Sometimes you just need a crispy chicken bite that feels like comfort food but still comes together in under 30 minutes. That’s exactly what this Air Fryer Bang Bang Chicken is all about. Golden chicken breast chunks get a crunchy coating, then tossed or dipped in that irresistible creamy-spicy-sweet bang bang sauce. It’s one of those recipes that makes both kids and adults light up when it hits the table.
Why I Love Making This
I’ll be honest, my first introduction to “bang bang” anything wasn’t shrimp — it was this chicken version. The sauce hits every note: a little heat from chili garlic, creaminess from mayo, and just enough tang and sweetness to make it addictive. What I love most is that it feels like a guilty pleasure, but with the air fryer and simple swaps, it’s actually lighter and better for everyday meals.
This recipe really shines for family dinners. My kids treat these bites like upgraded chicken nuggets, while I see them as the perfect weekend appetizer for watching a game or having friends over. Everyone wins.
How I Put It Together
Here’s my usual flow:
- Cut boneless chicken breast into chunks.
- Dip each piece in an egg and lime wash.
- Coat in almond flour mixed with crushed tortilla or plantain chips (that crunch makes all the difference).
- Cook in the air fryer until golden, flipping halfway for even crispiness.
While the chicken cooks, I whisk up the sauce: mayonnaise, chili garlic sauce, rice vinegar, and honey. Sometimes I make extra because people always want more for dipping.
My Kitchen Tips for Success
- Crunch factor: Don’t skip the chips in the coating if you have them. The almond flour is nice, but the chips take it to another level.
- Sauce trick: If you want a little extra depth, add a squeeze of lime juice to the sauce. It brightens everything.
- Batch cooking: Avoid crowding the air fryer basket — it’s better to cook in two smaller batches than have soggy chicken.
- Heat level: The chili garlic sauce brings medium heat. If you’ve got little ones, start with less and stir more in at the end for adults.
Make-Ahead or Oven Option
These are best eaten fresh out of the air fryer, but I’ve made them ahead by cooking, cooling, then reheating in the air fryer for a few minutes to crisp them back up. The sauce can be made earlier in the day and stored in the fridge.
No air fryer? The oven works too. Just bake at 450°F, flip halfway, and you’ll still get a crunchy coating.
How We Serve It
At home, we usually pile these on a platter with the sauce on the side for dipping. If it’s just dinner for us, I’ll drizzle the sauce right over the chicken and serve with steamed rice and roasted broccoli. For game day, I set them out like finger food — toothpicks on the side, plenty of napkins, and the bowl of sauce front and center.
Variations and Special Diet Tweaks
- Keto-friendly: Skip the honey and chips. The sauce will be spicier and less sweet, but still tasty.
- Whole30-friendly: Leave out the honey and chips, and use a compliant mayo.
- Shrimp version: If you’re a fan of bang bang shrimp, this same recipe works beautifully with shrimp — just reduce the cook time.
Air Fryer Bang Bang Chicken Breast
Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and drizzled with a creamy-sweet-spicy sauce—this Air Fryer Bang Bang Chicken is a crowd-pleaser you can whip up in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 lb chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ cup crushed plantain chips or tortilla chips*
- 1 cup blanched almond flour
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
For the Bang Bang Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce (or sriracha)**
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Start by preparing the coating. In one shallow bowl, stir together the almond flour, crushed chips, and salt. In another bowl, whisk the egg with lime juice until smooth.
- Dip each piece of chicken into the egg mixture, then coat in the flour mixture, pressing lightly so it sticks. Arrange the chicken in a single layer in your air fryer basket—work in batches if needed.
- Cook at 380°F for 8–10 minutes. Flip the chicken pieces and cook for another 6–8 minutes, until golden and crisp on the outside and fully cooked inside.
- While the chicken cooks, make the sauce by whisking together mayonnaise, chili garlic sauce, rice vinegar, and honey until creamy and smooth.
- Once the chicken is ready, serve immediately with a drizzle of sauce or keep it on the side for dipping.
- Oven Option: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Arrange coated chicken on a greased sheet pan and bake for 12 minutes. Flip, then bake another 10–12 minutes until crispy and cooked through.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 603Total Fat 41gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 33gCholesterol 154mgSodium 623mgCarbohydrates 15gFiber 4gSugar 6gProtein 43g
All Chicken Recipes.com, occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although allchickenrecipes.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
Final Thought
This Air Fryer Bang Bang Chicken is proof that you don’t need a deep fryer to get that restaurant-style crispy chicken with a crave-worthy sauce. It’s fast, family-friendly, and flexible enough for weeknights or weekends. For me, it’s the kind of recipe that bridges the gap between “fun food” and “better-for-you food,” which is exactly why it’s stayed on our regular rotation.