If you ask me, bang bang sauce makes everything better.
These grilled chicken skewers are a crowd-pleaser that work just as well for a weeknight dinner as they do for a backyard cookout. Tender chicken cubes get seasoned with paprika and garlic, then grilled until perfectly cooked.
The real star here is the bang bang sauce – a creamy, sweet, and spicy combination of mayo, sweet chili sauce, and sriracha with a touch of honey. It’s the kind of sauce that people always ask for the recipe.
Thread the chicken onto skewers, grill them up, and drizzle with that sauce. It’s an easy meal that feels special without a ton of work.
Why You’ll Love These Bang Bang Chicken Skewers
- Ready in under 30 minutes – These skewers come together quickly, making them perfect for busy weeknights when you need dinner on the table fast.
- Simple ingredients – You probably have most of these pantry staples on hand already, so no special trip to the store needed.
- Crowd-pleasing flavor – The creamy, sweet, and spicy bang bang sauce is seriously addictive and appeals to almost everyone at the table.
- Great for entertaining – These skewers look impressive and are easy to serve at parties, cookouts, or game day gatherings.
- High-protein meal – With 2 pounds of chicken, this recipe packs plenty of protein to keep you satisfied and fueled.
What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?
For bang bang chicken skewers, boneless, skinless chicken breasts are your best bet since they’re easy to cut into uniform cubes that cook evenly on the grill or in the oven. That said, chicken thighs also work great if you prefer darker meat – they’re a bit more forgiving and tend to stay juicier even if you slightly overcook them. When you’re at the store, look for chicken that’s pinkish in color without any gray spots, and make sure it doesn’t have a strong smell. Cut your chicken into roughly 1-inch cubes so they cook through at the same rate, and if you’re using wooden skewers, don’t forget to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before threading on the chicken to prevent burning.
Options for Substitutions
This recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you need to make changes:
- Chicken: You can use chicken breast or thighs for these skewers – both work great. Thighs will be a bit juicier, while breasts are leaner. Shrimp also makes a fantastic substitute if you want to switch things up.
- Mayonnaise: Greek yogurt can replace some or all of the mayo if you want a lighter sauce. Just keep in mind the flavor will be tangier and less creamy. You can also use a mix of half mayo and half Greek yogurt for a middle ground.
- Chili sauce: Sweet chili sauce is what you’re looking for here. If you can’t find it, mix ketchup with a bit of hot sauce and honey to get a similar sweet-spicy vibe.
- Sriracha: Any hot sauce works in place of sriracha – just adjust the amount based on how spicy you like things. Frank’s RedHot or even cayenne pepper mixed with a little vinegar will do the trick.
- Skewers: If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before grilling to prevent burning. Metal skewers work too and don’t need any prep.
Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking
The biggest mistake when making chicken skewers is cutting the pieces unevenly, which causes some to dry out while others stay undercooked – aim for uniform 1-inch cubes so everything cooks at the same rate.
Overcrowding your air fryer basket will steam the chicken instead of giving it that nice exterior, so cook in batches if needed and leave space between each skewer for proper air circulation.
Don’t skip marinating the chicken for at least 15-20 minutes before cooking, as this extra time helps the spices penetrate the meat and keeps it juicy.
When brushing on the sauce before cooking, use a light hand since too much will drip off and burn in the air fryer, creating smoke and a bitter taste – save most of it for tossing with the finished skewers.
What to Serve With Bang Bang Chicken Skewers?
These spicy-sweet skewers are perfect over a bed of white rice or fried rice to soak up all that creamy bang bang sauce. I love serving them alongside some cool cucumber salad or Asian slaw to balance out the heat from the sriracha. For a complete meal, add some steamed broccoli or snap peas on the side, or wrap the chicken in lettuce cups for a fun, hands-on dinner. If you’re feeding a crowd, these skewers also work great as an appetizer with the extra sauce on the side for dipping.
Storage Instructions
Store: Keep your leftover bang bang chicken skewers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I like to store the extra sauce separately so the chicken doesn’t get soggy. They make great leftovers for quick lunches or dinner the next day.
Freeze: You can freeze the cooked chicken (without the sauce) for up to 2 months in a freezer-safe container. Just make a fresh batch of the bang bang sauce when you’re ready to eat, since creamy sauces don’t always freeze well.
Reheat: Warm up the chicken in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes until heated through, or use the microwave for a quicker option. Toss with the sauce right before serving so everything stays nice and saucy.
| Preparation Time | 10-15 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 10-15 minutes |
| Total Time | 20-30 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Easy |
| Servings | 7 servings |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 2800-3100
- Protein: 170-190 g
- Fat: 210-230 g
- Carbohydrates: 55-65 g
Ingredients
For the chicken skewers:
- 2.25 lb chicken (cut into 1-inch cubes for even cooking)
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil
- 1.25 tsp paprika
- 1.25 tsp garlic powder
- 1.25 tsp salt
- 0.75 tsp pepper
- skewers (soak in water for 30 minutes if using wood)
For the bang bang sauce:
- 1 1/4 cups mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann’s for the creamiest texture)
- 2/3 cup chili sauce (I use Maggi Sweet Chili sauce)
- 2.5 tsp sriracha
- 2 tbsp honey
- 0.5 tsp lime juice
Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place and Soak Skewers
- 2.25 lb chicken
- wooden skewers
If using wooden skewers, place them in a bowl of water to soak for at least 30 minutes to prevent burning during cooking.
