This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This Bang Bang Chicken recipe is my Taiwanese-style cold shredded chicken salad with tender steamed chicken, crisp cucumber, and a savory sesame black vinegar sauce.
Unlike the western fried version with creamy mayo sauce, this one is cool, refreshing, and more rounded in flavor. I use the chicken essence from steaming bone-in chicken to make the sauce, so it tastes richer while still staying light, juicy, and easy to enjoy.
What is bang bang chicken
Bang bang chicken comes from Chinese cuisine. The traditional Chinese/Sichuan version is a cold shredded chicken dish with a savory, tangy, spicy sauce — not fried chicken.
Today, many American-style bang bang chicken recipes are crispy fried chicken pieces tossed with a creamy mayo-based sauce. Tasty, but a very different dish.
This recipe is my Taiwanese-style bang bang chicken. It keeps the cold shredded chicken format, but the flavor is gentler, more rounded, and less spicy-numbing than the Sichuan version.
How Taiwanese-style bang bang chicken is different
This Taiwanese-style bang bang chicken is cooler, gentler, and more rounded than the Sichuan version. It still has a big flavor, but without the strong spicy-numbing taste.
- Less numbing, more rounded: I don’t use Sichuan peppercorn here. The sauce is savory, sesame-forward, lightly tangy, and a little sweet.
- Juicy steamed chicken: Instead of boiling the chicken in water, I steam bone-in chicken with aromatics. In my testing, the chicken tasted juicier this way, and the flavor stayed with the meat instead of getting lost in a pot of water.
- Chicken essence adds body: The clear chicken juice from steaming becomes part of the sauce. It tastes much better than thinning the sesame paste with plain water because it adds deeper flavor and a little natural body from the bone-in chicken.
- Cucumber keeps it fresh: Crisp cucumber balances the sesame sauce and shredded chicken. It makes the dish feel cooler, lighter, and more refreshing.
Ingredients you’ll need
For the full measurements, see the recipe card below. Here are the ingredients that make the biggest difference in this Taiwanese-style bang bang chicken.
- Chicken drumsticks or leg quarters: I use bone-in chicken because it gives the meat better flavor and creates the clear chicken essence for the sauce. This is one of the biggest differences I noticed when testing this recipe — the sauce tastes richer and more rounded.
- Persian cucumbers: They are crisp, juicy, and easy to julienne. The cucumber balances the sesame sauce and keeps the dish cool and refreshing.
- Scallion, garlic, and ginger: Ginger adds a gentle warmth to the chicken, while scallion and garlic give the sizzling oil its savory aroma.
- Chinese sesame paste or tahini: Chinese sesame paste has a deeper roasted sesame flavor. Tahini is easier to find and works well, too, especially when balanced with soy sauce, black vinegar, and chicken essence.
- Black vinegar: This adds a gentle tang, but it should not overpower the sauce. In this Taiwanese-style version, the flavor is more rounded than sharp. In a pinch, aged balsamic vinegar can work as a substitute.
- Reserved chicken juice: This is the clear chicken essence from steaming the bone-in chicken. It adds flavor, body, and a silky feel to the sauce, so we don’t need to thin it with plain water.
- Toasted sesame oil and cilantro: These are finishing touches. A small drizzle of sesame oil adds aroma, and cilantro brings a fresh herbal note right before serving.
How to make bang bang chicken
This is a quick overview so you can see the flow before you start. The full steps and timing are in the recipe card below.
- Steam the chicken: Place a small heatproof cup upside down in the center of the plate. Arrange the bone-in chicken around it and steam with ginger, garlic, scallion, and rice wine until cooked through and juicy.
- Chill the cucumber: Julienne the cucumbers and keep them in ice water so they stay crisp and refreshing.
- Make the sizzling aromatics: Pour hot oil over scallion, garlic, chili, and sesame seeds to bring out their aroma.
- Save the chicken essence: After steaming, remove the chicken and aromatics first, then lift the cup and save the clear chicken juice from the plate.
- Mix the sauce: Stir the sizzling aromatics with soy sauce, sesame paste, black vinegar, and reserved chicken essence until loose and pourable.
