Bang Bang Chicken Crispy Rice Salad
This is a high-protein bowl built around crunchy oven-baked rice, and a yoghurt-based bang bang sauce. It's ideal for a weeknight dinner when you want something satisfying and textured. The crispy rice trick is a game-changer - it adds crunch and flavour depth you won't get from standard steamed rice, and the whole thing comes together in under an hour.
Serves
4
Prep time
20 minutes
Cooking time
30 minutes
Looking for more Satisfying Salads? Try my Healthy Vietnamese Chicken Salad or my Mango Avocado Summer Salad
Helpful Tips
Storage
Store components separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. The crispy rice loses some crunch once dressed, so if meal prepping, keep it separate and add just before eating.
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Substitutions
- Chicken: Swap for chicken thighs (juicier, more forgiving) or prawns (reduce cook time to 2–3 minutes per side).
- Rice: Use any cold, cooked rice - jasmine, basmati, or brown rice all work. Day-old rice from the fridge crisps up best.
- Heat level: Dial back or omit sriracha if feeding kids or heat-sensitive eaters. The sweet chilli sauce still gives plenty of flavour.
Serving Suggestions
This bowl is a complete meal as-is, but you can bulk it up with steamed greens, grilled broccolini, or a side of pickled vegetables for extra crunch.
Helpful Tips
Storage
Store components separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. The crispy rice loses some crunch once dressed, so if meal prepping, keep it separate and add just before eating.
Substitutions
- Chicken: Swap for chicken thighs (juicier, more forgiving) or prawns (reduce cook time to 2–3 minutes per side).
- Rice: Use any cold, cooked rice - jasmine, basmati, or brown rice all work. Day-old rice from the fridge crisps up best.
- Heat level: Dial back or omit sriracha if feeding kids or heat-sensitive eaters. The sweet chilli sauce still gives plenty of flavour.
Serving Suggestions
This bowl is a complete meal as-is, but you can bulk it up with steamed greens, grilled broccolini, or a side of pickled vegetables for extra crunch.
Ingredients
For the Crispy Rice:
- 3 cups cooked, cold jasmine rice
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1½ tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For the Bang Bang Sauce:
- ¾ cup plain Greek yoghurt
- 2 tbsp Kewpie mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
- 1–2 tbsp sriracha (to taste)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp lime juice
For the Crispy Chicken:
- 500 g chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup plain flour
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Olive oil spray
For the Salad:
- 3 cups shredded wombok (Napa cabbage)
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 3 spring onions, sliced
- 1 cup shelled edamame, thawed
- 1 avocado, diced
- Large handful coriander, roughly chopped
To Garnish:
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- Extra spring onion or chilli slices (optional)
Nutritional Information
(
per serving, based on
4
)
Nutrient
Amount
Calories
720
kcal
Protein
48
g
Carbohydrates
68
g
Fat
28
g
Fibre
8
g
Nutritional information is approximate and provided as a general reference only. Actual values may vary. This is not a substitute for professional dietary advice.
Directions
For the Crispy Rice:
- Preheat oven to 220°C fan-forced.
- Toss rice with soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil and olive oil until evenly coated.
- Spread onto a lined baking tray in a thin, even layer (this is key for crunch).
- Bake 25–30 minutes, stirring once halfway, until golden and crispy. Let cool slightly, it crisps more as it sits.
For the Bang Bang Sauce:
- Whisk the yoghurt, mayonnaise, sweet chilli sauce, sriracha, soy sauce and lime juice in a bowl until smooth (or use a stick blender).
- Taste and adjust heat (more sriracha = more kick). Set aside.
For the Crispy Chicken:
- Set up 3 bowls:
- Flour mixed with garlic powder, paprika, salt & pepper
- Beaten eggs
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Coat chicken in flour → egg → breadcrumbs, pressing crumbs on well.
- Cook option 1 (pan): Shallow fry in a hot pan with oil for 3–4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through.
- Cook option 2 (air fryer): Spray well with oil and cook 200°C for 12–15 minutes, turning halfway (this is my preferred option).
To serve:
- In a large bowl, combine wombok, cucumber, edamame, spring onion, coriander and avocado.
- Add crispy rice and chicken.
- Drizzle over the Bang Bang sauce and gently toss. You want it coated but still textured.
- Top with sesame seeds and extra spring onion.
Ingredients
For the Crispy Rice:
- 3 cups cooked, cold jasmine rice
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1½ tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For the Bang Bang Sauce:
- ¾ cup plain Greek yoghurt
- 2 tbsp Kewpie mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
- 1–2 tbsp sriracha (to taste)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp lime juice
For the Crispy Chicken:
- 500 g chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup plain flour
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Olive oil spray
For the Salad:
- 3 cups shredded wombok (Napa cabbage)
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 3 spring onions, sliced
- 1 cup shelled edamame, thawed
- 1 avocado, diced
- Large handful coriander, roughly chopped
To Garnish:
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- Extra spring onion or chilli slices (optional)
Nutritional Information
(
per serving, based on
4 servings
)
Nutrient
Amount
Calories
720
kcal
Protein
48
g
Carbohydrates
68
g
Fat
28
g
Fibre
8
g
Nutritional information is approximate and provided as a general reference only. Actual values may vary. This is not a substitute for professional dietary advice.
Directions
For the Crispy Rice:
- Preheat oven to 220°C fan-forced.
- Toss rice with soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil and olive oil until evenly coated.
- Spread onto a lined baking tray in a thin, even layer (this is key for crunch).
- Bake 25–30 minutes, stirring once halfway, until golden and crispy. Let cool slightly, it crisps more as it sits.
For the Bang Bang Sauce:
- Whisk the yoghurt, mayonnaise, sweet chilli sauce, sriracha, soy sauce and lime juice in a bowl until smooth (or use a stick blender).
- Taste and adjust heat (more sriracha = more kick). Set aside.
For the Crispy Chicken:
- Set up 3 bowls:
- Flour mixed with garlic powder, paprika, salt & pepper
- Beaten eggs
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Coat chicken in flour → egg → breadcrumbs, pressing crumbs on well.
- Cook option 1 (pan): Shallow fry in a hot pan with oil for 3–4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through.
- Cook option 2 (air fryer): Spray well with oil and cook 200°C for 12–15 minutes, turning halfway (this is my preferred option).
To serve:
- In a large bowl, combine wombok, cucumber, edamame, spring onion, coriander and avocado.
- Add crispy rice and chicken.
- Drizzle over the Bang Bang sauce and gently toss. You want it coated but still textured.
- Top with sesame seeds and extra spring onion.
Watch How to Make It
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