This Bang Bang Chicken Bowl is what I make when I'm too tired to think but still want something that actually tastes good. Crispy chicken tossed in sweet and spicy sauce over rice with crunchy slaw. Takes less time than waiting for delivery and costs way less too.
Why You'll Love This Bang Bang Chicken Bowl Recipe
This Bang Bang Chicken Bowl has saved me more weeknights than I can count. The sauce hits that perfect spot between sweet and spicy where even people who claim they hate heat keep going back for more. My picky eater who refuses most dinners will literally lick the bowl clean. Plus you can throw it together while helping with homework, which is basically my cooking reality.
What Actually Works: This Bang Bang Chicken Bowl works because you're not doing anything fancy. Bread some chicken, fry it till crunchy, make a three ingredient sauce, dump everything over rice with shredded vegetables. No special equipment, no ingredients you can't pronounce. My neighbor who swears she can't cook made this on her first try and her family thought she ordered it.
Why Other Methods Fail: Most bang bang chicken recipes use bottled sauce that tastes like sugar mixed with sadness. Others bake the chicken which comes out dry. Some tell you to sauce everything early which gives you mushy breading that falls off in chunks. This version keeps the chicken actually crispy and includes the slaw that makes each bite interesting instead of heavy.
The thing that changed everything: Timing is everything with a Bang Bang Chicken Bowl. First time I made this, I tossed the hot fried chicken with sauce while finishing the rice. The breading absorbed all the moisture and turned into this weird, gummy coating. Now I don't sauce the chicken until the absolute last second before serving. That's when you get crispy edges with creamy coating. The difference between soggy disappointment and actually impressive dinner is about thirty seconds of patience.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Bang Bang Chicken Bowl Recipe
- What You'll Need for Bang Bang Chicken Bowl
- How to Make Bang Bang Chicken Bowl
- Top Tip
- Ways to Mix It Up
- Storing Leftovers
- What to Serve With It
- My Bang Bang Chicken Bowl Story
- Questions People Always Ask
- More Recipes You'll Love
- Bang Bang Chicken Bowl
- Related
- Pairing
What You'll Need for Bang Bang Chicken Bowl
You probably have most of this already. Nothing weird or expensive.
Main Stuff
- Chicken breasts
- All purpose flour
- Eggs
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Mayonnaise
- Sweet chili sauce
- Sriracha
- Cooked rice
- Shredded cabbage
- Shredded carrots
- Green onions
- Sesame seeds
- Vegetable oil
If You Want Extra
- Cucumber slices
- Edamame
- Avocado slices
- Lime wedges
- Extra sriracha
- Fresh cilantro
Check the recipe card for actual amounts.
How to Make Bang Bang Chicken Bowl
Not complicated. Just takes a little bit of organization.
1. Get the Chicken Ready
Cut your chicken into bite-sized chunks and season with salt and pepper. Set up three bowls with flour, beaten eggs, and panko. This assembly line makes breading go fast without weird clumps everywhere. Don't skip seasoning the actual chicken because that's where real flavor starts.
2. Bread It and Fry It
Coat each piece in flour, dip in egg, then press into panko. Heat oil in your biggest skillet until a breadcrumb sizzles. Fry chicken in batches so it crisps instead of steams. Three to four minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towels. The chicken should be crunchy enough that you can hear it.
3. Make That Sauce
Whisk together mayo, sweet chili sauce, and sriracha. Taste and adjust the heat. Should be thick but still drizzle off a spoon. Takes about ninety seconds and tastes way better than anything pre-made. I make double batches because my kids put it on everything.
4. Put Your Bowl Together
Scoop rice into bowls first. Add shredded cabbage and carrots on one side. Here's the critical part: toss your crispy chicken with sauce right this second. Not five minutes ago. Right now. Pile that saucy chicken on top of the rice. Drizzle extra sauce, sprinkle green onions and sesame seeds. Eat immediately while the chicken still has that crunch.
You'll have this amazing Bang Bang Chicken Bowl with crispy chicken that's still crunchy under all that creamy sauce, fluffy rice, and fresh slaw that makes every bite different. The whole thing comes together in about thirty minutes and tastes way better than anything you'd get from takeout.
