These Bang Bang Chicken Skewers are made with juicy chicken thighs, the tastiest sweet, spicy bang bang sauce, and then air fried to crispy perfection. They’re delicious on their own (next to a side of extra sauce, of course) as an appetizer, over a bed of white rice for dinner, or meal prepped ahead of time for the easiest grab-and-go lunch!
Table of Contents
- This recipe is…
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Bang Bang Chicken Skewers Recipe Ingredients
- Recipe Variations and Modifications
- How to Make Bang Bang Chicken Skewers
- How to Make Bang Bang Chicken Skewers in the Oven
- Recipe Tips
- How to Serve
- How to Store and Reheat
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Favorite Chicken Recipes
- Bang Bang Chicken Skewers Recipe
This recipe is…
Disclaimer: this recipe is NOT traditional Bang Bang Chicken – it’s our spin on the Americanized version. Traditional Bang Bang Chicken is a street food in Sichuan (a province in southwestern China), and the sauce is VERY different than Americanized recipes – the Americanized version is usually a sweet, spicy, creamy mayo-based sauce, while the traditional is made up of soy sauce, sesame paste, chili oil, vinegar, fresh garlic, fresh ginger, and Sichuan peppercorns. The name “Bang Bang” refers to how the chicken is shredded (in the traditional version) rather than the sauce itself, though Americanized versions typically refer to the sauce as “bang bang sauce.” When searching for the traditional version, you may also see it referred to as Bam Bam or Bon Bon chicken.
MANY Americanized Bang Bang chicken recipes call for breaded and fried chicken, but our version is lightened up and cooked in the air fryer. It’s still every bit as juicy and delicious (I’d argue more delicious, actually)!
If you’re looking for more delicious chicken recipes, we’ve got a ton. Be sure to check out our garlic parmesan chicken skewers, chicken gyros, hot honey chicken, and if you’re looking for a simple, delicious Instant Pot meal, this Bourbon Chicken recipe!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s delicious and full of flavor – the creamy, sweet, spicy sauce that first bastes the chicken and then, later on, is used as a dipping sauce is so yummy and full of flavor. It totally levels up this recipe!
- It’s easy to make – the beauty of the air fryer is that is makes the most delicious, crispy food in a fraction of the time that it would take in the oven, and this recipe is no exception. Skewering the chicken thighs takes a little bit of time (not hard, just takes a few minutes), but overall, the recipe is incredibly easy!
- It’s perfect for meal prep – if you’re a meal prepper, this recipe is for you. It’s so easy to make a big batch of for a week’s worth of lunches!
Bang Bang Chicken Skewers Recipe Ingredients
You’ll need chicken thighs and a handful of ingredients for the Bang Bang sauce! Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and swaps) below.
- Chicken thighs – we used chicken thighs for this recipe because they have the ability to get a nice crispy exterior while staying deliciously juicy on the inside. That said, feel free to use chicken tenders or chicken breasts in their place, if you’d like!
- Thai sweet chili sauce – if you’ve never purchased Thai sweet chili sauce, it’s typically found in the Asian section of the International Foods aisle at most grocery stores.
- Mayonnaise – we always grab avocado oil mayo (Primal Kitchen’s is our favorite), but feel free to use whatever mayo you have on hand.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Recipe Variations and Modifications
- Dairy-free – this recipe is dairy-free as is.
- Grain-free – this recipe is also grain-free!
- Gluten-free – this recipe is also gluten-free, so no need for any modifications.
- Nut-free – this recipe is also nut-free.
- Egg-free – grab a vegan mayo (this one is a great option) to make this recipe egg-free.
How to Make Bang Bang Chicken Skewers
You’ll start by making the Bang Bang sauce, then cutting and skewering the chicken thighs, and then cooking the delicious, basted chicken skewers in the air fryer. Follow along below for the full how-to.
Step 1: Add the mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce, sriracha, honey, and rice wine vinegar to a large bowl and whisk to combine.
Step 2: Cut the chicken thighs into 2-inch by 1-inch rectangles (there may be some variance in size, and that’s okay!).
Step 3: Trim the wooden skewers so that they’ll fit in your air fryer (poultry shears intended for deboning a chicken work great for snipping wooden skewers). Fold each chicken thigh “rectangle” in half, and tightly pack 6-7 pieces onto each wooden skewer, repeating until you’ve worked through the whole batch. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
Step 4: Using a basting brush, brush all sides of each skewer with the sauce. Place in the air fryer at 350°F for 5 minutes, baste again with more sauce, cook for 5 minutes more, then baste again, and cook for one last 5 minute spell, for a total cooking time of 15 minutes. The chicken will be golden brown in color. Repeat as needed to work through the whole batch.
Step 5: Garnish with fresh green onions and serve alongside more bang bang sauce, white rice and sliced cucumbers (if you’d like).
How to Make Bang Bang Chicken Skewers in the Oven
If you don’t have an air fryer but still want to make these delicious, juicy skewers, the oven can definitely get the job done.
