Bang Bang Chicken Bowls
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These flavor-packed Bang Bang Chicken Bowls drench crispy chicken bites, fresh veggies, and rice in a homemade bang bang sauce. They’re gluten-free and easy to customize for Paleo or Whole30!
Why you’ll love this recipe!
Irresistible! Crispy chicken, spicy-savory bang bang sauce, and cooling fresh veggies make these bang bang bowls absolutely irresistible.
Meal prep recipe – Each component, from the fried chicken to the sauce, can be made days ahead of time.
Gluten-free – The chicken is coated in tapioca flour to keep this recipe gluten-free. Use cauliflower rice to make it Whole30 and Paleo instead!
Table of Contents
High-protein rice bowls, like my vegan burrito bowl and this egg roll in a bowl, are my all-time favorite lunches. I pile a ton of veggies over rice, add a delicious protein and sauce on top, and then dig in. Hello, flavor and textural heaven!
My latest obsession is these Bang Bang Chicken Bowls. They’re made with a rice and cauliflower rice base, topped with pan-fried chicken pieces and crunchy vegetables, and smothered in my homemade bang bang sauce for a kick.
I love how they’re gluten-free (and easy to customize for Paleo and Whole30), easy to make ahead of time, and seriously satisfying. I usually eat them for lunch, then make my bang bang shrimp for dinner because I can’t get enough of that amazing sauce.
Bang Bang Chicken Rice Bowl Ingredients
Chicken – I made these bowls with pan-fried chicken nuggets, sliced from 3 or 4 chicken breasts. Boneless and skinless chicken thighs or chicken tenders also work.
Tapioca flour – Dredging the chicken pieces in tapioca flour before frying not only gives them a light and crunchy coating but also keeps them gluten-free, Paleo, and Whole30. If you can’t find tapioca flour, feel free to use all-purpose flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour as a substitute.
Veggies – I topped the bowls with shredded red cabbage, carrots, and cucumber.
Bang bang sauce – A finger-licking good sauce made from mayo, ketchup, sriracha, coconut aminos, garlic powder, and salt. I highly recommend making a double batch! It keeps well in the fridge for a few days and is incredible with shrimp, salmon, tacos, and grain bowls.
Rice – I like to make these bowls with a 50-50 mix of cooked white rice and cauliflower rice. Feel free to stick with one or the other if you prefer.
This list is to provide further clarification on a few of the ingredients. See recipe card below for the full ingredient list.
Variations
- Paleo & Whole30 option – Use cauliflower rice as the base instead of rice. Or, switch things up and use spiralized zoodles, sweet potato noodles, or spaghetti squash. Make sure you use avocado oil mayo, an approved unsweetened ketchup, and a sugar-free hot sauce in the bang bang sauce, too.
- Vegetarian option – Swap the fried chicken for crispy baked tofu cubes instead. Yum!
- Instead of plain rice – Make the base with cilantro lime rice or sweet and creamy coconut rice for a tropical twist. You can even skip the rice and serve the toppings over a bed of greens to turn this into a bang bang chicken salad.
- More topping ideas – Sliced avocado, fresh cilantro, toasted sesame seeds, chopped peanuts, a drizzle of sweet chili sauce, or steamed edamame.
How to Make Bang Bang Chicken Bowls
Step 1: Prep. Cook the rice, then slice the cabbage and cucumber. Set aside.
Step 2: Make the sauce. Whisk the bang bang sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.
Step 3: Dredge the chicken. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Meanwhile, dredge half of the chicken nuggets in the whisked egg, then in the tapioca flour and salt mixture.
Step 4: Fry the chicken. Immediately place the dredged chicken pieces in the hot oil. Fry until all sides are browned and the chicken is cooked through, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat until you run out of chicken.
Step 5: Assemble. Divide the rice into 4 bowls and top with the chicken and veggies. Drizzle the sauce over top, then garnish with green onions. Enjoy!
Erin’s Tips and Tricks
- Make sure the oil is hot enough. You can test it by dropping a tiny pinch of flour into the pan. If it sizzles immediately, the oil is ready for frying.
- Don’t crowd the pan with chicken. I like to pan-fry the pieces in two or three batches to help them cook evenly and prevent the oil from dropping in temperature.
My Pro Tip
Chill the Sauce
Chilling the homemade bang bang sauce ahead of time makes a big difference! Just 15 minutes in the fridge gives the garlic powder and sriracha time to infuse into the mayo, making the sauce even punchier.
Bang Bang Chicken FAQs
Bang bang sauce is a sweet and spicy sauce made with mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, and sriracha. My version adds coconut aminos to balance the subtle heat and tangy flavors.
For sure. Spray the basket with avocado oil, place the breaded chicken pieces in the basket (cooking in two or three batches if needed), and air fry at 380ºF for 10 to 12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.
You sure can. For the crispiest results, I recommend placing the breaded chicken on a greased wire rack set on a baking sheet and baking at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes.
This sauce is absolutely amazing with crispy proteins. Aside from chicken, you can drizzle it over crispy air fryer shrimp or use it as a dipping sauce with these juicy salmon bites. It’s a killer sauce on fish tacos, too!
Storage
Make Ahead: Planning on making these chicken bowls for meal prep? You can cook the rice and chicken, chop the veggies, and make the bang bang sauce, then store everything separately in the fridge until you’re ready to eat.
Refrigerator: Store the leftover rice, chicken, veggies, and sauce in separate airtight containers in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
More Meal Prep Bowls
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
Bang Bang Chicken Bowls
Ingredients
For the base:
- 2 cups white rice, cooked (or use all cauliflower rice for paleo/whole30)
- 2 cups cauliflower rice, cooked
- Green onion, for garnish
For the chicken:
- ⅔ cup avocado oil, for frying
- 1 ½ lb. chicken breast, cut into 1” pieces
- 1 egg, whisked
- ⅔ cup tapioca flour
- ½ tsp salt
For the veggies:
- 2 cups Red cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1 cup Shredded carrots
- 1 cup Cucumber
For the sauce:
- ⅓ cup Mayo
- 2 tbsp Ketchup
- 1 tbsp Sriracha
- 1 tsp Coconut aminos
- ⅛ tsp Garlic powder
- ⅛ tsp Salt
Instructions
- Start by cooking the rice.
- While the rice cooks, prep the veggies: slice the cabbage and cucumber, shred the carrots, and set them aside.
- Make the sauce: whisk all of the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and place it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use.
- Cook the chicken. Whisk the egg together in a shallow bowl. In a separate shallow bowl, add the tapioca flour and salt.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add HALF of the chicken to the egg, then transfer to the flour mixture. Shake off any excess, then place into the skillet. Pan fry the chicken for 8-10 minutes, flipping frequently, until all sides get browned and the chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, then repeat this same process for the remaining chicken.
- Assemble the bowls: divide the rice into 4 bowls, then top with the chicken and veggies. Drizzle sauce over top, along with the green onions and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
