Best Bang Bang Chicken Bowl

If you ask me, bang bang chicken bowls are one of those recipes that just makes sense for busy weeknights.

This bowl brings together crispy seasoned chicken with a creamy, sweet, and spicy sauce that ties everything together. The mayo-based sauce gets its kick from sriracha and chili sauce, balanced out with a touch of honey.

The chicken is cut into bite-sized pieces, seasoned with paprika and garlic powder, then pan-fried until golden. It sits on a bed of jasmine rice with shredded cabbage, carrots, and cucumber for some crunch.

Top it with avocado, cilantro, and sesame seeds, and you’ve got a filling meal that everyone at the table will actually eat.

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What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

For this recipe, boneless, skinless chicken breasts are your best bet since they cook evenly and are easy to slice or dice for bowls. If you prefer dark meat, chicken thighs work great too and tend to stay a bit more juicy, though they’ll add a few extra minutes to your cooking time. You can use fresh or frozen chicken breasts – just make sure frozen ones are fully thawed before cooking so they cook through properly. When shopping, look for chicken breasts that are similar in size so they’ll all finish cooking at the same time.

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Options for Substitutions

This bowl is easy to customize based on what you have in your kitchen:

• Chicken breast: Chicken thighs work great here and stay extra juicy. You can also use shrimp or even crispy tofu for a different protein option. Just adjust cooking times accordingly – thighs need a few extra minutes, while shrimp cooks much faster.
• Mayonnaise: Greek yogurt can replace half the mayo if you want to lighten things up, though the sauce will be tangier. For a dairy-free version, use vegan mayo.
• Chili sauce: Sweet chili sauce is what you’re looking for here. If you can’t find it, mix ketchup with a bit of hot sauce and extra honey to get a similar sweet-spicy flavor.
• Rice: White rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice all work well. You could also swap in quinoa or even noodles if that’s what you prefer.
• Red cabbage: Regular green cabbage, shredded lettuce, or mixed greens make fine substitutes. The cabbage adds crunch, so pick something with a similar texture.
• Sriracha: Any hot sauce works here – just adjust the amount based on how spicy it is. Start with less if using something hotter than Sriracha.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making bang bang chicken is overcooking the chicken breast, which turns it dry and chewy – pull it from the air fryer when it hits 155°F on an instant-read thermometer, as it’ll continue cooking while it rests and reach a safe 165°F.

Another common error is adding too much sauce at once, which can make the chicken soggy instead of nicely coated, so start with that 1/2 cup and let people add more at the table.

Don’t skip flipping the chicken halfway through cooking, since this ensures even browning and prevents one side from drying out while the other stays undercooked.

For the best texture, let your chicken rest for 5 minutes after air frying before tossing it in the sauce – this keeps the coating crispy and prevents the juices from diluting your bang bang sauce.

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What to Serve With Bang Bang Chicken Bowl?

Since this bowl already comes loaded with rice, veggies, and protein, it’s pretty much a complete meal on its own. If you want to add something on the side, some crispy wonton strips or shrimp chips give you that extra crunch that pairs nicely with the creamy bang bang sauce. A light cucumber salad with rice vinegar makes a refreshing side if you’re feeding a crowd, or you could serve some edamame tossed with sea salt as a simple starter. For drinks, an iced green tea or a cold beer helps balance out the spicy-sweet flavors of the sauce.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your bang bang chicken bowl components separate in airtight containers in the fridge for best results. The cooked chicken and rice will stay good for up to 4 days, while the fresh veggies are best used within 2-3 days. Store the bang bang sauce separately and add it right before eating to keep everything crisp.

Meal Prep: This bowl is perfect for meal prepping! Divide the rice, chicken, and chopped veggies into individual containers for grab-and-go lunches. Keep the avocado separate and slice it fresh each day, and pack the sauce in small containers on the side so nothing gets soggy.

Serve: You can enjoy this bowl cold straight from the fridge, or warm up just the chicken and rice in the microwave for about 1-2 minutes. Add your fresh toppings and drizzle with the bang bang sauce right before eating for the best texture and flavor.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 4100-4550
• Protein: 200-230 g
• Fat: 170-190 g
• Carbohydrates: 420-470 g

Ingredients

For the sauce:

• 1.5 cups mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann’s for the creamiest texture)
• 2/3 cup chili sauce
• 2.5 tbsp honey
• 2.5 tbsp sriracha (I use Huy Fong for the most authentic heat)
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil

For the chicken:

• 2 lb chicken breast (cut into 1-inch bite-sized cubes)
• 1.5 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger

For the bowls:

• 4 cups rice (I always use Mahatma jasmine rice for its aroma)
• 2 cups red cabbage (thinly shredded for a better crunch)
• 1 large carrot
• 1 cucumber (sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds)
• 1 avocado
• fresh cilantro
• sesame seeds

Step 1: Prepare the Bang Bang Sauce

• 1.5 cups mayonnaise
• 2/3 cup chili sauce
• 2.5 tbsp honey
• 2.5 tbsp sriracha
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, chili sauce, honey, sriracha, and sesame oil until smooth and fully combined.

The sauce should have a vibrant reddish-orange color and creamy consistency.

