Name: Bang Bang Chicken Skewers with Easy Bang Bang Sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 57 min
Ingredients: 10 wooden bamboo skewers (); 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1-inch chunks); 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; ½ teaspoon chili powder; 1 cup mayonnaise; 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce; 1 tablespoon sriracha ((less or more, or omit for no spice))

This post may contain affiliate links, view our disclosure policy.

Bang Bang Chicken Skewers are sweet, spicy, and guaranteed to disappear fast. Tender grilled chicken that’s perfectly seasoned gets brushed with an easy & creamy bang bang sauce, plus there is extra for serving. Perfect for summer cookouts and easy dinners. Make them year-round with a grill pan!

For more grilled skewer recipes that are perfect for grilling season – be sure and try Grilled Shrimp Skewers and Grilled Chicken Skewers with Homemade Chimichurri Sauce.

Cooked chicken skewers with a bang bang sauce glaze.

Juicy Bang Bang Chicken Skewers

If you’re wanting an easy dinner that delivers BIG flavor – this easy recipe for bang bang chicken skewers are guaranteed to be a hit. Tender chunks of seasoned chicken are threaded onto skewers, cooked until perfectly juicy, and brushed with a creamy homemade bang bang sauce that’s sweet, spicy, and completely irresistible.

The result is juicy chicken pieces with a slightly crispy exterior (from the grill) and a rich, flavorful sauce that’s impossible to resist. The homemade sauce is a spicy mayonnaise-based sauce that can be as spicy, mild, or very little spice as needed. You could even add some honey to it for more sweetness.

Cook these chicken skewers on an outdoor grill for an easy weeknight dinner, outdoor summertime dinner or BBQ, or cook them in your kitchen on a grill pan – the can be made year-round!

A plate of chicken skewers with rice next to them.

Why You’ll Love Bang Bang Chicken Skewers

🍽 No marinating time needed! Ready in 30 minutes.
🍽 Sweet, spicy, and creamy flavor combination
🍽 High-protein dinner
🍽 Simple real ingredients
🍽 The spice level is very easily customizable

A bang bang chicken skewer being dipped into bang bang sauce inside a bowl.

Ingredients Needed

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts : You will need three chicken breasts that have been cut into 1-inch chunks.
Olive Oil : I use extra-virgin ‘light tasting’ olive oil, but you can use your favorite olive oil.
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper
Chili Powder
Mayonnaise
Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
Sriracha : This is optional, only if you want some heat, if you prefer more milder heat than use half the amount listed or even less than half.
Bamboo Skewers

How To Make This Chicken Skewer Recipe with Easy Bang Bang Sauce (Printable Recipe Card)

Soak the bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes to prevent them from burning.

Preheat your grill, or grill pan, to medium heat (about 375°F).

In a large mixing bowl, combine the chunks of chicken, olive oil, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and chili powder until the chicken is well coated in the seasonings and oil.

Skewer 5-6 pieces of chicken onto each skewer.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, and sriracha (if using) until combined. Reserve half of the bang bang sauce, in a separate bowl, for later.

Place your chicken skewers onto the grill and cook for about 5-6 minutes per side, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 155°F (so almost cooked).

Brush the bang bang sauce (1/2 cup that was not set aside) onto the chicken skewers and continue cooking for about 2 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

Serve the chicken skewers with the reserved bang bang sauce for a dipping sauce, and enjoy!

How To Store Leftover Chicken Skewers

Leftover skewers should be stored in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days. You can remove the chicken from the skewers to store leftovers, or store the chicken skewers assembled. I prefer taking the chicken off of the skewers before storing leftovers in the fridge.

To reheat, microwave in 60-90 second increments or until the desired temperature has been reached. Skewers and chicken chunks can also be reheated in a skillet pan. The chicken is actually really good chilled as a salad topping.

To freeze, place the leftover chicken, without the skewers, into a freezer-safe bag or container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight before reheating.

Substitutions & Ingredient Notes

Chicken Breasts : For a fattier option with dark meat, you could use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead.
Olive Oil : Avocado oil or grapeseed oil are other alternatives.
Chili Powder : For more spice use cayenne red pepper instead.
Mayonnaise : For a lower-fat recipe, use half mayonnaise + half plain greek yogurt.
Sriracha : Only add this if you want spicy chicken skewers. The sweet chili sauce is not spicy, it’s flavor plus some sweetness. If you want spice, add the sriracha; the full amount or much less depending on preferences. I either don’t add any sriracha or I only add a small drop (for some flavor, but not any heat).
Bamboo Skewers : Metal skewers are another option. No need to soak them.

Pro Tips From The Test Kitchen

Metal skewers can be used instead of wooden bamboo skewers – no need to soak metal ones!
Add as little, as much, or none at all of the sriracha based on your preferred spice level. Adding the full amount will make the recipe spicy, however just a small drop of sriracha adds tons of flavor without too much heat. If you want the bang bang sauce sweeter, add some honey on with the other ingredients.
The sweet chili sauce has a very mildly spicy kick to it, especially when combined with the creamy and cool mayonnaise. If it’s too spicy for you, or you want it sweeter, add some honey until your preferred spice/sweet level is reached.
Omitting the chili powder is another option for less spice. You could also use cayenne pepper instead of chili powder for even more spice!
When cutting the chicken breasts, aim for large bite-sized pieces of cubed chicken breasts, about 1-inch in size. You want larger chunks that won’t fall apart on the grill, but not huge chunks that take forever to cook through.
Remember to only brush half of the bang bang sauce on the chicken skewers for the last minutes of cooking. The rest of the sauce needs to be set aside and used for serving – the skewers are really good dipped in the bang bang sauce when eating.

Chicken skewers cooked on a white serving plate.

Recipe FAQs

Why Do I Need To Soak Skewers Before Using Them?

It’s important to soak the bamboo wooden skewers so they do not burn during cooking. It also helps keep them moist enough so the chicken will slide off more easily after cooking.

Can This Recipe Be Prepared Ahead of Time?

Yes, you can prep the meat and make the bang bang sauce up to 24 hours before cooking. Store the sauce and chicken in separate containers in the fridge. The chicken does not need any marinating time, but if making it ahead, it will have time to marinate and the flavors to blend together – if that’s what you prefer.

Can These Be Made Without Spice?

If you would like to eliminate or reduce spice, you can completely omit the sriracha and chili powder from the recipe. The sweet chili sauce tends to be more sweet than spicy, especially when paired with mayonnaise, so that ingredient should not be a problem. If you want it sweeter even after omitting the sriracha and chili powder, add some honey to the bang bang sauce.

Do I Have To Use An Outdoor Grill? What Are Other Options?

There are other cooking methods for bang bang chicken skewers if needed. They can be made in the air fryer at 400°F for 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway through. Follow the same cooking instructions to the proper temperatures, and baste the skewers in the sauce for the additional final minutes of cooking.

Bang Bang Chicken Skewers with Easy Bang Bang Sauce