Description

This Bang Bang Chicken Bowl is a vibrant and flavorful dish featuring crispy air-fried chicken tossed in a creamy, spicy bang bang sauce served over warm white rice with fresh vegetables like red cabbage, carrot, cucumber, and creamy avocado. Garnished with cilantro and sesame seeds, it’s a perfect balanced meal with crunchy textures and a spicy-sweet kick.

Ingredients

Scale

Bang Bang Sauce

1 ¼ cups (290 g) mayonnaise
⅔ cup (177 g) Thai sweet chili sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons Sriracha, or more to taste

Chicken

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Bang Bang Chicken Bowl Components

4 cups (744 g) prepared white rice, warmed, divided
2 cups (140 g) red cabbage, thinly sliced, divided
1 large carrot, julienned, divided
1 medium cucumber, halved, sliced, divided
1 large avocado, thinly sliced, divided
Fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish
Sesame seeds, for garnish

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Instructions

Make Bang Bang Sauce: To a medium bowl, add mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce, honey, and Sriracha. Stir well until fully combined. Set aside to let flavors meld.
Prepare Chicken: In a large bowl, combine vegetable oil, paprika, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. Add chicken cubes and toss gently to coat all pieces evenly with the seasoning mixture.
Cook Chicken in Air Fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Place the chicken pieces in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Depending on basket size, cook in batches if needed. Air fry for 12 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through cooking. Ensure chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Toss Chicken with Sauce: Transfer cooked chicken to a large bowl. Add ½ cup of the prepared bang bang sauce and toss to coat chicken evenly with the sauce.
Assemble Bowls: Divide the warmed white rice evenly into 4 medium bowls, about 1 cup each. Add ½ cup of sliced red cabbage, ¼ cup julienned carrot, and ¼ cup sliced cucumber to each bowl. Top with equal portions of avocado slices. Add the coated bang bang chicken on top.
Garnish and Serve: Drizzle remaining bang bang sauce over each bowl. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve immediately while warm.

Notes

For stovetop cooking instead of air fryer: Season chicken and cook in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat with oil for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway until golden and fully cooked to 165°F.
Adjust Sriracha in the bang bang sauce to control spiciness to your preference.
Cook rice ahead and keep warm or use day-old rice for best texture in the bowl.
Substitute mayonnaise with vegan mayo for a vegan version.
Use low-sodium soy sauce in the bang bang sauce for a lower sodium option.
Ensure chicken pieces are cut uniformly for even cooking.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bowl
Calories: 680 kcal
Sugar: 14 g
Sodium: 850 mg
Fat: 42 g
Saturated Fat: 7 g
Unsaturated Fat: 30 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 46 g
Fiber: 6 g
Protein: 38 g
Cholesterol: 110 mg