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Bang Bang Chicken

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This is one of those recipes that is so good, you’ll be demanding all of your friends and family make it, just so you can talk with them about how good it is! I have officially entered my “I want to make everything in the oven” era, and there is no better recipe for oven-baking than this Bang Bang Chicken. No stove splatter, minimal prep time, minimal washing up and perfectly cooked chicken with a caramelised, crispy glaze. You can serve this meal with just about anything, but we love it with salads and steamed rice to soak up all of the delicious roasting juices.

A bowl of Bang Bang Chicken with salads and steamed rice
Bang Bang Chicken is beautiful paired with steamed rice, shredded cabbage and julienned carrot.

The chicken is marinated in simple pantry ingredients, before being brushed with a drool-worthy ”bang bang sauce” (a mix of whole-egg mayonnaise and sweet chilli sauce) and oven-baked. If you think mayonnaise in a marinade sounds weird, this recipe will change that forever. The flavour is just AMAZING. I’ve made this for dinner several times in the last few weeks because it’s just so quick and easy. Marinate the chicken, pop it in the oven and then dinner is on the table in less than 30 minutes, with minimal effort and minimal time spent in the kitchen. Hooray for simple, delicious dinners!

What else can I serve with Bang Bang Chicken?

I try to prepare a whole heap of vegetables at the beginning of each week that we can use for quick lunches and dinners. Cabbage, kale and most varieties of lettuce are all great choices to prep ahead of time, as they are robust enough to last a couple of days after being cut. Refrigerate your cut vegetables in an airtight container. Ensure they are completely dry and add a piece of paper towel at the bottom and top of the container to help absorb moisture. This will extend the life of your produce by multiple days. We love serving this recipe with rice and mixed salads for everyone to pile up at the dinner table, but I have lots of other serving ideas for you. This Bang Bang Chicken goes with just about anything! 

Close up of Bang Bang Chicken in a bowl with salads A bowl of Bang Bang Chicken with salads and steamed rice
In this Bang Bang Chicken, the oven bakes the chicken to tender, juicy, golden perfection.

Try steamed broccoli, broccolini (tenderstem broccoli), cauliflower, carrots, snow peas (mangetout), green beans, baby corn or sautéed mushrooms. Other salad combinations like bean sprouts, wombok (napa) cabbage, coriander (cilantro), red onions, capsicum (bell pepper), shredded iceberg lettuce or gem lettuce also work well. Instead of rice, you could try rice noodles or egg noodles. Even a creamy mashed potato or sweet potato mash would be delicious!

Watch how to make Bang Bang Chicken

Can I use chicken breast instead of chicken thigh?

Absolutely. Just make sure you follow step 3 and pound the chicken to an even thickness. You will also have to modify the cooking time to 18–20 minutes, or until the chicken is golden and cooked through. Grill (broil) on high heat for 2–3 minutes if required to caramelise.

Bang Bang Chicken

Bang Bang Chicken

Author: Nicole
5 from 52 votes
“We love this recipe! I love how I can have it all ready beforehand, and then just bake the chicken for half an hour and dinner is done, especially when we have guests.”
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Quick and easy Bang Bang Chicken with a luscious, creamy sauce, is the perfect weeknight family dinner! The chicken is oven-baked to perfection and dinner is on the table with minimal fuss in less than 30 minutes!
Prep 5 minutes
Cook 30 minutes
Total 35 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

BANG BANG SAUCE
  • 250 g (1 cup) whole-egg mayonnaise
  • 60 g (¼ cup) sweet chilli sauce
  • 1 tbsp sriracha or hot chilli sauce (optional)
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
CHICKEN 
  • 600 g (1¼ lb) boneless chicken thighs, skin on or off
  • 1 tsp sweet paprika
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 tbsp tamari or regular soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 60 g (¼ cup) bang bang sauce (see above)
  • 1 spring onion (scallion), sliced
TO SERVE
  • Steamed rice
  • 75 g (1 cup) shredded red cabbage
  • 2 carrots, grated or julienned
  • 1 cucumber, sliced
  • 1 spring onion (scallion), finely sliced

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F). Line a baking tray with baking (parchment) paper. 
  • Make the bang bang sauce – Combine the bang bang sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. Reserve one-quarter of the sauce in a separate bowl to brush over the raw chicken prior to baking. 
  • Prep the chicken – Place the chicken on a chopping board with a sheet of baking paper over the top. Use a mallet or rolling pin to pound the chicken to an even thickness. Cut each piece in half vertically. 
  • Marinate the chicken – Place the chicken in a large shallow bowl and add the sweet paprika, onion powder, black pepper, tamari, brown sugar and olive oil. Using tongs, toss the chicken to coat it evenly in the marinade. 
  • Cook the chicken – Arrange the chicken on the prepared baking tray, so that it is not overlapping. This is important. If the chicken is overcrowded in the baking tray, it will “steam” and it will be much more difficult to achieve a caramelised crust. 
  • Using a pastry brush, brush the reserved one-quarter of the bang bang sauce all over the tops of the chicken pieces.
  • Bake the chicken for 25–30 minutes or until golden and cooked through (see note 1 for troubleshooting). 
  • Serve – Serve with steamed rice, red cabbage, carrot and cucumber. Drizzle with the remaining bang bang sauce and sprinkle with spring onions. 

