Bang Bang Chicken Skewers is a quick, easy, and flavorful recipe made with seasoned cubed chicken brushed with homemade bang bang sauce, cooked in an air fryer. They make for a delicious appetizer or main course and can also be made in the oven! Once you taste how good the sauce is, you will want to make my Bang Bang Salmon, too!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Chicken: I prefer chicken breasts for the skewers. However, you could also use chicken thighs, but cooking times may vary. When cubing the chicken, try to get them as close in size as possible for even cooking.
Seasonings: To season the chicken, you will need paprika, garlic powder, kosher salt, and pepper.
Mayonnaise: The mayonnaise gives the sauce the creamy texture and richness that bang bang sauce is known for. If you don’t have any on hand, make your own!
Sweet Chili Sauce: Thai sweet chili sauce gives bang bang sauce its distinctive taste and contributes to its overall sweetness. If possible, make your own!
Sriracha: Sriracha gives the sauce a spicy kick with some heat. You can definitely add more (or use less), depending on how much heat you can handle!
Honey: Honey is used to balance out the flavors of the sauce. It adds a natural sweetness that helps to counteract the heat from the Sriracha and balances the tanginess of the Thai sweet chili sauce.
Wooden Skewers vs Metal Skewers
Both wooden and metal skewers can be used when making these bang bang chicken skewers, even in the air fryer. If using wooden skewers, be sure they are soaked in water for at least 30 minutes before using them. Soaking them in water prevents the skewers from charring during cooking. If using metal skewers, make sure they fit in the basket of your air fryer. If using wooden skewers, you can break them in half if you need to shorten them.
Can I Make Bang Bang Chicken Skewers Ahead Of Time?
Yes! You can get the seasoned chicken skewers assembled ahead of time as well as make the bang bang sauce in advance. Once you have the chicken on the skewers, you can store them in the refrigerator or freeze them before cooking. If stored in the refrigerator, they will last 2-3 days, covered. These can also be frozen ahead of time. To freeze, tightly wrap the chicken skewers; they will last in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to cook them, let the skewers thaw in the refrigerator overnight. The bang bang sauce can be mixed together and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Storing & Reheating Bang Bang Chicken Skewers
If you have any leftover chicken skewers, store the skewers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. (If preferred, you can remove the chicken from the skewers when storing.) Reheat them in the oven, microwave, or in a skillet on the stovetop. Store the leftover reserved bang bang sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Brush it over the reheated chicken.
Bang Bang Chicken Skewers
Ingredients
- wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Bang Bang Sauce
- 1 ¼ cups (290 g) mayonnaise
- ⅔ cup Thai sweet chili sauce
- 2 teaspoons Sriracha, or more to taste
- 2 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the cubed chicken breasts, oil, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Toss to evenly coat the chicken.
- Working one skewer at a time, thread 4-5 chicken cubes onto each.
- In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce, Sriracha, and honey. Mix well. This will make about 1 ¾ cups bang bang sauce.
- Pour half of the sauce into a separate bowl and set aside to use after the chicken has been cooked. Use the rest of the sauce to brush evenly over the chicken.
- Add the skewers to the basket of your air fryer in a single layer. (Depending on the size of the air fryer, you may have to work in batches.)
- Air fry* at 400°F for 11-12 minutes, flipping halfway. Chicken is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Transfer the skewers to a plate and drizzle or brush with the reserved bang bang sauce. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the seasoned cubes of chicken onto the skewers, then onto the lined baking sheet. (Do not brush the chicken with bang bang sauce until after baking in the oven.)
- Cook the chicken skewers for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Remove from the oven. Brush with the bang bang sauce and serve.
- Thread the seasoned chicken onto the skewers. (Wait until after grilling to brush with the bang bang sauce.) Grill over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes per side, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Brush the grilled chicken with the bang bang sauce.
Did you make this recipe?
You can tag me at @iamhomesteader.
What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
If you are looking for a simple dish that packs some serious flavor, this one is for you. Bang Bang sauce is one my favorites because it works well with everything. I usually make extra just to have for other recipes because it is just that good.
Elizabeth
I am a huge fan of bang bang sauce, so I knew I would love it on these chicken skewers. Well, I was right! Besides being delicious, they are super easy to put together and make! Winner, winner, chi…don't say it, don't say, CHICKEN DINNER (or appetizer)!
Rachael
Put this sauce on everything, it is amazing! The air fryer gets everything perfectly crisped on the outside and juicy on the inside. You can't go wrong with bang bang sauce, that's for sure!
