Description
These Bang Bang Chicken Skewers cook fast in the air fryer and come out juicy, tender, and coated in a creamy sweet-spicy sauce. They make a quick low-carb dinner, appetizer, or party dish.
Ingredients
Scale
For the chicken
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For the bang bang sauce
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce, or more to taste
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken.
Cut the boneless chicken thighs into evenly sized 1-inch pieces. Try to keep the cubes as uniform as possible so they cook at the same pace in the air fryer. - Season the chicken.
Place the chicken cubes in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Toss everything together until the pieces are fully coated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the chicken for at least 30 minutes so the flavor has time to develop. - Make the sauce.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, hot sauce, honey, and salt until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy. Set it aside for later. Taste and adjust the spice level if needed. - Assemble the skewers.
Thread the marinated chicken onto skewers, leaving a little space between each piece. Do not pack the chicken tightly together, because the air fryer needs room to move heat around the meat. - Brush with sauce.
Before cooking, brush the chicken skewers lightly with some of the bang bang sauce. Save the rest for serving and finishing. - Preheat the air fryer.
Set the air fryer to 400°F and let it preheat fully. A hot basket helps the chicken start browning right away. - Cook the skewers.
Place the skewers in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Make sure they are not touching. Air fry for 12 to 15 minutes, turning them halfway through so they brown evenly on both sides. Cook until the chicken reaches 165°F inside. - Finish with more sauce.
Once the chicken is cooked through, brush the skewers with more bang bang sauce while they are still hot. This adds extra flavor and a glossy finish. - Serve immediately.
Garnish with chopped parsley or sesame seeds if you like. Serve the Bang Bang Chicken Skewers hot with extra sauce for dipping.
Notes
- For a keto-friendly version, use full-fat mayonnaise, low-carb sweet chili sauce, keto-friendly hot sauce, and sugar-free honey.
- If using wooden skewers, soak them first so they do not burn.
- A meat thermometer makes it easy to avoid undercooked or dry chicken.
Nutrition
- Calories: 413kcal
- Sugar: 0.3g
- Fat: 35g
- Carbohydrates: 1g
- Fiber: 0.2g
- Protein: 22g