Bang Bang Chicken Casserole turns the creamy, sweet and spicy bang bang sauce into a one-dish dinner. Chicken cubes are tossed in soy sauce and sriracha, dusted in seasoned flour and browned, then baked over jasmine rice and chicken broth mixed with part of the sauce. Golden panko goes on for the last 10 minutes, and the rest of the sauce is drizzled over the top. It serves 4.
How to make it: Marinate, coat and brown the chicken. Stir the rinsed rice, broth and 1/3 cup bang bang sauce in a 9×13 dish, lay the chicken on top and bake uncovered at 375°F for 30 minutes. Add the oiled panko, bake 10 minutes more until the chicken reaches 165°F, then drizzle with the remaining sauce.
Why You’ll Love It
- Sweet, creamy and spicy: mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce and sriracha in every bite.
- The rice cooks in the dish: no separate pot of rice to make.
- A crunchy top: panko goes on at the end and bakes golden and crisp.
- Heat you can adjust: less sriracha for a milder dish, more for a kick.
What Is Bang Bang Sauce?
Bang bang sauce is a creamy, sweet and spicy sauce made from mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce and sriracha. This one adds a clove of minced garlic. It’s traditionally served on crispy fried chicken. This casserole takes the same flavors and bakes them into chicken and rice.
The sauce does two jobs here. About 1/3 cup is stirred into the broth before baking, so the rice cooks in it and soaks up the flavor. The rest is drizzled over the finished casserole, with extra at the table for anyone who wants it creamier.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken: 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size cubes. Boneless, skinless thighs also work.
Marinade: 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sriracha and 1 teaspoon sesame oil.
Flour coating: 3 tablespoons flour with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and salt.
Jasmine rice: 1 cup, rinsed until the water runs mostly clear. Long-grain white or basmati rice also work, though long-grain white comes out less soft and creamy.
Chicken broth: 2 cups, poured straight into the dish.
Bang bang sauce: 1 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce, 2 tablespoons sriracha and 1 minced garlic clove.
Topping: 1/2 cup panko tossed with 1/2 tablespoon oil, plus green onion and sesame seeds to finish.
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (for the chicken marinade)
- 1 tablespoon sriracha (for the chicken marinade)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil (for the chicken marinade)
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized cubes
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (for the flour coating)
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder (for the flour coating)
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika (for the flour coating)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (for the flour coating)
- 3 tablespoons flour (for the flour coating)
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil (for browning the chicken)
For the rice
- 1 cup jasmine rice, rinsed well
- 2 cups chicken broth
For the bang bang sauce
- 1 cup mayonnaise (for the bang bang sauce)
- 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce (for the bang bang sauce)
- 2 tablespoons sriracha (for the bang bang sauce)
- 1 clove garlic, minced, for the bang bang sauce
For the topping
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (for the topping)
- 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil (tossed with the panko)
- Green onion, chopped, for serving (optional)
- Sesame seeds, for serving (optional)
How to Make Bang Bang Chicken Casserole
1. Marinate the chicken. Heat the oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, whisk the soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sriracha and the sesame oil. Add the chicken cubes and toss until every piece is coated.
2. Coat the chicken in flour. In a small bowl, whisk the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and flour. Sprinkle it over the chicken and toss until the pieces are fully coated. The coating should look light and slightly sticky, not dry or powdery.
3. Brown the chicken. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it is hot and shimmering. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, turning now and then, until lightly browned on all sides but not cooked through. Work in batches so the chicken browns instead of steaming. Move it to a plate.
4. Make the bang bang sauce. In a medium bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, 2 tablespoons sriracha and the garlic until smooth and creamy.
5. Build the rice base. Grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Add the rinsed rice, the chicken broth and 1/3 cup of the bang bang sauce. Stir until the sauce is mixed evenly into the broth.
6. Add the chicken and bake. Spread the browned chicken evenly over the rice. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice looks tender around the edges.
7. Add the panko topping. Stir the panko and 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil together until the crumbs are lightly coated. Sprinkle them over the casserole and bake for 10 more minutes, until the topping is golden brown and crisp and the chicken reaches 165°F on a food thermometer.
8. Finish and serve. Drizzle the remaining bang bang sauce over the casserole and sprinkle with chopped green onions and sesame seeds. Add extra bang bang sauce at the table for a creamier bite.
Tips for Creamy Rice and a Crisp Top
- Rinse the rice. Rinsing removes extra starch, so the rice bakes up creamy and fluffy instead of thick or gummy.
- Spread it evenly. An even layer of rice cooks evenly, without crunchy spots.
- Brown, don’t cook through. Browning in hot oil adds flavor and keeps the chicken tender in the oven. Golden edges are the goal; the centers finish in the casserole.
