Keto Bang Bang Chicken
Published May 6, 2024 • Updated March 10, 2026
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Bang Bang Shrimp has been one of my go-to appetizers at Chinese restaurants for years, right up there with hunan chicken and chicken stir fry. The problem is the original sauce and breading are loaded with sugar. I spent a few weeks testing a low carb version at home, and what I landed on is a four-ingredient sauce with zero sugar that tastes close to what you’d get at a restaurant.
I went with chicken instead of shrimp for two reasons: it’s cheaper, and my kids will actually eat it. Shrimp works too (the sauce is really the star), but chicken thighs give you more to work with and they stay juicy inside that crispy shell. At about 3 net carbs per serving, this has become one of my regular weeknight dinners.
How to make sugar-free bang bang sauce
The sauce is mayonnaise, garlic chili sauce, sriracha, and a little sugar-free sweetener. That’s it. I tested a few other combinations (sweet chili sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil), but this four-ingredient version has the best balance of creamy, spicy, and slightly sweet without any added sugar. The sauce keeps in the fridge for 10-14 days, so I usually make extra and use it on other things during the week.
For the breading, I use pork panko mixed with almond flour. I tried almond flour alone early on and it browns too fast before the chicken cooks through. Pork panko gives you that real crunch, the kind that holds up even after you toss everything in sauce. One of my readers went all pork panko (skipped the almond flour entirely) and said the crust came out even crunchier, so that works if you want maximum crispiness. If you like breaded chicken, my chicken katsu and breaded chicken cutlets use a similar pork panko technique.
The dipping liquid is heavy cream, water, and apple cider vinegar, which acts like a buttermilk wash and helps the breading stick to each piece. I dip, press into the pork panko mixture, and fry in avocado oil at 325-350 degrees. Oil temperature is the whole game here. If your oil runs too hot, the outside browns before the inside cooks. Too cool and the breading soaks up oil and goes soggy. I keep a thermometer in the pot the entire time and adjust the burner as needed.
Once everything is fried and drained, I toss it in a bowl with just enough sauce to coat (not drown). Serve it over cauliflower rice with cucumber, red pepper, green onion, and sesame seeds. I’ve also put these on skewers for parties, which makes them easier to grab and keeps fingers cleaner. It works as a keto weeknight dinner or as an appetizer when friends come over. If you’re into Asian-inspired dinners, my teriyaki chicken and beef and broccoli are good next picks.
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Bang Bang Sauce Ingredients
1/2 cup mayonnaise -
1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce (Sambal or Huy Fong brand)
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2 teaspoons sriracha
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1/2 teaspoon sugar-free sweetener
Crispy Fried Chicken Bites Ingredients
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1 ½ pounds chicken thighs, breast or tenders cut into 1 inch cubes
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1 cup pork panko
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1/2 cup almond flour
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2 teaspoons garlic powder
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2 teaspoons onion powder
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2 teaspoon salt, divided
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1 ½ teaspoons black pepper, divided
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1 teaspoon paprika
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1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
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1/4 cup water
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1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
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avocado oil, for frying
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Bang Bang Sauce instructions
In a bowl, mix the mayonnaise, chili garlic sauce, and sriracha together, mixing well to combine, and then tasting. If you like it spicier, add 1/2 teaspoon additional sriracha and mix again. Cover and refrigerate for later use.
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
- 2 teaspoons sriracha
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar-free sweetener
Breading mixture
In a medium-sized shallow bowl, mix the pork panko, almond flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Set it aside.
- 1 cup pork panko
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Dipping mixture
In a separate shallow dish, mix heavy cream, water, apple cider vinegar, and remaining salt and pepper.
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Bread the chicken
In a heavy-bottomed pot or fryer, heat about 1 to 3 inches of oil to 325 to 350 degrees. While the oil is heating, lightly toss the chicken pieces into the cream mixture to coat all sides. Then, move each piece to the flour mixture, gently pressing to coat all sides of each piece. Move the breaded pieces to a small tray.
Fry time
Working in batches, place about 8-10 pieces of chicken in the hot oil for about 3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown and thoroughly cooked. Remove the cooked pieces from the oil and drain on a paper towel-lined plate to remove excess oil.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
What is bang bang chicken?
