Exploding with flavor and requiring minimal prep time, these Bang Bang Chicken Skewers are perfect for a weeknight meal but also fabulous for serving as appetizers. This post has instructions for grilling, air frying or broiling the skewers!
Join Me On The Bang Bang Wagon
There is no better recipe to kick off grilling season than these bang bang chicken skewers. So good, I could have this three nights in a row and not get tired of it.
The magic of this delicious chicken lies in the bang bang sauce. A tangy, slightly spicy mayonnaise-based sauce made with Thai sweet chili sauce, honey, and sriracha. So simple but the flavor is fantastic! Here the sauce does double duty; brushed onto the chicken as a glaze while it grills, then served as the ultimate dipping sauce for the skewers.
This recipe is also very versatile—if you don’t have a grill, you can use your broiler or an air fryer! If you don’t feel like threading chicken pieces through a skewer, just leave the chicken thighs whole! I also give you lots of substitutes for mayo, chicken and spice level and they are all excellent.
I’m telling you, no matter how you make this, you’re going to have drool-worthy charred, tender and juicy chicken to dip into the most delicious sauce. Everyone is going to love it!
If like me, you often crave the sweet and spicy Asian-inspired flavors of this dish, be sure to try my Honey Glazed Salmon Bites next.
Key Ingredient Notes
Chicken: I prefer to use chicken thighs for grilling because the higher fat content helps keep the meat moist and juicy on the inside while giving them the perfect caramelized char on the outside. I think skewers are super fun and everyone seems to love them but if you want to go an even easier route, just leave the chicken thighs whole and slice them up before serving.
Spices: We use a very easy mix of spices to flavor the chicken before grilling it—garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, and an optional pinch of cayenne. No marinating time is required because the chicken gets plenty of flavor when glazed while it grills.
Honey: Adding honey to the spice mixture ensures the chicken gets a bit of sticky coating which helps it get nicely browned and caramelized when grilled.
Bang bang sauce: This simple bang bang sauce is made with mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce, sriracha, and a smidge of rice vinegar.
Variations
Chicken —> Instead of chicken try this recipe with salmon or tofu. For best results, cook the salmon or tofu in a baking sheet in a 425ºF oven until cooked through and crispy on the outside.
Mayonnaise —> I’m not a huge fan of mayo but I love it in this bang bang sauce. If you don’t like it at all, feel free to use vegenaise or a mix of Greek yoghurt and sour cream.
Thai Sweet Chili Sauce —> You can also use a jar of red pepper jelly. If you need a DIY substitute, try mixing 1/4 cup honey with 1 tablespoon water, 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar and a dash of tobacco. When you mix this with the mayonnaise, adjust the taste of the bang bang sauce by adding more honey, water, vinegar and/or sriracha until it tastes delicious to you.
How To Make Bang Bang Chicken Skewers
Please note this is a visual overview of the steps to make this recipe. See the detailed list of ingredients & instructions in the recipe card below.
If using wood skewers, be sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent burning.
Skewer the chicken. Cut the chicken into cubes and place them in a large bowl. Toss with olive oil, then sprinkle with seasonings and honey. Ensure all pieces are coated well. Thread the chicken onto skewers, making sure the pieces are tightly close together. Repeat until all chicken is used.
Prepare the bang bang sauce. In a small bowl, mix together the mayo, Thai sweet chili sauce, sriracha, rice vinegar, and honey. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, then pour 1/2 cup of the sauce into another small bowl to use for brushing the chicken while it is grilling.
Heat the grill to medium-high (about 475ºF). Once the grill is hot, place the skewers on the grill; leave undisturbed for 2 minutes, then flip and leave undisturbed for another 2 minutes. Flip again and start brushing the chicken skewers with bang bang sauce. Continue flipping and brushing until chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165F and it’s golden brown with charred spots all over.
Serve. Remove chicken skewers from grill and serve with reserved bang bang sauce on the side.
Air fryer: Make your skewers small enough to fit in the air basket. Brush the skewers with bang bang sauce and air fry, in a single layer, at 400ºF for 7-8 minutes. Flip the skewers and brush again with more sauce. Continue to air fry for another 5 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. TIP: You want to leave about 1/2-inch space between each skewer so cook them in batches if needed. Serve with reserved bang bang sauce on the side.
Broiler: Place the chicken skewers in a lightly greased sheet pan or line it with aluminum (don’t use parchment paper). Position a rack in the middle of the oven (not directly under the broiler!) and broil for 6-10 minutes per side or until fully cooked through.
