Bang Bang Chicken Rice Bowls
These rice bowls combine browned, bite-size chicken with a creamy sauce made from mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, and adjustable sriracha. Shredded purple cabbage, matchstick carrots, cucumber rounds, and avocado add a fresh crunch alongside the warm chicken and rice.
A light cornstarch coating helps the chicken brown in the skillet without making it thickly breaded. Cook the pieces with room between them, then add the sauce off the heat and save some for a drizzle over each bowl.
Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes | Total time: 40 minutes | Serves: 4
Ingredients for Bang Bang Chicken Rice Bowls
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into roughly 1-inch pieces (680g)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (15g)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons neutral or avocado oil, divided as needed
- 1½ cups dry long-grain white rice (280g)
- ½ cup mayonnaise (110g)
- ⅓ cup sweet chili sauce (85g)
- 1 tablespoon sriracha, plus more to taste
- 2 cups thinly shredded red cabbage (140g)
- 1 cup julienned or matchstick-cut carrot (110g)
- 1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced into rounds (200g)
- 1 medium avocado, sliced (150g)
- 1 tablespoon black and white sesame seeds
- Optional: 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, for serving
How to Make Bang Bang Chicken Rice Bowls
- Cook the rice: Prepare the rice according to the package directions. Keep it covered and warm while you make the chicken and toppings.
- Mix the sauce: Whisk the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, and sriracha until smooth. Taste and adjust the sriracha. Set aside about half the sauce for drizzling over the finished bowls.
- Prepare the toppings: Shred the cabbage, cut the carrot into matchsticks, and slice the cucumber. Keep the vegetables separate. Slice the avocado close to serving.
- Coat the chicken: Pat the chicken dry. Toss it with the cornstarch, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper until lightly and evenly coated.
- Brown the chicken: Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes. Add about 1 tablespoon oil, then arrange the chicken in a single layer with space between the pieces. Cook uncovered, letting the first side brown before turning the pieces a few times. Cook in batches if needed, adding more oil if the pan looks dry. Allow about 6–8 minutes per batch, but start checking the thickest pieces around 5 minutes. Reduce the heat slightly if the coating darkens too quickly. The chicken should be browned on several sides, opaque in the center, and reach 165°F (75°C).
- Sauce the chicken: Remove the skillet from the heat. Toss the cooked chicken with enough of the unreserved sauce to make it glossy, leaving some browned edges visible.
- Assemble the bowls: Divide the rice among four wide bowls. Add the chicken, then arrange the cabbage, carrot, cucumber rounds, and fanned avocado in separate sections, leaving some rice visible. Drizzle the reserved sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Finish with sesame seeds and optional cilantro.
How to Keep the Chicken Browned
Wet chicken or a crowded skillet will steam the pieces instead of browning them. Pat the chicken dry before coating it, leave room between pieces, and let the first side develop color before turning. A smaller skillet may require more batches and a longer total cook time.
The sauce softens the light coating as it sits. For more browned texture, lightly sauce the chicken just before serving or drizzle the sauce over individual bowls instead of tossing it all with the chicken.
Adjusting the Sauce and Chicken
For a milder sauce, reduce or omit the sriracha and offer extra at the table. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs in place of breast; the cook time may differ, so check the thickest pieces for 165°F rather than relying on the suggested batch time.
For a simpler version, omit the cornstarch and cook the seasoned chicken in batches. It will still brown, but it will not have the same lightly coated finish.
Meal Prep and Reheating
Cool and refrigerate the cooked rice and chicken separately from the fresh vegetables and sauce in airtight containers for 3–4 days. Refrigerate the sauce separately and use it within about 5 days. When possible, keep the avocado whole and slice it just before serving.
Reheat the rice and chicken separately until hot, then add the cold toppings and sauce. Cover rice when microwaving it, with a small splash of water if it seems dry. Reheating chicken in a skillet over medium heat helps retain more of its browned texture; microwaving is quicker but softens the coating. Freezing may also soften the coating, so do not expect thawed chicken to have the same finish.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per bowl, based on 4 servings of about 565g each: 880 calories, 46g protein, 40g fat, and 83g carbohydrates. Approximate nutrition per 100g: 155 calories, 8g protein, 7g fat, and 15g carbohydrates. Values vary with ingredient brands, the amount of oil used, and the final cooked yield.
Equipment
- 12-inch skillet
- rice saucepan
- mixing bowl
- whisk
- knife
- cutting board
- meat thermometer
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into roughly 1-inch pieces (680 g)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (15 g)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons neutral or avocado oil, divided as needed
For the Bowls
- 1.5 cups dry long-grain white rice (280 g)
- 2 cups thinly shredded red cabbage (140 g)
- 1 cup julienned or matchstick-cut carrot (110 g)
- 1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced into rounds (200 g)
- 1 medium avocado, sliced (150 g)
- 1 tablespoon black and white sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, optional
For the Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (110 g)
- 1/3 cup sweet chili sauce (85 g)
- 1 tablespoon sriracha, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the rice according to the package directions. Keep it covered and warm.
- Whisk the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, and sriracha until smooth. Taste and adjust the sriracha, then set aside about half the sauce for serving.
- Shred the cabbage, cut the carrot into matchsticks, and slice the cucumber. Keep the vegetables separate and slice the avocado close to serving.
- Pat the chicken dry. Toss it with the cornstarch, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
- Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes. Add about 1 tablespoon oil and arrange the chicken in a single layer with space between the pieces.
- Cook uncovered, letting the first side brown before turning the pieces a few times. Cook in batches if needed, adding more oil if the pan looks dry. Allow 6–8 minutes per batch, checking the thickest pieces around 5 minutes. Reduce the heat slightly if the coating darkens too quickly. Cook until browned on several sides, opaque in the center, and 165°F (75°C).
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Toss the cooked chicken with enough of the unreserved sauce to coat it lightly and leave some browned edges visible.
- Divide the rice among four wide bowls. Add the chicken, cabbage, carrot, cucumber, and avocado in separate sections.
- Drizzle the reserved sauce over the bowls and finish with sesame seeds and optional cilantro.
Tips
- Pat the chicken dry before coating so it browns rather than steams.
- Leave space between chicken pieces and cook in batches if necessary.
- Let the first side brown before turning the chicken.
- Add the sauce off the heat and use only enough to lightly coat the chicken for a more browned texture.
- Check the thickest chicken pieces for 165°F (75°C) rather than relying only on cooking time.
Variations
- Milder Sauce: Reduce or omit the sriracha and offer extra at the table.
- Chicken Thighs: Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breast and cook until the thickest pieces reach 165°F (75°C).
- Without Cornstarch: Omit the cornstarch and cook the seasoned chicken in batches; it will brown without the lightly coated finish.