Set aside about 1/2 cup of this sauce to toss with the cooked chicken, and reserve the remainder for serving.

I like to make this sauce first because it allows the flavors to meld while you prepare the other components.

Step 2: Prepare the Vegetables and Garnishes

• 2 cups red cabbage
• 1 large carrot
• 1 cucumber
• 1 avocado
• fresh cilantro
• sesame seeds

While the rice cooks (or while you’re prepping other components), prepare all your fresh vegetables: thinly shred the red cabbage, julienne or grate the carrot, slice the cucumber into 1/4-inch thick rounds, and slice the avocado just before assembly to prevent browning.

Roughly chop the fresh cilantro and measure out the sesame seeds.

Having everything prepped and ready makes bowl assembly quick and easy.

Step 3: Season and Cook the Chicken

• 1.5 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 lb chicken breast

In a small bowl, combine the vegetable oil, paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and ground ginger to create a spice paste.

Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch bite-sized cubes and toss them thoroughly with the spice mixture until every piece is evenly coated.

Transfer the seasoned chicken to your air fryer basket in a single layer (work in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding), then air fry at 400°F for 11-12 minutes, shaking the basket or flipping the pieces halfway through cooking.

The chicken should be golden brown and cooked through.

Step 4: Toss Chicken with Sauce

• cooked chicken from Step 3
• 1/2 cup bang bang sauce from Step 1

Remove the cooked chicken from the air fryer and immediately transfer it to a large bowl.

Pour the reserved 1/2 cup of bang bang sauce over the hot chicken and toss until every piece is evenly coated.

The warm chicken will help the sauce cling better and infuse the flavor throughout.

Step 5: Cook the Rice

• 4 cups rice

Prepare the 4 cups of rice according to package directions (typically a 1:2 ratio of rice to water).

I always use jasmine rice because its subtle floral aroma complements the bold bang bang sauce beautifully.

Have the rice ready to serve warm in bowls.

Step 6: Assemble the Bowls

• cooked rice from Step 5
• prepared vegetables from Step 2
• sauce-coated chicken from Step 4
• remaining bang bang sauce from Step 1

Divide the cooked rice evenly among serving bowls as your base.

Arrange the shredded red cabbage, sliced carrots, cucumber rounds, and avocado slices around the rice, creating sections for visual appeal.

Top with a generous portion of the sauce-coated chicken from Step 4, then drizzle additional reserved sauce over the top.

Finish each bowl with fresh cilantro and a sprinkle of sesame seeds for garnish and texture.

Best Bang Bang Chicken Bowl

Delicious Best Bang Bang Chicken Bowl recipe with step-by-step instructions.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 4325 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the sauce

• 1.5 cups mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann's for the creamiest texture)
• 2/3 cup chili sauce
• 2.5 tbsp honey
• 2.5 tbsp sriracha (I use Huy Fong for the most authentic heat)
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil

For the chicken

• 2 lb chicken breast (cut into 1-inch bite-sized cubes)
• 1.5 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger

For the bowls

• 4 cups rice (I always use Mahatma jasmine rice for its aroma)
• 2 cups red cabbage (thinly shredded for a better crunch)
• 1 large carrot
• 1 cucumber (sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds)
• 1 avocado
• fresh cilantro
• sesame seeds

Instructions

 

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, chili sauce, honey, sriracha, and sesame oil until smooth and fully combined. The sauce should have a vibrant reddish-orange color and creamy consistency. Set aside about 1/2 cup of this sauce to toss with the cooked chicken, and reserve the remainder for serving. I like to make this sauce first because it allows the flavors to meld while you prepare the other components.
• While the rice cooks (or while you're prepping other components), prepare all your fresh vegetables: thinly shred the red cabbage, julienne or grate the carrot, slice the cucumber into 1/4-inch thick rounds, and slice the avocado just before assembly to prevent browning. Roughly chop the fresh cilantro and measure out the sesame seeds. Having everything prepped and ready makes bowl assembly quick and easy.
• In a small bowl, combine the vegetable oil, paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and ground ginger to create a spice paste. Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch bite-sized cubes and toss them thoroughly with the spice mixture until every piece is evenly coated. Transfer the seasoned chicken to your air fryer basket in a single layer (work in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding), then air fry at 400°F for 11-12 minutes, shaking the basket or flipping the pieces halfway through cooking. The chicken should be golden brown and cooked through.
• Remove the cooked chicken from the air fryer and immediately transfer it to a large bowl. Pour the reserved 1/2 cup of bang bang sauce over the hot chicken and toss until every piece is evenly coated. The warm chicken will help the sauce cling better and infuse the flavor throughout.
• Prepare the 4 cups of rice according to package directions (typically a 1:2 ratio of rice to water). I always use jasmine rice because its subtle floral aroma complements the bold bang bang sauce beautifully. Have the rice ready to serve warm in bowls.
• Divide the cooked rice evenly among serving bowls as your base. Arrange the shredded red cabbage, sliced carrots, cucumber rounds, and avocado slices around the rice, creating sections for visual appeal. Top with a generous portion of the sauce-coated chicken from Step 4, then drizzle additional reserved sauce over the top. Finish each bowl with fresh cilantro and a sprinkle of sesame seeds for garnish and texture.