Crispy bang bang chicken tossed with pasta in a creamy zesty sauce. This meal is so easy to make and is a family favorite!
The Inspiration
The first time I ever had bang bang anything, it was the bang bang shrimp appetizer at Bonefish Grill. I loved the sweet, slightly tangy, and creamy sauce coating the shrimp.
I wanted to revisit these flavors and incorporate them into a more filling meal, so bang bang chicken pasta was born.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It comes together in 30 minutes! I'm all for quick and delicious meals!
- It's creamy, zesty, and spicy. Mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, and sriracha make this sauce addicting!
- It's full of textures. If you haven't noticed yet, I'm totally a textures gal. The crispy chicken, paired with chewy al dente pasta, and the creamy sauce creates a party in your mouth.
Ingredients
- Mayo- My favorite is Duke's.
- Sweet chili sauce- I used Mae Ploy sweet chili sauce, but you can use any brand.
- Sriracha- the OG Huy Fong. You can use your favorite hot sauce, sambal oelek, or chili garlic sauce for a similar taste.
- Rice vinegar- gives the sauce some acidity. Apple cider vinegar will also work.
- Penne pasta- any pasta shape will do!
- Chicken- I used chicken breast, but boneless skinless chicken thighs also work. You can also use shrimp instead to make bang bang shrimp pasta!
- Flour and corn starch- potato starch or all flour will work.
- Milk- water will do in a pinch.
- Panko bread crumbs- if you can find Japanese style panko bread crumbs, even better!
- Oil- any neutral oil like vegetable, canola or avocado oil for frying.
How to Make Crispy Bang Bang Chicken Pasta
- Make the bang bang chicken sauce.
- Cook the pasta until al dente.
- Mix the chicken with the batter.
- Coat the chicken in panko bread crumbs.
- Fry the chicken.
- Toss the chicken and pasta with bang bang sauce.
Tasty Tips
- Drain the chicken on a wire rack instead of paper towels. This allows for air flow and prevents the chicken from getting soggy.
- Fry in batches as needed. Overcrowding the pan will decrease the temperature of the oil.
- Adjust the hot sauce to your taste. Add more if you like it spicy!
FAQs
This Americanized version of bang bang chicken is nothing like the traditional Sichuan dish. The phrase comes from the Chinese word "bang" which means a tool used to smash. Check out the legit version of bang bang chicken here!
This dish is best eaten immediately so the chicken stays crispy. However, you can do most of the prep work ahead of time like mixing the sauce and coating the chicken.
I recommend only making enough for what you will be able to eat immediately. The creamy sauce does not reheat well and will split. If you plan on leftovers, store the cooked pasta, chicken, and sauce separately. Reheat the pasta in the microwave and the chicken in the air fryer, oven or refry it. Then, toss the bang bang sauce with the pasta and chicken.
More Pasta Recipes You'll Love
- Creamy Cajun Salmon Pasta
- Spinach Artichoke Pasta Bake
- Garlic Miso Pasta with Shiitake Mushrooms
- One Pot Sausage Peppers and Onions Pasta
Crispy Bang Bang Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- ½ pound penne pasta
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- ¼ cup whole milk
- kosher salt and black pepper to taste
- ¾ pound chicken 1 inch pieces
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- oil for frying
- 2 tablespoons scallions thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds optional
Bang Bang Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sweet chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the ingredients for the bang bang sauce and set aside.
- Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente; drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, prepare the batter by mixing flour, corn starch, milk, salt, and black pepper. Start with ¼ cup of milk then add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time, as needed, to achieve a consistency similar to pancake batter.
- Add the chicken and mix to coat.
- In another bowl, add panko bread crumbs. Let excess batter drip off from the chicken, then coat it in the panko bread crumbs, gently pressing the bread crumbs into the chicken. Place the coated chicken onto a baking sheet.
- In a skillet, heat ½ inch of oil to 375°F and fry the chicken for 5-8 minutes, flipping halfway, until cooked through and golden brown. Drain on a wire rack.
- In a mixing bowl, toss the pasta with the chicken and bang bang sauce. Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds if desired and serve immediately.
Notes
- Fry in batches as needed. Overcrowding the pan will decrease the temperature of the oil.
- Adjust the hot sauce to your taste. Add more if you like it spicy!
- If the batter is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time as needed, to achieve a consistency similar to pancake batter. If the batter is too thin, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time as needed.
- Nutrition estimate does not include oil absorbed during frying.
Haley says
New favorite in our house! Best bang bang recipe I’ve tried so far.