Firecracker Ground Chicken Bowl (Print)

Savory ground chicken tossed in fiery sauce, served over jasmine rice with crisp vegetables and a cooling creamy drizzle.

# What You Need:

→ For the Chicken

01 - 1 lb ground chicken
02 - 2 tablespoons neutral oil (canola or vegetable)
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ For the Firecracker Sauce

07 - 1/3 cup hot sauce (Franks RedHot or Sriracha)
08 - 1/4 cup brown sugar
09 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free)
10 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
11 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
12 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

→ For the Bowls

13 - 2 cups cooked jasmine rice
14 - 1 cup shredded carrots
15 - 1 cup thinly sliced cucumber
16 - 1/2 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced
17 - 2 scallions, sliced
18 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

→ Optional Creamy Drizzle

19 - 1/3 cup mayonnaise
20 - 1 tablespoon Sriracha
21 - 1 teaspoon lime juice

# How To Make It:

01 - Whisk together hot sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and crushed red pepper flakes in a small bowl until well combined. Set aside.
02 - Heat neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and grated ginger; sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn.
03 - Add ground chicken, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Cook, breaking up the meat with a spatula, until fully cooked and lightly browned, approximately 5-7 minutes.
04 - Pour the firecracker sauce over the cooked chicken. Stir well to coat evenly, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
05 - In a separate small bowl, mix mayonnaise, Sriracha, and lime juice until smooth and well combined.
06 - Divide cooked jasmine rice among four bowls. Top each portion with firecracker chicken, then arrange shredded carrots, sliced cucumber, and bell pepper around the edges.
07 - Drizzle the creamy sauce over each bowl. Garnish with sliced scallions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in seconds but tastes like it simmered for hours
  • Ground chicken cooks so quickly that weeknight dinner is ready in under 30 minutes
  • You can customize the heat level from gentle warmth to full-on firecracker
02 -
  • The sauce continues to thicken as it cools, so remove it from heat while it still looks slightly thinner than you want
  • Ground chicken releases more liquid than beef, so do not add extra oil or the sauce will never cling properly
  • Let the sauce simmer for the full 3 to 4 minutes or the raw hot sauce flavor will never mellow into something delicious
03 -
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan for 2 minutes before garnishing to unlock their nutty flavor
  • Double the sauce recipe and keep it in a jar in your fridge for instant spicy chicken anytime

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