Bang Bang Sauce is the perfect combination of sweet and spicy, and it only takes five simple ingredients to make! Say goodbye to bland and boring dishes and hello to Bang Bang Sauce! Drizzle it over crispy chicken or shrimp, use it as a sandwich spread, or serve it as a dipping sauce.

Of course, we’ve got you covered with recipes for Bang Bang Chicken and Bang Bang Shrimp too!

Why Our Recipe

  • 5 ingredients is all it takes to make this super flavorful sauce!
  • Serve it as a sauce to coat chicken and shrimp, as a dip, or as a sandwich spread.
  • Easy to adjust the spice level to make it mild, medium, or fiery hot.
Dipping a piece of shrimp into a bowl of bang bang sauce.

You can easily adjust the heat to your liking—keep it mild for a family-friendly option or turn up the spice for those who love it fiery hot. Once you try it, you’ll want to keep a jar of this sauce in your fridge at all times!

Ingredient Notes

  • Mayonnaise: Any type of mayonnaise will work in this recipe including regular, low-fat, or even vegan. According to our mayonnaise taste test, a store-brand is your best bet for a neutral-flavored mayo to use as the base for a sauce like this.
  • Sweet Chili Sauce: It’s commonly found in the Asian food aisle of most grocery stores.
  • Sriracha Hot Sauce: The amount of sriracha can be adjusted to control the heat. Start with 1 teaspoon for a mild kick, and increase to 2 teaspoons (or more) for a spicier version.
  • Honey: The honey adds a touch of sweetness to balance out the heat. You can substitute it with maple syrup or agave nectar.
  • Salt: Start with 1/8 teaspoon and adjust to taste based on how salty your mayonnaise and sweet chili sauce are.

Bang bang sauce originated in Chinese cuisine with “bang bang ji” (pounded chicken). The name “bang bang” refers to the wooden stick used to tenderize the chicken. The original version had a sesame-based dressing. Over time the sauce gained popularity in the West and evolved into the creamy, sweet, and spicy version known today.

A spoon filled with bang bang sauce.

How to Use It

Drizzle over crispy chicken or shrimp: You’ve probably heard of Bang Bang Chicken or Bang Bang shrimp because this sauce is the perfect finishing touch for crispy fried or baked chicken and shrimp. You can drizzle it over other meats as well.

As a dip: Serve it as a dipping sauce for appetizers like fried calamari, or even veggies like roasted Brussels sprouts or crispy sweet potato fries.

Sandwich spread: Add a little sweet and spicy to burgers and sandwiches. It might be your new favorite spread!

Tacos or wraps: Add a drizzle of Bang Bang Sauce to tacos or wraps for an extra punch of flavor. It pairs especially well with fish or shrimp tacos.

Salads: Use Bang Bang Sauce as a salad dressing by thinning it out with a bit of water or lime juice. It’s a great way to add some bold flavor to coleslaw or a veggie salad.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 10 days. Be sure to give it a stir before using as it may separate slightly over time.

More delicious sauce recipes…

Watch the video below where Caytlin will walk you through every step of this recipe. Sometimes it helps to have a visual, and we’ve always got you covered with our cooking show. You can find the complete collection of recipes on YouTube, our Facebook Page, or right here on our website with their corresponding recipes.