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Copycat Bang Bang Chicken
Upon first glance, this recipe, inspired by one of my favorite Cheesecake Factory apps, may seem as if it has a lot of ingredients and steps, but the battered chicken and the dressing can all be done in advance.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 42 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Category: Appetizers
Ingredients
Scale
- Chicken
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons sriracha or other hot sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 2-inch chunks
- Dressing
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 – 1 1/2 tablespoons sriracha or other hot sauce
- 2–3 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- Salad
- 1 (22-ounce) head romaine lettuce
- 1/2 cup salted dry roasted peanuts
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 3–4 green onions
- 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
- For Frying
- 2 cups peanut or vegetable oil
- 2 cups panko bread crumbs
Instructions
- For the chicken: In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk, egg, flour, cornstarch, sriracha, curry powder, and salt and mix well. Add the chicken pieces and set aside.
- For the dressing: In a medium bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients. Set aside, or chill for up to 1 day.
- For the salad: Chop the romaine into bite-size pieces, reserving 4 larger leaves for garnish.
- In a dry skillet, separately toast the peanuts, coconut, and sesame seeds over medium heat until each is light golden brown and fragrant, 3–4 minutes. Place the chopped lettuce in the bottom of a large bowl and arrange whole leaves and cucumbers around the edge of the bowl.
- For frying: In a deep skillet, heat the peanut oil to 350 degrees F or until a piece of chicken bubbles furiously when dropped into the oil. Remove the chicken from the batter and toss it in the panko until well coated. Cook about half the chicken at a time in the hot oil, turning to brown all sides, for about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels and repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Trim the green onions, leaving some of the green tops. Place the hot chicken pieces over the lettuce in the serving bowl and decorate the bowl with the cucumbers, green onions, and strips of red bell pepper. Serve with the dressing and sprinkle the peanuts, coconut, and sesame seeds on top; serve immediately.