It's a Chinese restaurant dish where crispy chicken (or shrimp) gets tossed in a creamy, spicy sauce. I fell in love with the shrimp version years ago and started making it at home with chicken because it's cheaper and feeds my family better. My version uses a sugar-free sauce and pork panko breading to keep it keto friendly.
Can I make the sauce less spicy without losing the flavor?
I've dialed it back a few times for people who don't like heat, and the sauce still tastes good. Cut the sriracha in half and drop the chili garlic sauce to about a teaspoon. You lose some kick, but the creamy, slightly sweet base carries the flavor on its own. If you want zero spice, skip the sriracha entirely and just use the chili garlic sauce at half the amount. I've served it both ways and people still go back for seconds.
What happens if I skip the almond flour and use all pork panko?
I've tested both ratios. All pork panko gives you a more audible, shattery crunch. One of my readers made it that way by accident and said the texture startled her on the first bite. The trade-off is the coating is a little more fragile when you toss it in sauce. I like the blend because the almond flour creates a denser layer that holds together after saucing. But if you're eating these dry with sauce on the side, all pork panko is the way to go.
How many net carbs are in this?
When I calculate with my usual brands, this recipe comes out to about 3 net carbs per serving for a batch that feeds four. Most of the carbs come from the almond flour. If you skip the almond flour and go all pork panko, the count drops even lower. I always check the label on my chili garlic sauce because some brands sneak in sugar that bumps the numbers up.
Can I freeze this?
I don't recommend freezing the chicken once the sauce is on it. The moisture breaks down the breading and the texture goes completely off. What I do instead is fry a bigger batch without sauce, freeze the plain pieces flat on a sheet pan, then bag them once they're solid. When I'm ready to eat, I reheat from frozen in the air fryer at 375 for 5-6 minutes and make fresh sauce. That works so much better.
Can I make this as skewers or on the grill?
I've served these on skewers at parties and it's the easiest way to feed a group. I fry the pieces first, then thread 3-4 on each skewer while they're still warm. I put the sauce in a bowl on the side so people can dip instead of tossing. As for grilling, I've brushed the breaded pieces with avocado oil and grilled them over medium-high heat for about 4-5 minutes per side. The pork panko crust doesn't get as crispy without the oil, but you still get good flavor and the char marks look great on a platter.
Can I bake this instead of frying?
I've tried baking at 425 degrees on a wire rack and the results are OK but not the same. The coating gets crunchy on top but the bottom stays a little soft where it touches the rack. If you want to skip frying, I'd go with the air fryer method instead, similar to how I cook my air fryer pork chops. You get better air circulation and more even browning.
How long does the sauce last?
I keep leftover sauce in a sealed jar in the fridge and it stays good for 10-14 days. It's just mayo, chili garlic sauce, sriracha, and sweetener, so nothing in there spoils quickly. I usually make a double batch because I use it as a dipping sauce for other keto recipes during the week, like air fryer steak bites or plain grilled chicken.
Made this twice now and the flavor is genuinely there, though the oil temp is worth watching closely. First attempt I ran too hot and the pork panko went golden before the inside was done. Dropping back to 325 sorted it out. One other thing: the sweetener pulls the heat down a bit, so if you're using Sambal and like it with some bite, going a touch heavier on the chili garlic sauce is worth it. Four stars for the recipe as written, but those two adjustments took it the rest of the way.
Making this for dinner this week but my wife can't handle much heat. If I cut way back on the sriracha and chili garlic sauce, does the bang bang sauce still work, or does it need the spice to taste like anything? New to keto so don't want to mess it up.
Cut the sriracha to 1 teaspoon and drop the chili garlic sauce to 1 teaspoon. The sauce still tastes like bang bang, just no heat. I've made it that way for people who can't do spice and it works fine.
So I swapped the almond flour for all pork panko (just ran out and figured whatever) and the crust is SO much crunchier it actually startled me on the first bite. Like, audibly crunchy. Then I pushed the chili garlic sauce to two full tablespoons and it became this perfect spicy-sweet thing I kept eating directly off the spoon before I even finished frying. Not sure I can go back to the original ratios now.