While skewers soak, cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes, ensuring they’re uniform in size for even cooking throughout.
This consistency is crucial so all pieces cook at the same rate.
Step 2: Season and Marinate the Chicken
- 2.25 lb chicken cubes from Step 1
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil
- 1.25 tsp paprika
- 1.25 tsp garlic powder
- 1.25 tsp salt
- 0.75 tsp pepper
In a bowl, combine the olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to create a dry rub mixture.
Add the cubed chicken and toss thoroughly until all pieces are evenly coated with the seasoning.
I like to let the chicken sit for 5-10 minutes so the spices can start to penetrate the meat—this builds better flavor than rushing straight to the skewer.
Step 3: Prepare the Bang Bang Sauce
- 1 1/4 cups mayonnaise
- 2/3 cup chili sauce
- 2.5 tsp sriracha
- 2 tbsp honey
- 0.5 tsp lime juice
In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, chili sauce, sriracha, honey, and lime juice until smooth and well combined.
Taste and adjust the heat level or sweetness to your preference—the lime juice brightens the whole sauce.
Divide the sauce into two equal portions: one for brushing before cooking and one for finishing the skewers after cooking.
Step 4: Assemble and Sauce the Skewers
- seasoned chicken skewers from Step 2
- soaked skewers from Step 1
- half of bang bang sauce from Step 3
Remove the soaked skewers from water and thread 4-5 seasoned chicken pieces onto each skewer, leaving a small gap between pieces for air circulation.
Arrange the skewers on your air fryer basket or tray, then brush generously with half of the bang bang sauce from Step 3, coating all sides.
Reserve the remaining sauce for finishing after cooking—this two-stage saucing technique ensures you get fresh, vibrant flavor without burning the sauce during cooking.
Step 5: Air Fry the Skewers
- assembled and sauced skewers from Step 4
Preheat your air fryer to 400°F.
Once heated, place the sauced skewers in the basket in a single layer without overcrowding (work in batches if needed).
Air fry for 11-12 minutes total, flipping the skewers halfway through (around the 5-6 minute mark) to ensure even cooking and browning on all sides.
Step 6: Finish and Serve
- cooked skewers from Step 5
- reserved bang bang sauce from Step 3
Remove the skewers from the air fryer and transfer to a serving platter.
Immediately brush or drizzle the reserved bang bang sauce from Step 3 over the hot chicken skewers, allowing it to coat and slightly glaze the cooked chicken.
Serve immediately while the skewers are still warm and the sauce is at its freshest.
30-Minute Bang Bang Chicken Skewers
Ingredients
For the chicken skewers::
- 2.25 lb chicken (cut into 1-inch cubes for even cooking)
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil
- 1.25 tsp paprika
- 1.25 tsp garlic powder
- 1.25 tsp salt
- 0.75 tsp pepper
- skewers (soak in water for 30 minutes if using wood)
For the bang bang sauce::
- 1 1/4 cups mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann's for the creamiest texture)
- 2/3 cup chili sauce (I use Maggi Sweet Chili sauce)
- 2.5 tsp sriracha
- 2 tbsp honey
- 0.5 tsp lime juice
Instructions
- If using wooden skewers, place them in a bowl of water to soak for at least 30 minutes to prevent burning during cooking. While skewers soak, cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes, ensuring they're uniform in size for even cooking throughout. This consistency is crucial so all pieces cook at the same rate.
- In a bowl, combine the olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to create a dry rub mixture. Add the cubed chicken and toss thoroughly until all pieces are evenly coated with the seasoning. I like to let the chicken sit for 5-10 minutes so the spices can start to penetrate the meat—this builds better flavor than rushing straight to the skewer.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, chili sauce, sriracha, honey, and lime juice until smooth and well combined. Taste and adjust the heat level or sweetness to your preference—the lime juice brightens the whole sauce. Divide the sauce into two equal portions: one for brushing before cooking and one for finishing the skewers after cooking.
- Remove the soaked skewers from water and thread 4-5 seasoned chicken pieces onto each skewer, leaving a small gap between pieces for air circulation. Arrange the skewers on your air fryer basket or tray, then brush generously with half of the bang bang sauce from Step 3, coating all sides. Reserve the remaining sauce for finishing after cooking—this two-stage saucing technique ensures you get fresh, vibrant flavor without burning the sauce during cooking.
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Once heated, place the sauced skewers in the basket in a single layer without overcrowding (work in batches if needed). Air fry for 11-12 minutes total, flipping the skewers halfway through (around the 5-6 minute mark) to ensure even cooking and browning on all sides.
- Remove the skewers from the air fryer and transfer to a serving platter. Immediately brush or drizzle the reserved bang bang sauce from Step 3 over the hot chicken skewers, allowing it to coat and slightly glaze the cooked chicken. Serve immediately while the skewers are still warm and the sauce is at its freshest.