- Don’t crowd the skillet. Brown in batches so the chicken sears instead of steaming.
- Check at 30 minutes. Most of the liquid should be absorbed and the rice tender around the edges before the panko goes on.
- Watch the panko. It should be golden, not dark brown. If it browns before the rice is done, tent the dish loosely with foil.
- Use a thermometer. The chicken is done at 165°F.
Make It Milder or Spicier
The sweet chili sauce balances the sriracha, so the heat is moderate. For a milder casserole, use less sriracha in both the marinade and the sauce. For more heat, drizzle extra sriracha or extra bang bang sauce on top, or sprinkle on red pepper flakes before serving.
Variations
- Chicken thighs: use boneless, skinless thighs in place of the breasts and bake until they reach 165°F.
- Other rice: long-grain white or basmati rice in place of jasmine.
- Bowls: spoon it into bowls with shredded carrots, sliced cucumber, avocado, green onion and sesame seeds.
- Sauce ahead: whisk the bang bang sauce a day early and keep it in the refrigerator.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow covered containers. They keep 3 to 4 days.
Reheating: Add a splash of chicken broth to keep the rice creamy, cover the dish, and warm single portions in the microwave or larger amounts in a 350°F oven until they reach 165°F. Don’t reheat leftovers in a slow cooker.
Freezer: You can freeze it for up to 2 months, tightly wrapped, and thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. Expect the rice to soften, and know that mayonnaise sauces don’t freeze well: they can separate after thawing.
What to Serve With It
A cool, crunchy side balances the creamy rice: cucumber salad, coleslaw or roasted green beans. Try it with Texas Roadhouse copycat green beans.
More chicken and rice dinners: teriyaki chicken and rice casserole, creamy chicken rice casserole and one pot cheesy chicken broccoli rice casserole. For another crunchy-topped bake, make Ritz cracker chicken casserole, or for a quick stovetop dinner, chicken and broccoli stir fry.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the sauce in bang bang chicken?
Mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce and sriracha, with a little garlic. It’s creamy, sweet and spicy.
Do I need to cook the rice first?
No. The rinsed, uncooked rice bakes in the broth and sauce right in the dish.
Why brown the chicken first?
Browning adds flavor and keeps the pieces tender as they bake. It only needs 3 to 4 minutes; the chicken finishes cooking in the oven.
Can I use chicken thighs?
Yes. Boneless, skinless thighs work. Bake until they reach 165°F.
How do I make it less spicy?
Use less sriracha in both the marinade and the sauce.
Can I make bang bang chicken casserole ahead?
You can whisk the sauce a day ahead. Bake the casserole the day you serve it.
How long do leftovers keep?
3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat to 165°F.
Final Notes
Rinse the rice, brown the chicken in batches and save most of the sauce for the top. If you try it with thighs or extra sriracha, tell me in the comments how it turned out.
Bang Bang Chicken Casserole
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce for the chicken marinade
- 1 tablespoon sriracha for the chicken marinade
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil for the chicken marinade
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized cubes
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder for the flour coating
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder for the flour coating
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika for the flour coating
- 1/2 teaspoon salt for the flour coating
- 3 tablespoons flour for the flour coating
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil for browning the chicken
- 1 cup jasmine rice rinsed well
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup mayonnaise for the bang bang sauce
- 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce for the bang bang sauce
- 2 tablespoons sriracha for the bang bang sauce
- 1 clove garlic minced, for the bang bang sauce
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs for the topping
- 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil tossed with the panko
- green onion chopped, for serving; optional
- sesame seeds for serving; optional
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, whisk the soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sriracha and the sesame oil. Add the chicken cubes and toss until every piece is coated.
- In a small bowl, whisk the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and flour. Sprinkle it over the chicken and toss until the pieces are fully coated. The coating should look light and slightly sticky, not dry or powdery.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it is hot and shimmering. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, turning now and then, until lightly browned on all sides but not cooked through. Work in batches so the chicken browns instead of steaming. Move it to a plate.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, 2 tablespoons sriracha and the garlic until smooth and creamy.
- Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish. Add the rinsed rice, the chicken broth and 1/3 cup of the bang bang sauce. Stir until the sauce is mixed evenly into the broth.
- Spread the browned chicken evenly over the rice. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice looks tender around the edges.
- Stir the panko and 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil together until the crumbs are lightly coated. Sprinkle them over the casserole and bake for 10 more minutes, until the topping is golden brown and crisp and the chicken reaches 165°F on a food thermometer.
- Drizzle the remaining bang bang sauce over the casserole and sprinkle with chopped green onions and sesame seeds. Add extra bang bang sauce at the table for a creamier bite.
Notes
Nutrition
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