Description
These Bang Bang Chicken Sliders are a perfect party appetizer or casual meal, featuring crispy fried chicken pieces coated in a flavorful buttermilk marinade and topped with a spicy, tangy Bang Bang sauce. Served on mini slider buns with fresh lettuce, red onion, pickles, and cilantro, these sliders deliver a delicious balance of crunch, spice, and zest in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Coating
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- Vegetable oil for frying (about 2 cups or as needed)
Bang Bang Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sweet chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons sriracha sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Assembly
- 12 mini slider buns
- 1 cup shredded lettuce
- ½ cup thinly sliced red onion
- ½ cup pickles (optional)
- Fresh cilantro (optional)
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Add the chicken pieces to this marinade, making sure they are fully submerged, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight to develop maximum flavor.
- Prepare the Bang Bang Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha sauce, honey, lime juice, and garlic powder until the sauce is smooth and well combined. Set aside so flavors can meld.
- Coat the Chicken: In a shallow dish, mix together the all-purpose flour and panko breadcrumbs. Remove the marinated chicken pieces from the refrigerator and dredge each piece thoroughly in the flour and panko mixture, pressing lightly so the coating adheres evenly.
- Fry the Chicken: Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Carefully fry the coated chicken pieces in batches, cooking each side for approximately 3-4 minutes until they are golden brown and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked chicken to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
- Assemble the Sliders: Spread a generous amount of Bang Bang sauce on both the top and bottom halves of each mini slider bun. Place one piece of fried chicken on the bottom bun, then top with shredded lettuce, sliced red onion, pickles if using, and fresh cilantro leaves if desired. Close each slider with the top bun.
- Serve: Arrange the sliders on a serving platter and serve immediately while the chicken is hot and crispy, ensuring the best texture and taste.
Notes
- For a spicier kick, add more sriracha to the Bang Bang sauce or sprinkle some cayenne pepper into the marinade.
- Make sure the oil is hot enough before frying to achieve a crispy crust and prevent greasy chicken.
- You can prepare the Bang Bang sauce a day ahead and refrigerate it to let the flavors intensify.
- Pickles and cilantro are optional but add a nice tang and freshness to balance the spicy sauce.
- Leftover sliders can be stored in the refrigerator and reheated in an oven for best texture retention.
