Description
Crispy Sichuan-style bang bang chicken tenders pack intense flavor with a spicy-sweet crunch. Zesty sauce and golden-brown coating create an irresistible meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs (680 g) boneless chicken breasts (cubed)
- 2 eggs (beaten with 2 tbsps water)
- 0.75 cups (90 g) all-purpose flour
- 0.5 cups (60 g) cornstarch
- 0.5 cups (50 g) Japanese panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp coarse salt
- 0.5 tsp ground black pepper
- 0.25 tsp onion powder
- 0.25 tsp garlic powder
- 0.5 cups mayonnaise
- 0.5 cups sweet chili sauce
- 1–2 tbsps hot sauce (to taste)
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
Instructions
- Sauce Preparation: Whisk mayonnaise, hot sauce, sweet chili sauce, and rice vinegar in a bowl. Refrigerate to intensify flavor profile and allow ingredients to meld harmoniously.
- Oven Calibration: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) and lightly spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray to prevent chicken from sticking.
- Coating Setup: Create three distinct dredging stations – first with cornstarch, second with whisked eggs and water, third combining flour, panko breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.
- Chicken Transformation: Meticulously coat each chicken tender by first rolling in cornstarch, then dipping in egg wash, allowing excess to drip off, and finally encrusting with seasoned breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently to ensure complete coverage.
- Baking Process: Position coated chicken tenders on prepared baking sheet, spacing them to promote even crisping and golden browning. Roast for 12-14 minutes until exterior turns golden and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Sauce Finale: Either drizzle chilled sauce over hot tenders, serve as a dipping companion, or completely enrobe crispy morsels in the vibrant sauce for maximum flavor intensity.
Notes
- Prep Like a Pro: Organize three separate shallow dishes for coating stations to streamline breading process and minimize messy cleanup.
- Temperature Triumph: Use a reliable meat thermometer to ensure chicken reaches exact 165°F internal temperature for safe, perfectly cooked tenders.
- Crispiness Secret: Space chicken tenders at least 1 inch apart on baking sheet to allow hot air circulation, preventing soggy bottoms and achieving golden-brown crunch.
- Sauce Strategy: Prepare sauce at least 30 minutes before serving to let flavors meld and intensify, creating a more complex and delicious dipping experience.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Frying, Baking, Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 576
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 1076 mg
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 24 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 31 g
- Cholesterol: 155 mg