These viral bang bang chicken bowls layer juicy skillet chicken breast, jasmine rice, crunchy cucumber-carrot salad, and red cabbage with a creamy sweet-and-spicy bang bang sauce. The fresh vegetables balance the rich sauce, giving you a loaded chicken rice bowl with a ton of flavor and texture in every bite.
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Why You'll Love These Bang Bang Chicken Rice Bowls
I’ve been really into loaded high-protein bowls lately, from my viral beef broth bowls to my hot honey chicken bowls, so when I saw these bang bang chicken bowls from @calwillcookit, I had to try them. His version looked packed with everything I want in a bowl: chicken, rice, crunchy vegetables, and that creamy bang bang sauce.
I kept the same basic idea but used chicken breasts for my version since that’s what I usually have on hand. The chicken gets browned in a skillet, tossed with some of the sauce, then piled over jasmine rice with the cucumber-carrot salad and red cabbage. The sweet, spicy sauce with all those fresh, crunchy toppings makes this one of my favorite loaded bowls I’ve made lately.
I've also been loving this bang bang chicken bowl for meal prep. You can make the chicken, rice, and cucumber-carrot salad ahead of time, then keep the bang bang sauce and fresh toppings separate so everything still tastes fresh when you put the bowls together.
Ingredients You'll Need
For the chicken:
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- Salt, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- Avocado oil spray
For the bang bang sauce:
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons Thai sweet chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons sriracha
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
For the cucumber carrot salad:
- 4 carrots
- 4 mini cucumbers
- 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ½ tablespoon sesame seeds
- ½ tablespoon black sesame seeds
- Salt, to taste
- Garlic powder, to taste
For serving:
- 3 cups jasmine rice, cooked in chicken broth
- 1 cup shredded red cabbage
- 2 green onions, sliced
- Sesame seeds
A Few Ingredient Notes
- Chicken breasts. I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this version. Chicken thighs are a great substitute and will stay a little juicier, but they may need an extra minute or two to cook through.
- Jasmine rice. I like jasmine rice because it’s fluffy and works really well with the bang bang sauce. Basmati or regular long-grain white rice will also work. I cook mine in chicken broth for extra flavor.
- Thai sweet chili sauce. This gives the bang bang sauce its sweet, slightly spicy flavor. You can find it in the Asian foods section of most grocery stores.
- Sriracha. This controls most of the heat in the sauce. Use less for a milder bowl or add a little more if you want it spicier.
- Mayonnaise. Regular mayo gives the bang bang sauce the creamiest texture. Light mayo can work too, but the sauce may be slightly thinner.
- Seasoned rice vinegar. This adds acidity to both the sauce and cucumber-carrot salad. Regular rice vinegar works in a pinch, but since it isn’t seasoned, you may want to add a small pinch of sugar and salt.
- Mini cucumbers. Persian or mini cucumbers are ideal because they’re crisp and have fewer seeds. An English cucumber is the best substitute.
- Red cabbage. This adds extra crunch and color to the bowl. Green cabbage or a bagged coleslaw mix will work if that’s what you have.
How to Make Bang Bang Chicken Bowls
Step 1: Make the Bang Bang Sauce
Whisk together the mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce, sriracha, honey, seasoned rice vinegar, and chili flakes until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate the sauce while you prepare the rest of the bowls.
Step 2: Make the Cucumber Carrot Salad
Thinly slice or julienne the carrots and cucumbers. Add them to a bowl with the rice vinegar, honey, white and black sesame seeds, salt, and garlic powder. Toss until evenly coated, then refrigerate so the vegetables stay crisp.
Step 3: Cook the Chicken
Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and toss with the soy sauce, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and lightly coat it with avocado oil spray. Add the chicken in a single layer and let it cook undisturbed for 4-5 minutes to develop a golden crust. Stir and continue cooking for another 4-6 minutes, or until the chicken is browned and reaches 165°F in the center.
Step 4: Add the Bang Bang Sauce
Turn off the heat and add a few tablespoons of bang bang sauce to the hot chicken. Toss until every piece is lightly coated. I like keeping this first coating fairly light so there’s plenty of sauce left for drizzling over the finished bowls.
Step 5: Assemble the Bowls
Divide the jasmine rice between four bowls, then add the bang bang chicken, cucumber-carrot salad, and shredded red cabbage. Finish with green onions, sesame seeds, and another drizzle of bang bang sauce before serving.
My Expert Tips for the Best Bang Bang Chicken Bowls
- Cut the chicken into evenly sized pieces. Keeping the pieces close to the same size helps them cook evenly and makes the bowl easier to eat.
- Use a large skillet. The chicken needs enough room to brown properly. If your skillet is small, cook it in two batches rather than crowding everything together.
- Save most of the bang bang sauce for serving. Coating the chicken lightly gives it plenty of flavor without making the whole bowl overly rich. Add more sauce on top when serving so everyone can control how much they want.
- Drain the cucumber-carrot salad before adding it. The vegetables will release some liquid as they sit. Use a slotted spoon or drain off the excess so it doesn’t make the rice watery.
- Fluff the rice before building the bowls. Loosening the grains keeps the base light instead of compacted and gives the bang bang sauce somewhere to soak in.
