Bang Bang Chicken

5 from 1 vote

Crispy Bang Bang Chicken in air-fryer—made lighter with Greek yogurt instead of mayo! Healthier, higher in protein, and super easy to make. Perfect for weeknights when you want comfort food without the crash.

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Servings: people

Author: Bea & Marco

Ingredients

Chicken and seasonings

2 lb (900 g) chicken breast
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
½ tablespoon garlic powder
½ tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper powder

Chicken coating

¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
2 eggs
3 cup (120 g) cornflakes

Sauce

½ cup (125 g) plain Greek yogurt
¼ cup (g) tahini optional but highly recommended
3 tablespoon sweet chili sauce
2 tablespoon sriracha
2 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon lime juice

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Instructions

Prep the chicken

Cut your chicken into chicken tender size and mix well with the seasonings. This builds flavor from the inside, so every bite tastes good, even before the sauce. Let it come to room temperature, and that's enough time to season it!
2 lb chicken breast, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, ½ tablespoon garlic powder, ½ tablespoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
Pop the cornflakes into a blender or food processor and pulse until they’re semi-coarse—not too fine! You want texture here—that’s what gives that satisfying crunch.
3 cup cornflakes
Coat the chicken with flour. Set up your workspace with a plate of beaten eggs and another with crushed cornflakes. Take one piece of chicken at a time, dip it in the egg, and press it into the cornflakes. Make sure it's well-coated for maximum crispness.
¼ cup all-purpose flour, 2 eggs

Cook

Preheat the air fryer to 430°F (220°C). Place the coated chicken in the air fryer in a single layer, spray some oil, and cook until crispy and golden, for 10 minutes, flipping halfway. The result? Crispy outside, juicy inside—no deep-frying needed.

Sauce

In a bowl, stir together all the sauce ingredients. Taste and tweak as you like. This sauce is the heart of Bang Bang Chicken—creamy, spicy, sweet, and addictive.
½ cup plain Greek yogurt, ¼ cup tahini, 3 tablespoon sweet chili sauce, 2 tablespoon sriracha, 2 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon lime juice

Notes

Let the chicken rest. A 15-minute rest to get to room temperature after seasoning helps it cook evenly and soak up flavor.
Crush the cornflakes just right. Aim for a mix of small and big bits—too fine loses crunch, too big won’t stick.
Don’t overcrowd the chicken. Give space to crisp up—piling makes it steam, not crunch.
Tahini is optional—but so worth it. It adds nutty depth and nods to the original Chinese version. The sauce still works without it, but it’s that extra touch.
Omitting tahini. Add Greek yogurt and lime juice with 2 tablespoon sweet chili sauce, 1 tablespoon sriracha, and 1 tablespoon honey. Tweak as needed.
Cooking with the oven. Spread them out, spray with a bit of oil, and bake at 425°F (220°C) preheated oven, for 18–22 minutes, flipping halfway. Broil for 2–3 minutes for extra crisp.

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