- Assemble and serve: Shred the chicken, place it over the drained cucumber, pour the sauce on top, and toss before serving.
Tip
Key tips for the best texture and sauce
These are the small details that make the chicken juicy, the cucumber crisp, and the sauce just right.
- Use an inverted cup: This is an old-style chicken essence trick. As the bone-in chicken steams, it releases rich chicken juice. The upside-down cup helps collect that clear, concentrated chicken essence in one place, so we can use it for the sauce.
- Don’t move the cup too early: After steaming, let the plate settle for a few seconds. Remove the chicken and cooked aromatics first, then lift the cup. This keeps the chicken essence cleaner and easier to collect.
- Keep the sauce loose: The sauce should be pourable and lightly thickened, like a thin sesame dressing. I like to keep it looser at first because sesame paste continues to thicken as it sits, and the shredded chicken will absorb some of the sauce after tossing.
- Drain the cucumber well: After chilling the cucumber, drain it well before plating. This keeps the finished bang bang chicken crisp and refreshing, not watery.
- Toss right before serving: Shredded chicken absorbs sauce quickly. For the juiciest texture, pour the sauce over the chicken and cucumber, then toss just before eating.
What to serve with it
Serve this Taiwanese-style bang bang chicken as a cold appetizer, light salad, or easy main dish.
For dinner, pair it with rice cooker steamed white rice so the rice can catch the sesame black vinegar sauce. For a light summer meal, serve it over scallion oil noodles.
To round out the meal, add Din Tai Fung Taiwanese cabbage with garlic for a warm vegetable side, or Taiwanese pickled daikon for something cool, crunchy, and bright.
Bang Bang Chicken Taiwanese Style Recipe
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 5 Chicken drumsticks or 2 chicken leg quarters
- 0.4 oz ginger 1.5-inch knob, thin slices
- 0.5 oz garlic 3 large cloves, sliced
- 1 thick scallion white part only (roughly diced),
- 1 tbsp rice wine or 0.5 tbsp chicken stock
- 4-5 whole Persian cucumbers sliced on a long bias, then julienned
For the sizzling aromatics:
- 1 thick scallion white and green parts, diced, about ½ cup
- 0.35 oz garlic about 2 large cloves, finely minced
- 1 whole fresh red chili pepper thinly sliced on a diagonal, or ¼ tsp gochugaru, optional
- 1 tsp roasted white sesame seeds plus more for garnish
- 3 tbsp neutral-flavored oil such as avocado oil
Sauce seasonings:
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1-1.5 tbsp sesame paste or tahini paste
- 1 tbsp Taiwanese black vinegar or Chinese black vinegar
- 1½ to 2½ tbsp reserved chicken steaming juice start with 1½ tbsp
- 1 small handful cilantro leaves chopped
- A small drizzle toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Set up the steamer: Fill a steamer pot with 1½ cups (355 ml) water, or just enough water to sit below the steamer rack without touching the plate. Place the steamer rack inside, cover, and bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Arrange the chicken: While the water heats, place a small heatproof cup upside down in the center of a large heatproof dish. Use a low-walled dish that is deep enough to hold the chicken juices; avoid a flat plate. Arrange the chicken around the cup. Scatter the ginger, garlic, and scallion whites over and around the chicken. Drizzle with rice wine.
- Steam the chicken: Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to medium. Carefully place the dish with the chicken onto the steamer rack. Cover and steam for 30 minutes total. Start on medium heat. Once you see steady steam escaping, about 5 minutes in, lower the heat to medium-low or low and continue steaming gently.
- Prepare the cucumber: While the chicken steams, julienne the cucumbers. Transfer them to a bowl of ice water and chill in the fridge to keep them crisp.
- Prepare the aromatics: Dice the scallion, finely mince the garlic, and slice the chili pepper, if using. Transfer them to a small heatproof bowl with the sesame seeds.
- Heat the oil: In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the neutral oil. Warm it over medium-low heat for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the oil shimmers. To test, insert a dry chopstick into the oil. If small bubbles form around it, the oil is ready.
