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

Cook Time 30 minutes

Looking for more Satisfying Salads? Try my Healthy Vietnamese Chicken Salad or my Mango Avocado Summer Salad

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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.

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Ingredients Directions

Serving Scaler

Serves 4 1x 2x 3x

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)

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.

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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.