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Sheet Pan Bang Bang Chicken with Crispy Rice

Sauce forward, obviously.

BAILEY SISSOM

February 22, 2026

I made this bang bang chicken on a weeknight when I wanted something satisfying but simple. My family liked it enough that it disappeared quickly, which is usually all the feedback I need. The sauce is the reason. It’s creamy, a little sweet, a little spicy, and pulls the whole pan together.

This is a sheet pan recipe, but done in stages so each part cooks properly. The chicken roasts first, then comes out. The rice goes onto the same pan and gets crispy in all the good drippings. Only after that does the sauce show up.

You can use chicken thighs or chicken breast here. I cut the chicken into roughly one-inch pieces so it cooks quickly and evenly. Make more sauce than you think you’ll need. The recipe is written for a reasonable amount, but in practice, everyone wanted extra. It stores really well, which makes this a good option for lunches during the week.

– Bailey

P.S. I've started sharing reels over on Instagram. It's new for me, but I'm trying. If you're over there, come say hi @simplysissom.

Skip the Parchment.

Parchment paper is great, but not when you’re trying to crisp something. For this recipe, the rice goes directly onto the sheet pan. That direct contact is what lets it dry out, brown, and actually get crispy instead of steaming.

Parchment makes cleanup easier, but it softens the result. Here, the tradeoff is worth it. Once the rice is browned, it releases easily, and a quick soak takes care of the pan. Texture wins.
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This Week in My Kitchen

This week I focused on prepping simple lunches for Joe and me and shared a new reel showing the process. I also reworked my chicken fried cauliflower rice and finally landed on a bang bang chicken I am sharing today.

• Sheet Pan Bang Bang Chicken with Crispy Rice: Recipe shared below
• ​NEW REEL: Everything I meal prepped for my husband and me.
• ​Chicken Fried Cauliflower Rice: A lighter option if you liked today’s recipe but want something vegetable-forward.

Sheet Pan Bang Bang Chicken with Crispy Rice

Servings: 4
​Time: About 45 minutes

Ingredients

Chicken​
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• 1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1½ Tbsp olive oil (21 g)
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch (8 g)
• 1 tsp garlic powder (3 g)
• 1 tsp paprika (2 g)
• ¾ tsp kosher salt (4.5 g)
• ¼ tsp black pepper (0.5 g)

Crispy Rice
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• 3 cups cooked jasmine or white rice (450 g), completely cold
• 1½ Tbsp olive oil (21 g)
• ½ tsp kosher salt (3 g)
• ½ tsp garlic powder (1.5 g)
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce or tamari (15 g)
• 3 - 4 green onions, thinly sliced (about 30 g)

Bang Bang Sauce​
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• ½ cup mayonnaise (120 g)
• ¼ cup sweet chili sauce (60 g)
• 1–2 Tbsp sriracha (15–30 g), to taste
• 1 tsp rice vinegar (5 g)

Instructions

Heat the oven to 425°F.

In a large bowl, toss the chicken with olive oil (1½ Tbsp), cornstarch (1 Tbsp), garlic powder (1 tsp), paprika (1 tsp), kosher salt (¾ tsp), and black pepper (¼ tsp) until evenly coated. Carefully remove the hot sheet pan from the oven and spread the chicken in a single layer. Return to the oven and roast until cooked through and lightly browned, flipping once halfway, about 18 to 22 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Do not clean the pan.

Add the cold cooked rice directly to the hot sheet pan along with olive oil (1½ Tbsp), kosher salt (½ tsp), garlic powder (½ tsp), and soy sauce or tamari (1 Tbsp). Toss everything together on the pan, then press the rice into a thin, even layer. Return to the oven and bake until the rice is deeply golden and crispy on the bottom, about 20 to 25 minutes. Stir once halfway if needed. For extra crisp edges, broil briefly at the end.

Remove the rice from the oven and immediately stir in the sliced green onions (3 to 4).

While the rice cooks, whisk together mayonnaise (½ cup), sweet chili sauce (¼ cup), sriracha (1–2 Tbsp), and rice vinegar (1 tsp) until smooth.

Serve the crispy rice topped with the roasted chicken and drizzle generously with the bang bang sauce.

Cold Rice Matters: Use rice that is fully chilled. Cold, dry grains crisp instead of steaming, which is what gives you real texture on the pan.

Why No Parchment: Cooking directly on the sheet pan allows the rice to make full contact with the metal, which is how it gets deeply golden and crisp. Parchment will block that.

Don’t Rush the Rice: The rice may look done before it actually is. Let it stay in the oven until you see real golden color on the bottom. That’s where the flavor is.

Sauce Quantity: The recipe is written for a reasonable amount, but in practice most people want more. It keeps well in the fridge and is great on leftovers.

Cut Size: Cutting the chicken into roughly one-inch pieces helps it cook quickly and evenly without drying out.

Make Ahead: The sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator.

Reheating: Reheat rice and chicken in a hot skillet or oven to re-crisp slightly, then add the sauce after heating. You can also use the microwave but you will lose some texture.

Gluten-Free: Use tamari instead of soy sauce to keep the recipe gluten-free.

Nut-Free: This recipe is nut-free.

Dairy-Free: The dish itself is dairy-free, but the sauce contains mayonnaise. Choose a dairy-free mayo if needed.

Vegetarian: The rice and sauce work exactly the same. For the protein, roast vegetables separately on the sheet pan before the rice goes in. Broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, or a mix of bell peppers and onions all hold up well at this temperature. Cut vegetables into bite-size pieces so they brown instead of steaming, then serve over the crispy rice with the sauce.