Top Tip
Do not sauce your chicken early. I know it seems efficient. I know you want to prep ahead. Don't do it. I've made this mistake so many times thinking I'd save two minutes and every single time the breading gets soggy and weird. The sauce soaks in and you lose all that crispy texture you worked for. Keep the fried chicken separate until literally the moment you're ready to eat, then toss with sauce and serve. That's the difference between "this is pretty good" and "wait, you made this yourself?"
Also, the cabbage slaw isn't optional even though it seems like it. The crunch and freshness are what keep this Bang Bang Chicken Bowl from being too heavy and rich. Without it you're just eating fried chicken with sauce and rice which gets boring by the third bite.
Ways to Mix It Up
Different Protein
Chicken thighs stay juicier if you overcook them slightly. Shrimp takes like six minutes total and tastes incredible with bang bang sauce. I've even done tofu for my vegetarian sister and it worked great.
Other Bases
Cauliflower rice if you're doing low carb. Quinoa adds protein and this nutty taste. Brown rice makes it slightly healthier though my kids complain it's "too healthy tasting" whatever that means.
Skip the Frying
You can bake the breaded chicken at 425°F for about twenty minutes if you want less oil. Spray it with cooking spray first. Or use an air fryer at 400°F for twelve to fifteen minutes. Won't be quite as crispy as frying but still good and way less messy.
More Vegetables
Throw in steamed broccoli, sugar snap peas, bell peppers, whatever needs to get used up. Roasted vegetables work too if you want everything warm.
Adjust the Heat
Leave out the sriracha completely for kids or people who really can't handle spice. The sweet chili sauce alone still tastes good. Or add cayenne and extra sriracha if you want your mouth on fire. Your Bang Bang Chicken Bowl, your rules.
Meal Prep It
Make all the parts separately and store them in different containers. Keep the sauce separate until you're ready to eat. The chicken reheats pretty well in the oven, way better than microwave. Rice and slaw last for days.
Storing Leftovers
In the Fridge: Everything goes in separate containers and lasts about three days. Don't mix the sauce with the chicken until you're reheating to eat. Warm the chicken in the oven at 350°F for ten minutes to get some crispiness back. The microwave makes it rubbery and sad.
Freezer: The plain breaded chicken freezes great for two months. Let it cool completely, freeze it spread out on a sheet, then bag it up. Don't freeze the sauce because mayo gets weird and separated when frozen. Just make fresh sauce when you thaw the chicken.
Prepping Ahead: You can bread the raw chicken and keep it covered in the fridge for a day. Make the sauce and seal it up. Cook your rice. Shred your vegetables and keep them in a damp paper towel so they stay crisp. Then when dinner hits, you just fry and assemble.
Best Way to Eat It: Hot chicken and rice, cold crunchy slaw, everything freshly combined. That temperature and texture contrast is what makes a Bang Bang Chicken Bowl actually worth making instead of just ordering takeout.
What to Serve With It
Honestly this Bang Bang Chicken Bowl is a complete meal already. You've got protein, carbs, vegetables, all the food groups represented. But if you're feeding a bunch of people or want to make it feel fancy:
Spring rolls or dumplings make good starters. Wonton soup if it's cold out. Asian cucumber salad for extra crunch. Edamame if you want more protein. Some people do miso soup on the side.
For a full spread, add fried rice or lo mein and suddenly it's like a takeout feast but you made it all yourself and didn't spend forty dollars.
My Bang Bang Chicken Bowl Story
First time making this Bang Bang Chicken Bowl, I used bottled sauce and it tasted like candy. My kid who eats frosting straight from the container said it was "too much." We ordered pizza instead.
Second attempt with homemade bang bang sauce took one minute and tasted completely different. My daughter who hates spicy food asked if we could have this Bang Bang Chicken Bowl every week.
Then I ruined it by saucing the chicken early while prepping everything else. The breading turned soggy by the time we ate. Texture was completely wrong.
Now I make my Bang Bang Chicken Bowl the right way: sauce stays separate, chicken gets fried and left alone, everything else gets prepped. Then at the very last second, toss and serve. That's when you get the crispy, creamy bite that makes this Bang Bang Chicken Bowl restaurant quality. My husband who never comments on food said "this is restaurant quality" which is basically the highest praise possible.
