Bang Bang Chicken

Submitted by Rich Williams (‘62)
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Ingredients:

  • ⅓ cup milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • ¼ cup potato starch
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon shichimi togarashi (Japanese red pepper condiment)
  • 2 cups oil for frying, or as needed
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
  • 1 teaspoon gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)

Cooking Instructions:

  1. Whisk together milk and egg in a large bowl until well combined. Add chicken; stir to coat and allow to marinate for 15 minutes. Drain and discard egg mixture.
  2. Combine potato starch, flour, salt, pepper, and shichimi in a medium bowl. Pour into a large plastic resealable bag. Add chicken; seal the bag and shake until chicken is well coated.
  3. Heat 2 inches oil in a deep saucepan over medium heat to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
  4. Working in batches of about 5 to 8 pieces at a time, cook chicken in hot oil for about 90 seconds. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate; keep each batch separate.
  5. Increase oil temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). The oil should be continuously boiling at this point. Carefully re-add the first batch of chicken and fry for another 90 seconds. Remove to another paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining batches of chicken.
  6. Mix together mayonnaise, honey, sweet chili sauce, and gochujang in a large serving bowl until combined. Toss fried chicken with sauce to coat.

Tips

You can substitute potato starch for cornstarch if desired. Potato starch is regularly used in Asian cuisine because it has a silkier feel and takes on a neutral flavor.
You can use any ground red pepper instead of shichimi togarashi.
You can use any hot sauce instead of gochujang.
It’s beneficial to have a splatter screen if frying the chicken on the stovetop. The reason for twice-frying is that it’s the secret to crispier fried chicken!