- Let the hot and cold components stay separate until serving. Keep the chicken and rice warm while the cabbage and cucumber-carrot salad stay chilled. That temperature and texture contrast makes the finished bowl much better.
- Build the bowls right before eating. If everything sits together too long, the fresh vegetables lose some crunch and the rice starts absorbing the sauce. Assemble just before serving for the best texture.
How to Meal Prep Bang Bang Chicken Bowls
These bang bang chicken bowls are great for meal prep because most of the components can be made ahead and stored separately until you’re ready to eat.
- Make ahead: Cook the chicken and rice and prepare the bang bang sauce and cucumber-carrot salad up to 3 days ahead. Store each component separately so the vegetables stay crisp and the rice doesn’t soak up the sauce.
- For individual meal-prep bowls: Portion the rice and chicken into containers ahead of time, then pack the vegetables and sauce separately. When you’re ready to eat, reheat the warm components and add everything else afterward.
- To reheat: Reheat the chicken and rice until hot in a skillet with a splash of water over medium heat or microwave in 30-second increments, then add the cold cucumber-carrot salad, cabbage, green onions, sesame seeds, and bang bang sauce after reheating.
Bang Bang Chicken Bowl FAQs
What is a bang bang chicken bowl?
A bang bang chicken bowl is a rice bowl topped with seasoned chicken, vegetables, and creamy sweet-and-spicy bang bang sauce. This version uses skillet chicken breast, jasmine rice, cucumber-carrot salad, red cabbage, green onions, and sesame seeds for a mix of warm, creamy, crunchy, and fresh textures.
What is bang bang sauce made of?
The bang bang sauce is this recipe is made with mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce, sriracha, honey, seasoned rice vinegar, and chili flakes. It’s creamy, sweet, tangy, and spicy, and you can easily adjust the heat by changing the amount of sriracha or chili flakes. For another version, check out this bang bang sauce.
Are bang bang chicken bowls spicy?
They have a moderate kick, but they’re easy to make milder. Reduce the sriracha and chili flakes while keeping the sweet chili sauce and honey the same. You can always add more heat to individual bowls at the end.
What rice is best for bang bang chicken bowls?
Jasmine rice is my favorite because its light, fragrant flavor pairs well with the creamy bang bang sauce. Basmati, regular long-grain white rice, or brown rice will also work. I like cooking the rice in chicken broth for extra flavor.
Can I use a different protein?
Yes. The bowl would also work well with shrimp, ground chicken, or ground turkey. Keep the rice, cucumber-carrot salad, cabbage, and bang bang sauce the same, then adjust the cooking method and time for whichever protein you choose.
Can I make bang bang chicken bowls less rich?
The easiest way is to use a lighter coating of bang bang sauce on the chicken and serve extra sauce on the side. Loading the bowl with plenty of cucumber-carrot salad and cabbage also keeps each bite fresh and balances the creamy sauce.
What other toppings can I add?
Avocado, edamame, shredded carrots, extra cucumber, cilantro, pickled onions, or sliced jalapeños all work well. You can also add extra sesame seeds or a drizzle of sriracha if you want more heat.
Loaded Bowl Recipes to Try Next
- Sweet potato taco bowl
- Ground turkey rice bowls
- Sloppy Joe bowls
- Street corn beef bowls
- Street corn chicken rice bowls
Viral Bang Bang Chicken Bowls
These viral bang bang chicken bowls layer juicy skillet chicken breast, jasmine rice, crunchy cucumber-carrot salad, and red cabbage with a creamy sweet-and-spicy bang bang sauce. The fresh vegetables balance the rich sauce, giving you a loaded chicken rice bowl with a ton of flavor and texture in every bite.
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- Salt, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Onion powder
- Avocado oil spray
Bang Bang Sauce
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoon Thai sweet chili sauce
- 2 tablespoon sriracha
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
Cucumber Carrot Salad
- 4 carrots
- 4 mini cucumbers
- 2 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoon honey
- ½ tablespoon sesame seeds
- ½ tablespoon black sesame seeds
- Salt, to taste
- Garlic powder, to taste
For Serving
- 3 cups Jasmine rice, cooked in chicken broth
- 1 cup Shredded red cabbage
- 2 Green onions, sliced
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
1. For the bang bang sauce, whisk together the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, honey, rice vinegar, and chili flakes until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. Thinly slice or julienne the carrots and cucumbers. Add them to a bowl with the rice vinegar, honey, sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, salt, and garlic powder. Toss well and refrigerate while you prepare the chicken.
3. Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. Add to a large bowl with the soy sauce, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Toss until evenly seasoned.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and lightly coat with avocado oil spray. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 4–5 minutes to develop a golden crust.
5. Stir and continue cooking for another 4–6 minutes, or until the chicken is golden and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Turn off the heat and add a few tablespoons of the bang bang sauce. Toss until the chicken is evenly coated.
6. Divide the jasmine rice between four bowls. Add the bang bang chicken, cucumber carrot salad, and shredded red cabbage. Finish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Drizzle with additional bang bang sauce and serve.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1 bowlAmount Per Serving: Calories: 848Total Fat: 46gSaturated Fat: 8gUnsaturated Fat: 38gCholesterol: 214mgSodium: 1743mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 6gSugar: 20gProtein: 75g
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