Annabelle
So good! These are flavorful, juicy, and just delicious (not to mention they're pretty easy to make)!
Bella
Bang Bang sauce on meat is always a winner! It works so well with chicken in this recipe. Sort of sweet and sort of creamy! A great balance of flavors. These chicken skewers are so simple, especially in the air fryer.
Selena
So easy and SOOOO flavorful. I really like the bang bang sauce on these. Super easy to throw together!
Hi!! These look amazing!!! Could you please suggest side dishes for these chicken skewers? I would appreciate it!!
HI Lucia! In this post there is a section called “What To Serve With Bang Bang Chicken Thighs” and everything listed would also be great for the skewers!
https://iamhomesteader.com/bang-bang-chicken-thighs/
Will this recipe work if using a smokeless indoor electric grill?
Sure!
How can I freeze this. Am having surgery and have made this great recipe before. So I am trying to prep things to put in freezer
Hi Kathy! Best of luck on your surgery! I don’t recommend freezing these after they have cooked as this is a mayo-based sauce. If you decided to brave it anyway, be sure to remove the chicken from the skewer before freezing. HOWEVER! I just published the chicken thigh version of this recipe! You could make and freeze the chicken then just prepare the sauce after thawing and reheating it. 🙂
https://iamhomesteader.com/bang-bang-chicken-thighs/
If you want a change in your usual chicken kabobs , this is a great recipe. The chicken is tender and tasty and easy prep time.
So delicious and easy!
Just made this and wow what a great dish, we had with rice, baby sweetcorn, broccoli it was so good. The sauce is YUMMY…if you haven’t tried it make sure you do, really easy and I prepared in advance too.
Can you put the sauce on the chicken at the half time instead of putting on afterwards? Where the taste is cooked into the chicken?
You can, but it has a tendency to burn. Putting it on at the half way mark might mean less burning, but be careful! 🙂
really good! I was feeling laze so I filleted my chicken breasts then did a 1-inch score on the top and let all the sauce and seasoning drip into that & it was so good & easy. Will definitely be making again, but with about 1/2 the sauce recipe.
Dad at home! Great recipe, easy, quick with loads of flavour. My girls love it.
Skewers on the BBQ with basmati rice on the side.
Love this recipe!! The chicken is super tender and delicious, and the bang bang sauce was YUM. Instead of using all mayo I used a 5.3 oz container of Chobani plain greek yogurt. I then added just enough mayo to take away the tartness of the yogurt yet still taste the mayo. Give it a try!
I did same.
This is the best recipe! Didn’t know if you knew but some girl SailerBaily copied your recipe and has it on her website. It looks like she copied everything from you including her images and the tips and stuff. I left a comment but she refused to publish it.
We grilled our chicken on skewers in the Webber Then basted with sauce immediately when done. We made jasmine rice with celery, water chestnuts, green onion then dressed all with the rest of the bang bang sauce 🤪amazing!!
Hello, how many skewers will this make? I’m making these as the entree for five people and wanted to make sure I had enough.
Hi Cynthia! The recipe card says it makes 16 skewers. So in your case that would be enough for each person to have 3 skewers, which I believe would be plenty. 🙂 It will definitely be plenty if you have any other sides or snacks being served. Hope that helps!
So easy and soooooo good!
I would love to try these, but like a few others have asked, for a healthier option can we sub the mayonnaise for Greek yogurt?
Hi Gina! I have not tested this with Greek yogurt so cannot speak to flavor or consistency, but you should be able to use it.
Wonderful made last week ages 70 to 8 all loved it! Used thighs very moist. I will make it again.
Hello I was thinking thighs to. And how did you make yours in air fryer, grill, or oven and what did you make with it
All of that information is right above.
I saw another recipe for these on the internet and it called for cayanne pepper and I tried it and I have to tell you it ruined it. inedible. Yours is the only recipe for bang bang skewers it is perfect as is and i hope everyone makes this!!
wow wow wow Made these last night and came back to say that it was so freaking good! I will definitely make this again! The sauce is amazing! Total hit!
I opted for your grilling instructions and my husband was not impressed. As in – these tasted better than anything he has made on the grill and I think he thought I dethroned him 🤣 all of us thought these were so good and he was sulking in the corner because of all the praise I was getting.
when I tell you these are now what I am known for and no one comes here without expecting them I am not kidding. thanks for the crown, I am wearing it proudly!
hahahahahahaha you are amazing. I love this so much
Very good! Why shouldn’t you add sauce to chicken if done in the oven, rather than air fryer?
When testing we found that the sauce burned in the oven method.
Delish. Made this last week and requested again today.