Tips For Success
Clean and oil the grill grates – To reduce the risk of your chicken skewers sticking to the grates, make sure to clean and oil the grates really well.
Soak wooden skewers – Whether you are cooking the bang bang chicken in the air fryer, grill or under the broiler, it is important to soak wooden skewers for at least 30 minutes so they don’t burn as easily.
Grill some veggies! I like to grill the chicken skewers without the addition of veggies because I feel they will cook more evenly. However, this is a great opportunity to throw some veggie skewers on the grill too. I like to skewer some chopped red onion, bell peppers and zucchini which can also be dipped in the bang bang sauce when served. Yum!
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Depending on how small your chicken pieces are, you may need to reduce the cooking time by a few minutes. Chicken breasts does tend to dry out a little when grilled but the bang bang sauce will keep them nice and juicy.
Bang bang sauce should be a little spicy but it certainly doesn’t have to be unpleasantly hot. Make it as mild or hot as you wish by adjusting the amount of sriracha to your preference.
Make Ahead Tips
The chicken will be juicier and crispier the day you make it but you can certainly prep the skewers and sauce ahead of time.
Skewer the marinated chicken and let sit in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 24 hours (or slightly more if your chicken is really fresh). Remove them from the refrigerator about 30 minutes prior to cooking so they aren’t fridge-cold.
You can also make the bang bang sauce and keep it refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Delicious Ways To Serve Your Bang Bang Chicken
These bang bang chicken skewers grill up really quickly so make sure you have your sides ready to go. Here are some of our favorite sides to serve with these skewers:
- Rice – No surprise here but this bang bang chicken is excellent on a bed of white, hot rice. Or serve them with this Pilaf, this Coconut rice or this Cilantro Lime Rice.
- Thai-style noodles – We love these bang bang skewers with rice noodles, udon noodles, or any other similar noodles of your choice.
- Salads – This Mango salad is one of my favorite salads to serve with bang bang chicken. This refreshing cucumber salad or this corn salad would also be great! If swerving a crowd, this veggie-loaded quinoa salad (recipe can be found on my instagram reels) is utterly delicious and sits well at room temperature for hours.
Storage Suggestions
Leftovers of this bang bang chicken make delicious lunches so don’t be shy to make plenty of it!
- To store in the fridge: Place leftover chicken in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- To reheat: Reheat in a 350ºF until warmed though or microwave gently for 2-3 minutes.
Similar Recipes To Try
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Thank you!~Sandra
Bang Bang Chicken Skewers
Ingredients
For The Chicken Skewers
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (see notes)
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons honey
For The Bang Bang Sauce
- 1 cup mayonnaise (see notes)
- 1/3 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
- 3-4 Tablespoons Sriracha (see notes)
- 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon honey
Instructions
- If using wood skewers, be sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent burning.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and cut into 1- to 1½-inch cubes. (Some chicken thigh pieces are very thin so cut them a little bigger for folding onto the skewer.)
- Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl and toss with olive oil to coat. Sprinkle with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, black pepper, salt, and honey. Toss again, ensuring all pieces are coated well. Thread the chicken onto skewers, making sure the pieces are tightly close together. You should have 6 to 8 skewers total.
- Heat the grill to medium-high (about 475ºF) and lightly oil the grates.
- While the grill is heating, make the bang bang sauce. In a small bowl, mix together the mayo, Thai sweet chili sauce, sriracha, rice vinegar, and honey. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, then pour 1/2 cup of the sauce into another small bowl to use for brushing the chicken while it is grilling.
- When grill is ready, grill the skewers for 2 minutes with the lid closed, then flip and grill with the lid closed another 2 minutes. Flip again and start brushing the chicken skewers with bang bang sauce. Continue flipping and brushing until chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165ºF and it's golden brown with a few charred spots, about 15 total.
- Transfer the skewers to a platter and serve with reserved bang bang sauce on the side.
- Air fryer: Make your skewers small enough to fit in the air basket. Brush the skewers lightly with bang bang sauce and air fry, in a single layer, at 400ºF for 7-8 minutes. Flip the skewers and brush again with more sauce. Continue to air fry for another 5 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. TIP: You want to leave about 1/2-inch space between each skewer so cook them in batches if needed. Serve with reserved bang bang sauce on the side.
- Broiler: Place the chicken skewers in a lightly greased sheet pan or line it with aluminum (don't use parchment paper). Position a rack in the middle of the oven (not directly under the broiler!) and broil for 6-10 minutes per side or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
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