Oliver discovered these Bang Bang Chicken Sliders by accident when he was helping me make regular chicken sandwiches for his sleepover. He knocked over the bottle of sweet chili sauce right into my mayo bowl and begged me not to throw it out. That mess turned into our most requested party food. The sweet and spicy sauce with crispy chicken creates this messy bite that disappears faster than I can make them. I've served these at birthday parties where kids and adults fought over the last ones. They're small enough that people don't feel bad taking three, but filling enough that two satisfies most kids. The sauce drips everywhere and nobody cares because they taste so good.
Why You'll Love This Bang Bang Chicken Sliders
Over years of feeding hungry kids and their parents, here's why these work every time. They're quick enough to make when people show up without warning but taste like you planned them for hours. The Bang Bang Chicken Sliders stays crispy even under all that sauce, which seems impossible but somehow happens. Kids love them because they're small and messy and taste like chicken nuggets grew up. Adults love them because the sauce has enough flavor to be interesting without being too spicy. You can make a huge batch without much more work than making a small one.
The sauce is what makes them special - it's sweet and tangy with just enough heat to wake up your taste buds. I can make it with stuff I already have in my fridge, which means no special shopping trips. Oliver can help with most every step except the frying part. They freeze well if you want to prep ahead, and they reheat better than most fried foods. They're filling enough to be dinner but fun enough to feel like party food. Plus everyone feels less guilty eating three mini sliders instead of one big sandwich, even though it's probably the same amount of food.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Bang Bang Chicken Sliders
- Ingredients For Bang Bang Chicken Sliders
- Step by Step Method
- Storing Your Bang Bang Chicken Sliders
- Equipment For Bang Bang Chicken Sliders
- Bang Bang Chicken Sliders Variations
- Smart Swaps for Bang Bang Chicken Sliders
- Top Tip
- FAQ
- Crispy Success Every Time!
- Related
- Pairing
- Bang Bang Chicken Sliders
Ingredients For Bang Bang Chicken Sliders
For the Chicken:
- Chicken tenders or small breasts
- Buttermilk
- All-purpose flour
- Cornstarch
- Salt and pepper
- Paprika
- Garlic powder
The Bang Bang Sauce:
- Mayonnaise
- Sweet chili sauce
- Sriracha
- Rice vinegar
- Honey
Assembly:
- Mini slider buns
- Lettuce leaves
- Pickles
See recipe card for quantities.
Step by Step Method
Prep Your Chicken for Maximum Crunch
- Soak chicken tenders in buttermilk for at least 30 minutes in the fridge
- Mix flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder in a large bowl
- Heat oil to 350°F in heavy skillet - use a thermometer so you don't guess
- Set up your coating station with the seasoned flour mixture ready to go
Create the Bang Bang Sauce Magic
- Whisk together mayo, sweet chili sauce, and just a little sriracha in a bowl
- Add splash of rice vinegar and drizzle of honey until it tastes right
- Taste and adjust - more sriracha for heat, more honey for sweet
- Set aside while you fry the chicken so flavors can get friendly
Fry to Golden Perfection
- Pull chicken from buttermilk and coat each piece thoroughly in flour mixture
- Fry 3-4 pieces at a time for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown
- Don't crowd the pan or oil temperature drops and chicken gets greasy
- Drain on paper towels for just a minute before saucing
Build Your Messy Masterpieces
- Toast slider buns lightly if you want that extra crunch
- Spread Bang Bang Chicken Sliders on both top and bottom buns generously
- Layer lettuce, hot crispy chicken, more sauce, and pickles if using
- Serve immediately while chicken is still hot and crispy for best results
