I first tried making bang bang chicken after a failed attempt at crispy shrimp that turned into a greasy mess. I still remember standing in the kitchen thinking there had to be a simpler way to get that same sweet-spicy flavor without frying anything. That’s how these grilled chicken kabobs happened.
Why This Recipe Works
Here’s the thing: bang bang sauce is doing almost all the heavy lifting here. You don’t need deep frying or complicated breading—just grilled chicken and a sauce that hits sweet, spicy, and creamy at the same time. What I figured out is that grilling the chicken first and adding sauce at the end keeps everything from getting soggy and lets the flavor stay sharp.
Ingredient Notes
I use chicken breasts because they’re easy to cube and cook quickly on skewers. The sauce mix looks simple, but the balance matters—too much sriracha and it overwhelms everything, too much sweet chili and it gets flat. Sour cream is what softens the mayo so it doesn’t feel heavy.
How to Make It
I start by cutting the chicken into even chunks so everything cooks at the same rate. I’ve rushed this step before and ended up with dry pieces mixed with undercooked ones, so I take my time now. The chicken gets tossed in a little olive oil, salt, and pepper before going onto skewers.
While that grills, I mix the bang bang sauce in a bowl—mayo, sour cream, sweet chili sauce, honey, Dijon mustard, and sriracha. At first it looks a bit loose, but it thickens slightly once it sits for a few minutes.
The skewers go onto a hot grill and cook quickly, usually just a few minutes per side. I don’t move them around too much or they lose that nice char. Once they’re fully cooked, I brush them generously with the sauce while they’re still warm so it sticks properly.
I usually serve extra sauce on the side because people always end up wanting more than I expect.
Things I Learned the Hard Way
I used to sauce the chicken before grilling it and it always burned and turned bitter. Now I only glaze at the end. Also, overcrowding the skewers makes them steam instead of grill, which kills the texture.
Storage & Serving Suggestions
These are best eaten fresh off the grill, but leftovers keep for about 2 days in the fridge. I reheat them in a pan or air fryer to bring back some texture. They work great with rice, salad, or even wrapped in flatbread.
Sweet & Spicy Bang Bang Chicken Kabobs Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Cut chicken into even bite-sized cubes and season lightly with salt, pepper, and olive oil.
- Thread chicken onto skewers evenly.
- Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
- Grill skewers for 10–12 minutes, turning until chicken is fully cooked and lightly charred.
- In a bowl, mix mayonnaise, sour cream, sweet chili sauce, honey, Dijon mustard, and sriracha until smooth.
- Brush cooked chicken skewers generously with bang bang sauce.
- Serve with extra sauce on the side.
