Sticky Chicken Rice Bowls

Fill up on satisfying protein and flavor with these Sticky Chicken Rice Bowls. Between the bowl base, the delicious sticky sauce, and the spicy mayo drizzle, you can expect this to become your new favorite meal.

Easy air fryer 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 homemade soy sauce and honey sticky sauce, followed by a three-ingredient spicy mayo.

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!

Ingredients in these chicken and rice bowls

This 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!

Bowl Base

• Rice: The base of the chicken bowl will start with 2 cups of rice (uncooked). 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. This is going to help create 5 bowls.
• Olive oil: 2 tbsp of olive oil will be used to help the seasonings stick to the chicken.
• Seasonings: To add flavor, we’ll use the following seasonings: 1 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp of pepper, 1 tsp of chili powder, 1 tsp of smoked paprika, 1 tsp of onion powder, and 1 tsp of oregano.

Sticky Sauce

• Soy sauce: Kick off the sticky sauce recipe with 1/2 cup of soy sauce.
• Honey: Add a dash of sweet flavor with 1/2 cup of honey.
• Rice vinegar: Rice vinegar is a must in sticky sauce. Use 1/4 cup.
• Garlic: Then, add flavor with 3 cloves of minced garlic.
• Sriracha: Heat things up a bit by adding 2 tbsp of sriracha.
• Sesame oil: Follow that with 2 tsp of sesame oil.
• Ground ginger: Then, 1 tsp of ground ginger adds that last bit 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!

Kitchen tools needed to make these chicken rice bowls

To create this recipe, you will need about six various kitchen tools in addition to various measuring cup sizes. Gather the following before you begin:

• Air fryer
• Microwave-safe bowl
• Cutting board
• Cutting knife
• Sauce pot
• Stirring utensil

To measure ingredients, you will need the following sized measuring cups: 1/2 tsp, 1 tsp, 1 tbsp, 1/4 cup, 1/2 cup, and 1 cup.

How to make sticky chicken and rice bowls

You can expect this recipe to come together in about 40 minutes. It yields 5 generous servings.

Begin by preheating your air fryer to 400°F and cooking the rice according to the instructions on the package.

Then, steam the broccoli in the microwave or on the stovetop until fork tender. Set aside.

Cut the chicken into small bite-sized pieces and then toss it with the oil and spices. Lay it flat in the air fryer and cook for about 12 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160°F.

While the chicken is cooking, add the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, garlic, sriracha, sesame oil, and ground ginger to a sauce pot. Bring to a boil, and then add the arrowroot slurry. Let boil for 4-5 minutes or until the sauce has greatly thickened.

Prepare the bowls by layering the rice, broccoli, and chicken, and then pour on sauce. Mix together the spicy mayo ingredients and drizzle them on top. Complete the bowls by topping with sesame seeds.

Optional ingredient add-ins

If you’re in the mood to add even more flavor to your rice bowls, try some of these ingredients!

• Cilantro
• Snap peas
• Scallions
• Chopped cashews
• Red onion
• Green onion
• Cucumber

If you’re looking to make some swaps, feel free to use tofu or shrimp to make this pescetarian friendly! If you are looking for a lower carb option, cauliflower rice can be used.

Whether these sticky rice bowls are the week’s meal prep or you just want to store leftovers, have no fear! This meal stores incredibly well.

To save some for later, simply transfer to freezer bags or airtight containers and place in the refrigerator. The meal should keep for up to 3-4 days.

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

Looking for some more easy weeknight dinners? Try one of these! Between the lemon pasta and the provencal, there’s a chicken recipe for every palate.

• Lemon Cauliflower Pasta with Grilled Chicken
• Easy Chicken Provencal
• Thai Inspired Chicken Meatball Soup
• Easy White Chicken Chili Recipe (Stovetop or Crockpot)

All recipes by Erin Morrissey and Photos by Sierra Inn