Follow all of the same steps above, but instead of sticking the skewers in the air fryer, place them on a parchment paper lined sheet pan in a 425°F oven. After 6 minutes, open the oven, rotate the skewers, baste again, and continue baking for another 6 minutes. After that 6 minutes is up, repeat the process (open the oven, rotate the skewers, baste again, and continue baking for 6 minutes), cooking the skewers for a total of 18 minutes.
Know that the chicken skewers may not be *as* crispy out of the oven as they are straight from the air fryer, but they’ll be pretty close and still really, really delicious.
Recipe Tips
- If you need to trim your wood skewers so that they fit in the air fryer, we recommend using heavy duty poultry shears for the cleanest, easiest cut.
- If you can find metal skewers that will fit into your air fryer, that’s also a great option!
- Feel free to make this recipe nugget-style (without skewers). Just know that if you go this route, the chicken will likely cook a bit faster, so be sure to keep your eye on that.
How to Serve
Serve these skewers alongside extra bang bang sauce for a delicious appetizer, meal prep a big batch for lunch for the week, or make these skewers the main component of a delicious family-friendly dinner (white rice and cucumbers make for delicious accompaniments, as pictured here!).
How to Store and Reheat
Store any leftover chicken skewers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To reheat, either pop a couple of skewers in the microwave for 1-2 minutes (this will be the least crispy reheat), reheat them in a 350°F air fryer for 4-5 minutes (this will result in crispier leftovers), or reheat them in a 425°F oven for 7-8 minutes (this will also result in nice, crispy leftovers).
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe was originally written for the air fryer, but if you don’t have an air fryer, the oven will certainly work. To make these skewers in the oven, simply…
Follow all of the same steps in the recipe card, but instead of sticking the skewers in the air fryer, place them on a parchment paper lined sheet pan in a 425°F oven. After 6 minutes, open the oven, rotate the skewers, baste again, and continue baking for another 6 minutes. After that 6 minutes is up, repeat the process (open the oven, rotate the skewers, baste again, and continue baking for 6 minutes), cooking the skewers for a total of 18 minutes.
We didn’t soak the wooden skewers before putting them in the air fryer, and though they got slightly browned, they were just fine. They’ll also be fine in the oven without soaking, but if you plan on grilling these bad boys on a charcoal or gas grill (something with an open flame), it’s a good idea to soak them for at least 30 minutes ahead of cooking.
More Favorite Chicken Recipes
If you tried this Bang Bang Chicken Skewer recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Bang Bang Chicken Skewers
Ingredients
For the Bang Bang Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup Thai sweet chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
For the Chicken Skewers
- 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch strips
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup green onions, cut on a bias, optional, for garnish
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Add the mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce, sriracha, honey, and rice wine vinegar to a large bowl and whisk to combine.
- Cut the chicken thighs into 2-inch by 1-inch rectangles (there may be some variance in size, and that’s okay!).
- Trim the wooden skewers so that they’ll fit in your air fryer (poultry shears intended for deboning a chicken work great for snipping wooden skewers). Fold each chicken thigh “rectangle” in half, and tightly pack 6-7 pieces onto each wooden skewer, repeating until you’ve worked through the whole batch. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Using a basting brush, brush all sides of each skewer with the sauce. Place in the air fryer at 350°F for 5 minutes, baste again with more sauce, cook for 5 minutes more, then baste again, and cook for one last 5 minute spell, for a total cooking time of 15 minutes. The chicken will be golden brown in color. Repeat as needed to work through the whole batch.
- Garnish with fresh green onions and serve alongside more bang bang sauce, white rice and sliced cucumbers (if you’d like).
Recipe Notes
- If you need to trim your wood skewers so that they fit in the air fryer, we recommend using heavy duty poultry shears for the cleanest, easiest cut.
- If you can find metal skewers that will fit into your air fryer, that’s also a great option!
- Feel free to make this recipe nugget-style (without skewers). Just know that if you go this route, the chicken will likely cook a bit faster, so be sure to keep your eye on that.
Nutrition
We have made this recipe several times and it is ALWAYS a hit with our teenagers and their friends. My son in law requested this for his big birthday dinner.
For BDAY DINNER!?!?! What a compliment!!! We are so so happy y’all love them, Amy!!
Yum! I did these as strips and served with Mexican Cole slaw. This will make the rotation!
Great idea to serve as strips, Leah! We are so happy you enjoyed them!
This is such a quick and easy meal! We cut up chicken breasts, tossed them in the sauce and threw that right into the air fryer! Ready in 12 minutes! Served with some rice and broccoli, this was perfect for a weeknight!
Incredible, Katrina!!! We are so so happy you enjoyed them!
3 lbs of chicken is 5 servings? I don’t think the nutrition info is accurate.
HI Vicky! That is correct!
This sounds like a great recipe! How would you adapt the cooking if you don’t have an air fryer??
Oven instructions?
Hi Jessica and Erika! Follow all of the same steps above, but instead of sticking the skewers in the air fryer, place them on a parchment paper lined sheet pan in a 425°F oven. After 6 minutes, open the oven, rotate the skewers, baste again, and continue baking for another 6 minutes. After that 6 minutes is up, repeat the process (open the oven, rotate the skewers, baste again, and continue baking for 6 minutes), cooking the skewers for a total of 18 minutes 🙂