Description
Easy Bang Bang Chicken Bowl recipe that comes together in 40 minutes using simple ingredients. Perfect for busy families who want something that looks fancy but doesn’t require much effort.
Ingredients
For the Bang Bang Sauce:
- 1 ¼ cups mayonnaise (I buy the big Costco jar)
- ⅔ cup Thai sweet chili sauce (near the teriyaki at my store)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons Sriracha (my kids can handle this amount)
For the Chicken:
- 2 pounds chicken breasts, chopped into bite-size pieces
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Everything Else:
- 4 cups cooked rice (I use the microwave bags when I’m lazy)
- 2 cups red cabbage, chopped small
- 1 big carrot, cut into thin strips
- 1 cucumber, sliced
- 1 avocado, sliced
- Cilantro
- Sesame seeds (the kind from the spice aisle)
Instructions
Mix everything together in a bowl until it’s smooth. Taste it and add more honey if your family doesn’t like spicy, or more Sriracha if they do. I always make extra because we use it on everything.
Pro Tip: I make this while my rice is cooking in the microwave. Multitasking for the win.
Put chicken in a bowl with the oil and all the spices. Mix it up with your hands so everything gets coated. My kids love helping with this part because they can get messy.
Air Fryer: Put chicken in the basket, don’t pile it too high. Cook 12 minutes at 400°F, shake it halfway through. Done when it’s not pink inside.
Pan: Heat your biggest pan on medium-high. Add chicken and cook about 10 minutes, stirring it around so it doesn’t burn.
Pro Tip: Make extra and freeze some. Future you will thank present you.
While the chicken’s still hot, pour half the sauce over it and stir. The hot chicken soaks up the sauce better this way.
Scoop rice into bowls. Add whatever vegetables your family will actually eat. Some nights my daughter only wants cucumber and that’s fine.
Put the saucy chicken on top. Drizzle more sauce over everything because why not. Sprinkle cilantro and sesame seeds if you have them.
Don’t let this sit or the vegetables get soggy and nobody wants that.
Notes
Prep all your vegetables while the chicken cooks. I learned this the hard way when I served cold chicken because I was still cutting carrots.
Don’t cut the avocado until right before serving or it turns brown and looks gross. If your sauce is too thick, add a little water. Too thin, add more mayo.
My biggest mistake was letting assembled bowls sit on the counter while I dealt with my toddler’s meltdown. Everything got soggy. Keep components separate until everyone’s ready to eat.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Air Fryer/Pan
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 1,276
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 1,250mg
- Fat: 85g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 65g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 95g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 52g
- Cholesterol: 125mg