Juicy air fried chicken thighs, crispy rice, asian cucumber salad and creamy, spicy mayo combine to make one epic meal bowl! Prepare all or some of the components in advance for an easy weeknight dinner.
Lately I am all about meal bowls. I love a meal with lots of different textures and flavors, and the best part is that you can usually get a head start by making some of the elements ahead of time, which means dinner is just a matter of assembly. In these chicken rice bowls, we’ve got my juicy air fryer chicken thighs, viral sheet pan crispy rice, and Asian cucumber salad, all piled into a bowl with spicy mayo on top. Hello, YUM! Be sure every forkful has a little bit of everything for the perfect bite.
Why These Crispy Chicken Bowls Are Everything
If you’re making them to eat right away, these bowls take a little more time than your average 20-minute dinner, but most of the cooking is hands-off. But I like to make the mayo and cucumber salad in advance, then I cook the chicken and rice just before we’re ready to eat.
- ALL the texture. We’re talking juicy chicken, crispy rice and cucumbers, and creamy sriracha mayo. If you’re into meals with big texture, this is a bowl you’ll appreciate!
- BIG flavor. The chicken thigh seasoning is on point, the cucumbers are sweet and tangy, the rice is jazzed up with chili crisp, and the mayo is kicked up with sriracha.
- Perfect for leftovers. Use leftover rice or chicken to make things even easier.
What You’ll Need
There are four components to these crispy chicken and rice bowls, but each one uses simple ingredients. Scroll down to the recipe card for exact measurements.
Crispy Rice:
- Cooked jasmine rice – Cold, day-old rice is best because it’ll get crispier.
- Sesame oil – Toasted sesame oil will add a nutty flavor.
- Tamari – Soy sauce also works if you don’t need the recipe to be gluten-free.
- Chili garlic crisp – I love the chili crisp from Trader Joe’s because it has little bits of onion in it too.
- Rice wine vinegar – Be sure it’s unseasoned, which means it doesn’t have added sugar.
Crispy Chicken Thighs:
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs – You can use chicken breasts, but I like chicken thighs because they’re so juicy and tender.
- Olive oil – Helps the chicken get crispy and also helps the seasonings stick.
- Seasonings – You’ll need garlic powder, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, sea salt, black pepper, and dried parsley.
Asian Cucumber Salad:
- Cucumbers – I like mini seedless cucumbers, like Persian cucumbers.
- Red onion and bell pepper – Add color, flavor, and crunch.
- Rice wine vinegar – For a bright, tangy punch.
- Honey – To balance the vinegar.
- Sesame seeds – You can use black, white, or a mix of both.
- Toasted sesame oil – For that fantastic nuttiness.
- Red pepper flakes – Feel free to adjust the amount to your tastes.
- Sea salt – A little bit of salt makes cucumbers pop.
Sriracha Mayo:
- Mayonnaise – The creamy base for the sauce. Use Kewpie mayo for authentic Asian vibes.
- Sriracha – Add more or less, depending on your heat preference.
- Optional garnishes – Sliced avocado and green onions.
Tips for Crispy Chicken and Rice Bowls
You’ll find the instructions for each component on their own recipe pages, but here are some tips for putting it all together.
- Start with leftover rice. Freshly cooked rice has more moisture, which makes it harder to get crispy. Rice that’s been refrigerated overnight is perfect.
- Give everything room to crisp. Spread the rice into an even layer and don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket with the chicken. Food needs room for air to circulate in order to crisp up.
- Multitask it. Get the rice in the oven first, then start the chicken. While both cook, you can make the cucumber salad and spicy mayo.
- Keep the cucumber salad separate for meal prep. If you’re meal prepping these bowls, store the cucumber salad separately so the dressing doesn’t make the rice soggy.
Variation Ideas
Want to switch things up? Here’s some inspiration:
- Try another sauce. Boom boom sauce would be awesome too!
- Add more veggies. Shredded carrots, edamame, sliced cabbage, or steamed broccoli would all work well.
- Switch up the protein. Try making bowls with honey garlic grilled shrimp or crispy salmon bites.
- Add fresh herbs. Cilantro, basil (especially Thai basil!), and mint would all work well.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store the chicken, crispy rice, Asian cucumber salad, and spicy mayo in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. The chicken, rice, and mayo will keep for up to 4 days, and the cucumber salad will last for 2 to 3 days.
- To reheat: Warm the chicken in the air fryer at 375°F until heated through. Reheat the rice in the oven or air fryer to restore some of its crispiness. Then, add the cucumber salad and mayo.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
Crispy Chicken Rice Bowls with Spicy Mayo
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven, Air Fryer
- Cuisine: Asian
Description
With crispy chicken, crunchy rice, cucumber salad, and creamy sriracha mayo, these bowls seriously have it all. An easy weeknight meal!
Ingredients
Sheet Pan Crispy Rice:
- 4 cups cooked jasmine rice (cooled or best if next day rice)
- 2 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 1/2 tablespoons tamari
- 2 tablespoons chili garlic crisp
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
Crispy Chicken Thighs:
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon of ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground coriander
- 1/2 tablespoon of smoked paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon of sea salt
- 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dry parsley
Asian Cucumber Salad:
- 4 cups of very thinly sliced seedless cucumbers (i used mini cucumbers)
- 1/4 cup of finely sliced red onion
- 1/4 cup of fined diced red bell pepper
- 1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
Sriracha Mayo:
- 1/3 cup mayo
- 2 1/2 teaspoons sriracha
Optional: add sliced avocado and green onions
Instructions
- Make the crispy chicken thighs according to this method → Air Fryer Chicken Thighs.
- While the chicken cooks, make the crispy rice using this method → Viral Tiktok Crispy Rice
- Toss together the quick asian cucumber salad → Recipe Here
- Whisk together the spicy mayo and set aside.
- Assemble the bowl: rice on the bottom, chicken on top, cucumber salad on the side, drizzle with spicy mayo. Optional – add sliced avocado and green onions. Serve.