Nutrition information

Nutrition Facts
Bang Bang Chicken
Amount per Serving
Calories
754
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
58
g
89
%
Saturated Fat
 
10
g
63
%
Trans Fat
 
0.1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
30
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
16
g
Cholesterol
 
169
mg
56
%
Sodium
 
1168
mg
51
%
Potassium
 
705
mg
20
%
Carbohydrates
 
27
g
9
%
Fiber
 
2
g
8
%
Sugar
 
21
g
23
%
Protein
 
32
g
64
%
Vitamin A
 
5787
IU
116
%
Vitamin C
 
21
mg
25
%
Calcium
 
64
mg
6
%
Iron
 
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Disclaimer re gluten-free and dairy-free recipes

Watch how to make it

Recipe notes

Note 1 – If your chicken isn’t caramelised, it may be because your oven wasn’t preheated long enough and therefore not hot enough. Grill (broil) the chicken in the oven for a few minutes on high heat to caramelise if required. Keep an eye on it so that it doesn’t burn!

Make Ahead

Chicken – Marinate the chicken for up to 48 hours prior to cooking.
Bang bang sauce – Prepare the sauce and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 48 hours prior to cooking. 

Leftovers

Refrigerate any leftover chicken for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave. Not suitable to freeze.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!
Course budget-friendly, dairy-free, entrée, mains, one pan, quick and easy
Cuisine Asian

  1. 5 stars
    Ive never made bang bang chicken before & this recipe was the best. Easy prep, very little mess & we loved it. My husband said I don’t think it needs extra bang bang sauce I said just try it & he then changed his mind. I have left over sauce so Im making chicken burgers & using up the extra sauce. Thank you for this great recipe.

    • Thanks for this briliant feedback, Jacinta! 🙌🏻 That sauce will be amazing on the burgers! Thanks also for the rating. ❤️ Nic x

  2. 5 stars
    This recipe was just plain damn delicious! 😋
    And so easy to make, the spice mix was easy and the Bang Bang sauce fabulous! I cooked the chicken in my Ninja airfryer. Thank you …served with rice, cucumber, red cabbage and homegrown tomato!

    • Wonderful to hear, Lorraine! 🙌🏻 I loved hearing how you served it … that homegrown tomato would have been incredible! Thanks for the rating too, ❤️ Nic x

  3. 5 stars
    This recipe is so easy and delicious!

    • So happy you love this one, Bri! Thanks for the rating. Nic x

  4. I’m like Pam, I find the sauce a bit confusing. I made it as per recipe I set aside 1/4 to brush over chicken before cooking but what do I do with the rest of it?
    Is it used as a marinade with the spices?

    • Hi Margaret, thanks for your great question and sorry it’s confusing. You drizzle the rest of the sauce over at the end. I will check the wording of the recipe to make sure it’s clear! Nic x

  5. I find the sauce a bit confusing – is it part of the initial marinade and then brushed on top ( and used to finish) or just brushed on and used as an accompaniment?

    • Hi Pam, thanks for your question. Sorry, I wasn’t thinking here! You make the bang bang sauce, then set one-quarter of it aside for brushing. The other three-quarters you pour over the chicken at the end. I hope this helps! Nic x

  6. 5 stars
    We love this recipe! I love how I can have it all ready beforehand, and then just bake the chicken for half an hour and dinner is done, especially when we have guests. It’s one of my husband’s favourites.

    • Love to hear this, Julie! Thanks so much for the rating, too. Nic x

  7. 5 stars
    Restaurant level!! 😋

    • Aww, Victoria, thank you so much! So glad it was a hit for you. Thanks for the rating, too. Nic x

  8. 5 stars
    Fantastic recipe, easy to make Gluten & Dairy Free, or even Vegetarian/Vegan by making some simple substitutions. My family loves this dish!

    • Hi Val, so happy you were able to tweak the recipe to suit your dietary needs. Thanks for the rating! Nic x

  9. This is one of our favourite meals and on regular rotation. Kid friendly. Delicious. We love putting leftovers in a wrap. For a twist my mum (also obsessed now) uses this chicken, sauce and coleslaw to make chicken burgers!

    • So impressed that you are making the leftovers work for you, Tyler! Brilliant work! Nic x

  10. 5 stars
    Made this the other week and it was literally banging. Such a great dish for the whole family. And that sauce. Ooh mumma. Thanks for the great recipe Nicole.

    • So wonderful to hear, Elia! And thanks for the rating, Nic x

  11. 5 stars
    This bang bang chicken is really good. A family favourite. Only changes I made were cutting chicken into small pieces and I halve the sauce because It’s too much. I’m not normally a fan of mayonnaise but it works!

    • Hi Sandra, thanks for this great feedback. I love to hear how you tweaked the recipe to suit! Thanks also for the rating, Nic x

  12. Thank you for the delicious recipe.
    Cooking it for dinner tonight.

    • Hi Crystal, I hope you enjoyed it!!! Nic x

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Disclaimer re gluten-free and dairy-free recipes 

For recipes labelled ‘gluten-free’ or ‘dairy-free’, the ingredients included in the recipe are typically gluten- or dairy-free. However, it is the user’s responsibility to carefully check the ingredient panels on the specific brands of products purchased and used. Simple Home Edit cannot be held responsible for any adverse reactions.