s creamy with a gentle kick. Adjust the sriracha to taste.
Can I bake these instead of using the air fryer?
Yes – bake at 400°F for 15–18 minutes, flipping once. They won’t be quite as crispy, but still tasty.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?
Absolutely. Thighs are juicier and more forgiving, while breasts keep it lean.
Do I need to preheat the air fryer?
Yes. Preheating helps crisp the breading and cook the chicken evenly.
