A scrumptious 20-minute dinner, this easy Bang Bang Chicken (with a mayo-free sauce!) is a family-favourite. The recipe comes together with simple ingredients but offers big, bold flavour in every bite!
I first came across Bang Bang Chicken in my Ballymaloe Cookery Book — what a fun name! The word actually comes from the Chinese “bàng,” meaning stick, which refers to the baton traditionally used to tenderise the meat.
Western versions of Bang Bang Chicken often use a breaded coating and deep frying, but this recipe is a much simpler (and healthier) version. The chicken is tossed in a spice mix and pan-fried in just a little oil until golden and juicy.
All three of my boys absolutely love this dish. I love it too, because it’s colourful, balanced, and quick — with fresh cabbage and carrot on the plate for crunch and brightness. Even if the veggies get ignored, the bowl still looks vibrant and healthy!
I usually start by cooking the rice. While that bubbles away, I chop the cabbage, grate the carrots, and stir the sauce ingredients together. Then it’s just a matter of prepping the chicken — cut into cubes, coat in spices, and fry. Done! It’s such a great weeknight meal: light and healthy but still full of those sweet, tangy, and savoury flavours.
My version of the sauce uses sour cream and yoghurt instead of mayonnaise, which makes it taste lighter while still being creamy and delicious.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!!
- Quick and easy (20 minutes!)
- Healthier than takeout versions
- Kid-approved, family-friendly
- Simple pantry ingredients
- Fresh, crunchy veggies + protein in one bowl
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Chicken: can use thighs instead of breasts.
- Veggies: swap in cucumber, peppers, or lettuce if you don’t have cabbage/carrots.
- Sauce: If you don’t have yoghurt + sour cream you can use mayonnaise instead.
- Spring onions: You can always use chopped coriander instead
How to Make Bang Bang Chicken and Sauce (summary):
- Cook rice according to package instructions.
- Prep veggies: chop cabbage and grate carrots.
- Cube chicken and coat in the spice, soy, lime, and sugar mixture.
- Fry chicken in batches until golden and cooked through.
- Serve over rice with veggies.
- Drizzle with Bang Bang sauce, add spring onions and cracked black pepper.
Easy Bang Bang Chicken with Mayo-Free Sauce
Prep Time: 10 minutes- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x
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Easy Bang Bang Chicken recipe with a delicious mayo-free sauce – this is a midweek favourite that comes together in just 20 minutes!
Ingredients
Bang Bang Sauce:
- 1/3 cup Greek Yoghurt
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup Sweet Chilli Sauce
- 1/4 cup Sriracha (or any hot sauce)
- Pinch of salt
- Dash of lemon or lime juice
Chicken
- 4 Chicken Breasts
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil (or regular cooking oil)
Chicken Coating
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoons Tamari / Soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 spring onions, chopped
For Serving
- Basmati / Jasmine rice (1/3 cup dry weight per person)
- 2 medium carrots, peeled or grated
- 1 1/2 cups chopped red cabbage
- 2 spring onions, chopped
Instructions
- Cook the rice according to package instructions.
- Chop the cabbage, grate the carrots and mix all the ingredients for the Bang Bang sauce together, then set aside.
- Chop the chicken into cubes. Mix all the ingredients for the chicken coating together (paprika, onion powder, black pepper, soy sauce, brown sugar, olive oil, lime juice, salt, spring onions) and coat the chicken pieces well.
- Heat sesame oil in a wok or large pan, fry chicken over high heat to brown the chicken, then turn heat down to medium and cook for 3-4 minutes until chicken is cooked right through. I recommend doing this in 2 batches.
- Remove chicken from the pan. Serve over a bed of rice alongside the cabbage and carrot. Drizzle with Bang Bang sauce, spring onions and a dash of cracked black pepper. Salt to taste.
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