Description
Bang bang chicken bowl brings together crispy chicken with a creamy, spicy sauce that makes your taste buds wake up. All your favorite toppings; fresh veggies, rice, and that irresistible sauce; come together in one bowl that becomes a go-to meal you can customize exactly how you like it.
Ingredients
Scale
Bang Bang Sauce:
- 1.25 cups mayonnaise
- 0.67 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons Sriracha
Chicken and Seasoning:
- 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
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
Bowl Components:
- 4 cups prepared white rice, warmed
- 2 cups red cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1 large carrot, julienned
- 1 medium cucumber, halved and sliced
- 1 large avocado, thinly sliced
- 0.33 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Instructions
- Combine 1¼ cups mayonnaise, ⅔ cup Thai sweet chili sauce, 2 tablespoons honey, and 2 teaspoons Sriracha in a medium bowl, stirring until the mixture is smooth and fully blended.
- Toss your 2 pounds of 1-inch chicken cubes with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper in a large bowl.
- Arrange the seasoned chicken in your air fryer basket in a single layer and air fry at 400°F for 11-12 minutes, flipping halfway through at the 6-minute mark, until the pieces are cooked through and golden brown.
- Transfer your cooked chicken to a clean bowl and pour ½ cup of the sauce over it, tossing everything together until each piece is fully coated.
- Thinly slice 2 cups of red cabbage and your 1 large carrot into thin strips for your bowls.
- Halve your 1 medium cucumber lengthwise and slice it into half-moons, then thinly slice your 1 large avocado.
- Divide 4 cups of warmed white rice among your bowls as the base for each serving.
- Layer ½ cup of cabbage, ¼ cup of carrots, and ¼ cup of cucumber on top of the rice in each bowl.
- Top your bowls with the sliced avocado and divide the sauced chicken evenly among them.
- Drizzle the remaining sauce over each bowl, then sprinkle fresh chopped cilantro and sesame seeds across the top and serve right away.
Notes
- The bang bang sauce comes together in minutes, so make it first while your air fryer preheats, and it tastes even better if you let it sit for a few minutes before using it.
- Don’t skip flipping the chicken halfway through cooking; this ensures even browning on all sides and helps the pieces cook through evenly at 400°F.
- If you’re cooking for a gluten-free diet, check your Thai sweet chili sauce label since some brands contain wheat, and swap regular soy sauce for tamari in the sauce if needed.
- For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with extra-firm tofu or chickpeas seasoned the same way, and adjust your cooking time since tofu needs only 8-9 minutes and canned chickpeas just need 5-6 minutes to crisp up.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Air Fryer Chicken
- Method: Air Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 537 kcal
- Sugar: 17 g
- Sodium: 578 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 26 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 37 g
- Cholesterol: 96 mg