Storing Your Bang Bang Chicken Sliders
These don't keep as well as some foods, but here's what works when you have leftovers:
Short-Term (Same Day):
- Keep fried chicken separate from buns and sauce if possible
- Store chicken on wire rack so it doesn't get soggy from sitting
- Sauce keeps fine in the fridge for up to a week
- Assemble sliders right before eating for best results
Reheating Leftovers:
- Reheat chicken in 375°F oven for 5-7 minutes to get crispy again
- Don't microwave or it turns into rubber
- Make fresh sauce if the old stuff got watery
- Toast buns again if they went stale
Make-Ahead Tips:
- You can make the sauce up to 3 days ahead
- Marinate chicken in buttermilk overnight in the fridge
- Don't fry chicken until you're ready to serve
- Prep all ingredients but assemble at the last minute
Freezing:
- Cooked chicken freezes okay for about a month
- Freeze on baking sheet first, then transfer to bags
- Reheat from frozen in 400°F oven until heated through
- Make fresh sauce when you reheat
Equipment For Bang Bang Chicken Sliders
- Heavy skillet or deep fryer
- Cooking thermometer
- Tongs
- Wire cooling rack
- Paper towels
Bang Bang Chicken Sliders Variations
Nashville Hot Style:
- Add cayenne pepper to the flour coating
- Mix hot sauce and butter into the Bang Bang Chicken Sliders
- Serve with extra pickles to cool things down
- Warning: test this on Oliver first - he thought regular was too spicy
Asian Fusion:
- Add sesame oil to the sauce
- Sprinkle sesame seeds on top
- Use coleslaw instead of lettuce
- Drizzle with extra sweet chili sauce
BBQ Bang Bang:
- Mix barbecue sauce into the bang bang sauce
- Add smoked paprika to the coating
- Top with crispy onions
- Serve with sweet potato fries
Buffalo Bang Bang:
- Replace sweet chili sauce with buffalo sauce
- Add blue cheese crumbles
- Use celery leaves instead of lettuce
- Double the sriracha if you dare
Loaded Style:
- Add bacon bits to the sauce
- Top with shredded cheese
- Include diced tomatoes
- Make them twice as messy and twice as good
Smart Swaps for Bang Bang Chicken Sliders
Having made these Bang Bang Chicken Sliders for people with all kinds of food restrictions, here are the swaps that actually work:
Chicken Options:
- Tenders → Boneless thighs (juicier and cheaper)
- Fresh → Frozen tenders (thaw completely first)
- Chicken → Cauliflower florets (coat and fry the same way)
- Regular → Popcorn chicken (buy pre-made, just add sauce)
Coating Changes:
- All-purpose flour → Gluten-free flour blend
- Buttermilk → Regular milk with lemon juice
- Cornstarch → Potato starch
- Frying → Baking at 425°F for 15-20 minutes
Sauce Swaps:
- Mayo → Greek yogurt (tangier but healthier)
- Sweet chili sauce → Honey with hot sauce
- Sriracha → Any hot sauce you have
- Rice vinegar → Regular white vinegar
Bun Alternatives:
- Slider buns → Dinner rolls cut in half
- Regular → Brioche for fancy occasions
- Wheat → Lettuce wraps for low-carb
- Store-bought → Homemade if you're feeling ambitious
Top Tip
- These don't keep as well as some foods, but here's what works when you have leftovers. Keep fried chicken separate from buns and sauce if possible, and store chicken on a wire rack so it doesn't get soggy from sitting on a plate. The sauce keeps fine in the fridge for up to a week, but put sliders together right before eating for best results. If you're planning to make them for a party, prep all your stuff ahead but don't fry the chicken until you're ready to serve.
- When reheating leftovers, put chicken in a 375°F oven for 5-7 minutes to get it crispy again - don't microwave or it turns into rubber. Make fresh sauce if the old stuff got watery, and toast the buns again if they went stale. You can make the sauce up to 3 days ahead and soak chicken in buttermilk overnight in the fridge, but don't fry until you're ready to eat them. The chicken freezes okay for about a month if you freeze it on a baking sheet first, then move to bags.