Questions People Always Ask
What is the sauce in Bang Bang chicken?
It's a creamy, sweet, and spicy combination that uses mayo as the base, sweet chili sauce for sweetness and a little tang, plus sriracha for heat. You can adjust how spicy it is by adding more or less sriracha. Some people throw in a bit of honey or rice vinegar but honestly the basic three ingredient version tastes perfect. This sauce is literally what makes a Bang Bang Chicken Bowl taste like bang bang chicken instead of just regular fried chicken.
What is Bangbang sauce made of?
Three things: mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, and sriracha. That's it. Usually about half a cup of mayo to a quarter cup sweet chili sauce to one or two tablespoons sriracha depending on your heat tolerance. Mix it together until smooth. Takes less time than finding your car keys. Way better than anything pre-made from a bottle and you can customize it exactly how you like it.
How to make Chinese bang bang chicken?
The traditional Chinese version is actually completely different from what we're making here. Real bang bang chicken uses poached or steamed chicken that's shredded and mixed with a spicy sesame sauce made from sesame paste, chili oil, Sichuan peppercorns, and soy sauce. It's served cold. The American Bang Bang Chicken Bowl version uses breaded fried chicken with creamy mayo based sauce served warm. Both are delicious but they're honestly different dishes that just share a name.
What makes bang bang chicken bang bang?
Depends who you ask. Some say it's from the pounding of the chicken to make it tender in the original Chinese dish. Others say it's about the explosive flavor that hits you all at once with sweet, spicy, and creamy. For the Bang Bang Chicken Bowl version we're making, it's definitely about that sauce combination that hits multiple taste receptors at the same time. The crunch from the breading plus the creamy spicy sauce creates this contrast that's pretty addictive.
More Recipes You'll Love
After you've got this Bang Bang Chicken Bowl figured out, try my Honey BBQ Chicken Rice for another easy bowl situation with that sweet and tangy thing going on. My Bacon and Caramelized Onion Grilled Cheese Recipe is what I make when I need comfort food that's actually comforting. And my No Bake Biscoff Truffles are perfect when you want dessert but don't want to turn on the oven or do anything complicated.
Bang Bang Chicken Bowl
Equipment
- 1 large skillet For frying chicken
- 3 three shallow bowls For breading station
- 1 Mixing Bowl For bang bang sauce
- 1 Whisk To mix sauce
- 1 paper towels For draining oil
- 1 Tongs For flipping chicken
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces About 2 large breasts
- 1 cup all purpose flour For coating
- 2 large eggs, beaten Room temperature works best
- 1.5 cups panko breadcrumbs Creates extra crunch
- ½ cup mayonnaise For bang bang sauce
- ¼ cup sweet chili sauce Adds sweetness and mild heat
- 1 to 2 tablespoons sriracha Adjust to heat preference
- 3 cups cooked white rice Jasmine or long grain
- 2 cups shredded cabbage Green or purple cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrots Pre-shredded saves time
- 2 green onions, sliced For garnish
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds White or black sesame
- ½ cup vegetable oil For frying
- salt and black pepper To taste
Instructions
- Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and season both sides with salt and pepper so the meat has flavor before breading.
- Set up three shallow bowls with flour in the first, beaten eggs in the second, and panko in the third to create an efficient breading station.
- Coat each chicken piece in flour, dip in egg letting excess drip off, then press firmly into panko until completely covered so the breading sticks during frying.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until a breadcrumb sizzles immediately when dropped in.
- Fry chicken in batches without crowding for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Transfer cooked chicken to a paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil while you finish the remaining batches.
- Whisk together mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, and sriracha in a bowl until smooth and creamy, tasting to adjust heat level.
- Divide cooked rice among four bowls and arrange shredded cabbage and carrots on one side of each bowl.
- Toss crispy chicken with bang bang sauce immediately before serving so the breading stays crunchy instead of absorbing moisture and getting soggy.
- Top each bowl with sauced chicken, drizzle with extra sauce, and garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds before serving immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Bang Bang Chicken Bowl Recipe:
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