1. Marinate the Chicken:

• Cut the chicken breasts into small, uniform bite-sized pieces.
• In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Whisk together.
• Add the bite-sized chicken pieces to the bowl, ensuring they are fully submerged in the buttermilk mixture.
• Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight, to allow the chicken to tenderize and absorb flavor.

2. Prepare the Bang Bang Sauce:

• While the chicken marinates (or just before cooking), prepare the sauce. In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, Sriracha sauce, honey, lime juice, and 1 tsp garlic powder.
• Mix with a whisk or fork until completely smooth and well combined.
• Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary – add more Sriracha for more heat, more honey for sweetness, or more lime for tang. Set the sauce aside.

3. Prepare Breading and Heat Oil:

• Set up your breading station. In one shallow dish, place the all-purpose flour. In another shallow dish, place the panko breadcrumbs.
• In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven, heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C). Use a thermometer for accuracy. If you don’t have one, a small piece of breading should sizzle actively when dropped in.

4. Bread and Fry the Chicken:

• Remove the chicken pieces from the buttermilk marinade, allowing the excess marinade to drip off well.
• Working in batches, first dredge the marinated chicken pieces thoroughly in the flour, shaking off excess.
• Then, immediately dredge the flour-coated chicken in the panko breadcrumbs, pressing gently to ensure an even, full coating. (Note: This direct buttermilk-to-flour/panko method is unusual but follows recipe wording; typically an egg wash is used between flour and crumbs).
• Carefully place the breaded chicken pieces into the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd the skillet (this lowers oil temp and makes chicken greasy).
• Fry each batch for about 3-4 minutes per side (total 6-8 minutes), or until golden brown, crispy, and cooked through.
• Use a slotted spoon or spider to carefully remove the cooked chicken pieces and transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Repeat frying with remaining chicken batches, ensuring oil returns to 350°F between batches.

5. Sauce the Chicken:

• Place all the hot, drained, crispy chicken pieces into a large clean bowl.
• Pour about half to two-thirds of the prepared Bang Bang sauce over the chicken.
• Toss gently until the chicken pieces are evenly coated in the sauce. Add more sauce if needed/desired, reserving some for serving if you like. Toss just before assembling for maximum crispiness.

6. Assemble the Sliders:

• Lightly toast the slider buns on a griddle, in a toaster, or in a dry skillet until golden brown.
• Spread a little extra Bang Bang sauce (or plain mayo) on the bottom half of each toasted bun, if desired.
• Place a few pieces of the sauced Bang Bang chicken onto each bottom bun.
• Top the chicken with shredded lettuce, a few thin slices of red onion, and pickle slices (if using).
• Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves, if desired.
• Place the top half of the slider bun on top.

7. Serve:

• Arrange the Bang Bang Chicken Sliders on a serving platter.
• Serve immediately while the chicken is hot and crispy. Offer extra Bang Bang sauce on the side for dipping, if you reserved some. Enjoy!