Sticky Chicken Rice Bowls

By: Erin Antoniak • Updated On May 27, 2026

These Sticky Chicken Rice Bowls are about to become your new most-requested weeknight dinner! Between the juicy air fryer chicken, the sweet and savory sticky sauce, and the spicy mayo drizzle on top, these bowls seriously deliver on every level.

A Quick Look: Sticky Chicken Rice Bowls

✅ Recipe Name: Sticky Chicken Rice Bowls
🕒 Ready In: About 45 minutes
👪 Serves: 5
🍽 Calories: 858 per bowl
📋 Protein: 44g per bowl
🥬 Main Ingredients: Chicken breasts, rice, broccoli, soy sauce, honey, sriracha, spicy mayo
📖 Dietary Info: Dairy-free, nut-free
🥣 Best For: Weeknight dinner, meal prep, family meals
⭐ Why You’ll Love It: That glossy sticky sauce + spicy mayo drizzle makes this chicken rice bowl absolutely irresistible!

Easy Sticky Chicken Rice Bowls

When it comes to preparing dinner — especially on weeknights — easy recipes always win. This chicken rice bowl recipe is just that! It’s prepared in an air fryer, making it extra easy (not to mention delicious!).

These bowls are made with a base of rice, broccoli, and chicken. They’re topped with a homemade honey sticky sauce, followed by a three-ingredient spicy mayo. The double sauce situation makes them extra good, trust me! If you don’t want to make your own spicy mayo, you can use a store-bought version, that’s totally fine.

When all is said and done, the recipe yields 5 delicious protein-rich servings. It’s perfect for feeding the family or using as the week’s meal prep! And rf you love this kind of bowl situation, you’ll also want to check out my Sticky Salmon Rice Bowls and Ground Chicken Teriyaki Bowls, too!

A Quick Look: Sticky Chicken Rice Bowls
Easy Sticky Chicken Rice Bowls
Why You’ll Love These Rice Bowls with Chicken
Ingredients Needed
Substitutions & Variations
How to Make Sticky Chicken and Rice Bowls
Erin’s Expert Recipe Tips
Frequently Asked Questions

Why You’ll Love These Rice Bowls with Chicken

That sticky sauce is everything. Sweet, savory, garlicky, and perfectly glossy, it coats every bite and you’ll want to put it on everything!
Air fryer chicken in 12 minutes. Juicy, perfectly seasoned bite-sized pieces with almost zero effort.
High-protein and super filling. Each bowl delivers 44g of protein! This is a meal that actually keeps you full.
Built for meal prep. All components store well separately, making this a weekday lunch hero.
Totally customizable. Swap the protein, load up on extra veggies, turn down the heat, you name it! These bowls work for everyone at the table.

Ingredients Needed

This sticky chicken rice bowl recipe consists of a few different sets of ingredients. We’ll start with those for the bowl base, followed by the sticky sauce and then the spicy mayo. You can use any vegetables you want!

Photo of ingredients for Sticky Chicken Rice Bowls with labels.

Bowl Base

Rice: White rice, brown rice, or long grain would be perfect here, or feel free to sub in quinoa!
Broccoli: Then, include some veggie goodness with 2 small heads of chopped broccoli.
Chicken: For the chicken, you’ll need 3 large chicken breasts. If you prefer, you can use chicken thighs!
Olive oil: Olive oil will be used to help the seasonings stick to the chicken.
Seasonings: To add flavor, we’ll use the following seasonings: salt, pepper, chili powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, and oregano.

Sticky Sauce

Soy sauce: To use as the base of the sticky sauce!
Honey: For a dash of sweet flavor, and that sticky consistency.
Rice vinegar: Rice vinegar is a must in sticky sauce, to balance out all the flavors!
Garlic: Fresh garlic is best if you have it!
Sriracha: Heat things up a bit by adding 2 tbsp of sriracha, but adjust that to your personal taste.
Sesame oil: Sesame oil adds a lovely nutty flavor!
Ground ginger: Adds a fresh zing of flavor.
Arrowroot powder: Finish off the sticky sauce by mixing 2 tsp of arrowroot powder with 2 tbsp of water. This is going to create a slurry that will thicken up the sauce. For an arrowroot powder substitute, you can use cornstarch.

Spicy Mayo

Mayo: To create the spicy mayo, we’ll begin with 1/2 cup of… you guessed it… mayo!
Sriracha: Then, add spicy flavor with 1 tbsp of sriracha.
Water: 2-3 tbsp of water will help the spicy mayo reach the perfect consistency.

Topping

Sesame seeds: Finish off the chicken rice bowls by adding sesame seeds on top!
Avocado: Add some creamy avocado on top for some healthy fat!

Substitutions & Variations

Swap the protein. Tofu, shrimp, or ground chicken all work beautifully with this sticky sauce.
Go lower carb. Use cauliflower rice instead of regular rice for a lighter base.
Add more veggies. Snap peas, red onion, shredded purple cabbage, matchstick carrots, cucumber, scallions, or mushrooms are all delicious here.
Adjust the heat. Reduce the sriracha in both the sauce and the mayo for a milder, more family-friendly version.
Make it gluten-free. Swap soy sauce for coconut aminos and you’re good to go.

How to Make Sticky Chicken and Rice Bowls

Step 1: Prep. Cook rice according to the package directions, and steam the broccoli in the microwave. While those are cooking, cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, chili powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, and oregano.

Step 2: Season and air fry the chicken. Lay flat in the air fryer and cook at 400°F for 12 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

Step 3: Make the sticky sauce. While the chicken cooks, add soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, garlic, sriracha, sesame oil, and ground ginger to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then stir in the arrowroot slurry. Let boil for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and turned glossy.

Step 4: Assemble the bowls. Layer rice, broccoli, and chicken into bowls. Pour the sticky sauce generously on top. Whisk together the spicy mayo ingredients and drizzle over everything. Finish with sesame seeds, avocado, and any other toppings you love.

Erin’s Expert Recipe Tips

Cut the chicken small. Bite-sized pieces cook faster and more evenly in the air fryer, and you get more sticky sauce coverage on every single piece.
Don’t rush the sauce. Let it boil for the full 4 to 5 minutes after adding the arrowroot slurry! This is what gives it that gorgeous, thick, sticky texture. It will thicken more as it cools too.
Make the spicy mayo drizzle-thin. Add enough water so it drizzles easily from a spoon. If it’s too thick, just add another splash of water.
Taste and adjust the heat. The sriracha level is totally up to you! Start with less and add more to your preference.
Storing: Transfer all components to airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 3–4 days. Store the sauce separately if possible so the rice doesn’t get soggy, then reheat and assemble fresh when ready to eat.
Serve it with: Asian Chicken Crunch Salad, Moroccan Couscous Salad, or Roasted Garlic Potatoes!

Frequently Asked Questions

What do you put in a chicken rice bowl?

A chicken rice bowl typically starts with a base of rice topped with seasoned chicken, your favorite veggies, and a flavorful sauce. In this case, a honey soy sticky sauce with a spicy mayo drizzle that takes everything to the next level! From there, you can customize with toppings like avocado, sesame seeds, scallions, or whatever sounds good to you!

Can I make this without an air fryer?

Absolutely! Bake the chicken at 400°F for about 20 minutes, or cook it in a skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through. The air fryer just speeds things up.

If you liked this recipe, you’ll want to try these!

Looking for some more easy weeknight dinners? Try one of these!

All recipes by Erin Morrissey and Photos by Sierra Inn

If you tried this recipe or any other recipes on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Follow @erinliveswhole on Instagram and tag me in any of the recipes you make so I can repost them!

Erin Antoniak