- For parties, I've learned to fry chicken in small batches as people show up instead of trying to keep a big batch warm. Cooked chicken sitting under heat lamps or in a warm oven just gets tough and loses that crispy coating that makes these sliders work. It's a little more work during the party, but the results are so much better that it's worth the extra trouble.
FAQ
What do you put on chicken sliders?
For bang bang chicken sliders, the sauce is the star - it's a mix of mayo, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, and honey. I add lettuce for crunch and pickles for tang. Some people like tomatoes or onions, but the sauce is so good that you don't need much else.
What to serve Bang Bang Chicken Sliders with?
These pair well with simple sides that won't fight with all that sauce. Sweet potato fries are Oliver's favorite, or regular fries work fine. Coleslaw cools down the heat, and corn on the cob is good for summer parties. Keep sides simple so the sliders stay the main event.
Is bang bang sauce good on chicken?
Bang bang sauce works great on chicken because the creamy mayo balances the sweet chili heat, and the honey smooths out any harsh edges. It sticks to crispy coating without making it soggy, and the flavors work together instead of fighting. Even picky eaters like Oliver love it.
How do you make bang bang chicken simply cook?
The easiest way is to use store-bought chicken tenders, coat them in seasoned flour with cornstarch, fry until crispy, then toss in homemade Bang Bang Chicken Sliders. Skip fancy marinades and just soak in buttermilk for 30 minutes. The sauce takes 2 minutes to whisk together.
Crispy Success Every Time!
Now you have all the secrets to perfect bang bang chicken sliders - from Lisa's buttermilk powder trick to the double sauce method that keeps things clean. These messy little bites prove that sometimes the best party food is the kind that makes everyone forget about using forks and knives. They're one of those recipes that looks fancy but doesn't require any real cooking skills, just good timing and hot oil. Oliver's friends have started showing up at our house right around dinner time hoping I'll make them, which I take as the biggest compliment a recipe can get. The sauce is what makes them special, but the crispy chicken and soft buns don't hurt either.
Craving more crowd-pleasing recipes that deliver big flavors? Try our Easy French Onion Pasta Recipe that tastes like it took hours but comes together in 30 minutes. Want something that'll really wow your guests? Our Best Fried Burrata Recipe creates those cheese pulls that everyone goes crazy for. Need a healthier option that still satisfies? Our Healthy Chicken Crunch Wrap gives you all the crunch and flavor without the guilt!
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Related
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Bang Bang Chicken Sliders
Bang Bang Chicken Sliders
Equipment
- 1 Heavy skillet or deep fryer (For frying chicken to crispy perfection)
- 1 Cooking thermometer (To maintain oil at 350°F)
- 1 Tongs (For safe flipping and removing chicken)
- 1 Wire cooling rack (Keeps chicken crispy after frying)
- 1 Paper Towels (For draining excess oil)
Ingredients
- 1 lb Chicken tenders or small breasts - Cut to slider size
- 1 cup Buttermilk - Or milk + lemon juice substitute
- 1 cup All-purpose flour - For coating
- ½ cup Cornstarch - Helps extra crunch
- 1 teaspoon Salt - Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper - Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Paprika - Adds color & flavor
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder - Seasoning
- ½ cup Mayonnaise - Base for Bang Bang sauce
- ⅓ cup Sweet chili sauce - Main flavor in sauce
- 1-2 teaspoon Sriracha - Adjust for spice level
- 1 teaspoon Rice vinegar - Balances flavors
- 1 teaspoon Honey - Adds sweetness
- 12 Mini slider buns - Toasted if desired
- 6 Lettuce leaves - Halved
- 12 Pickle slices - Optional
Instructions
- Soak chicken tenders in buttermilk for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.
- Mix flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder, then dredge chicken.
- Whisk mayo, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, vinegar, and honey until smooth.
- Heat oil to 350°F, fry chicken 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown, then drain.
- Toast buns, spread sauce, layer lettuce, crispy chicken, extra sauce, and pickles.
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