- Sizzle the aromatics: Slowly and carefully pour the hot oil over the aromatics. The mixture will sizzle right away. Stir with a spoon to combine, then set aside.
- Check the chicken: Insert a digital thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken, avoiding the bone. The chicken should register at least 165°F (74°C).
- Cool the chicken: Turn off the heat. Do not move the center cup yet. Carefully transfer the chicken to a large bowl of room-temperature water and let it sit until cool enough to handle. Discard the steamed ginger, garlic, and scallion from the plate.
- Save the chicken juice: Once the chicken and steamed aromatics are removed from the plate, carefully lift out the center cup. The clear, concentrated chicken juices will gather in the center of the dish. Save this chicken juice to loosen and flavor the sauce.
- Make the sauce: To the bowl with the sizzling aromatics, add the salt, sugar, soy sauce, sesame paste, and black vinegar. Stir well. Add 1½ tablespoons of the reserved chicken juice first, then add more as needed until the sauce is loose, pourable, and lightly thickened. It should not look creamy or heavy at this stage. Keep it on the thinner side because the sesame paste will continue to thicken, and the shredded chicken will absorb some of the sauce after tossing.
- Shred the chicken: Drain the cooled chicken and shred the meat into strips. Discard the bones and skin.
- Plate and serve: Drain the cucumber well and place it on a large serving plate. Add the shredded chicken on top. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Garnish with cilantro, extra sesame seeds, and a small drizzle of toasted sesame oil. Toss before serving. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.
Notes
- Why steam the chicken instead of boiling it: Steaming keeps the chicken tender and juicy because the flavor stays with the meat instead of leaking into a pot of water. In my recipe testing, steaming gave the chicken a better taste and texture. It also gives us a small amount of concentrated chicken juice to use in the sauce.
- Why place a small cup in the center: The small cup helps the chicken juices collect instead of spreading too thinly across the plate. After steaming, save the concentrated juices from the dish. This is the chicken essence that gives the sauce extra depth and body.
- About the liquid after steaming: Right after steaming, you may see some liquid gathered on the plate. Don’t pour it away. Give it a few seconds to settle, then save the golden chicken juice for the sauce. This is one of the best parts of the recipe.
- Make-ahead: You can steam and shred the chicken in advance. Store the shredded chicken and reserved chicken juice separately in the fridge. For the best flavor and texture, make the sizzling aromatics and sauce the day you plan to serve.
- Storage: Once mixed with the cucumber and sauce, store the salad in an airtight container in the fridge. It is best finished within 1 to 2 days while the cucumber is still crisp.
- Reheating: This dish is not meant to be reheated because of the fresh cucumber. In Taiwan, bang bang chicken is commonly enjoyed cool or at room temperature, especially during hot weather.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
FAQs
Yes. Bang bang chicken comes from Chinese cuisine. The traditional version is a cold shredded chicken dish, not fried chicken. The American version with crispy chicken and creamy mayo sauce is a newer, very different style.
Sichuan bang bang chicken is usually more spicy, tangy, and numbing from chili oil and Sichuan peppercorn. This Taiwanese-style version is gentler and more rounded, with a sesame-forward sauce, crisp cucumber, and no Sichuan peppercorn.
Yes. If you already have cooked chicken breast, you can use it as a shortcut. Just know the chicken may be a little drier, and you won’t have the fresh chicken essence from steaming bone-in chicken. In a pinch, use a little chicken broth to loosen the sauce instead.
Yes. You can steam and shred the chicken ahead, then store the chicken and reserved chicken essence separately. For the best texture, keep the cucumber and sauce separate and toss everything together closer to serving.
More Taiwanese chicken recipes
- Taiwanese soy chicken marinade: A simple, savory soy-garlic marinade with Taiwanese thick soy sauce for tender, flavorful chicken.
- Three cup chicken: A classic Taiwanese stovetop chicken dish with basil, sesame oil, and rice wine.
- Air fryer Taiwanese popcorn chicken: Crispy, snacky night-market style chicken made lighter in the air fryer.
Made a dish and loved it? Please rate the recipe and leave a comment in the section below! It helps my blog grow organically, allowing me to continue sharing free and awesome content with you. Thank you!
