Korean-inspired Bento Box with Bang Bang Chicken
Korean-inspired Bento Box with Bang Bang Chicken
Ingredients
For the Fried Rice
- 3 cups cold cooked white rice
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup frozen green peas
- 1/2 cup carrots, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
For the Bang Bang Chicken Cutlet
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 6 ounces each, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3 cups vegetable oil, for deep frying
For the Bang Bang Sauce
- 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons gochujang, Korean chili paste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley, for garnish
For the Bento Box Components
- 4 green leaf lettuce, leaves, washed and dried
- 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 large eggs, medium-boiled
- 2 instant ramen noodles, packages, seasoning packets discarded
- 1 tablespoon gochujang, Korean chili paste, for noodles
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce, for noodles
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, for noodles
- 2 cups cauliflower florets, fresh or frozen
- 8 mini corn dogs
- 1/4 cup ketchup, for drizzling
Instructions
- 1
Prepare all ingredients: If not already cooked, prepare 3 cups of white rice. Finely dice carrots. Pound chicken breasts to about 1/2-inch thickness. Set aside all ingredients for each component.
⏱️ 15 min
- 2
Start the Fried Rice: Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Pour in the 2 beaten eggs and scramble until just set. Remove the scrambled eggs and set aside. Add the diced carrots and green peas to the skillet and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until tender-crisp.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Finish the Fried Rice: Add the cold cooked white rice to the skillet with the vegetables. Break up any clumps. Pour in 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper. Stir-fry for 5-7 minutes, ensuring the rice is heated through and slightly toasted. Return the scrambled eggs to the skillet and toss to combine. Keep warm or set aside.
⏱️ 7 min
- 4
Prepare the Chicken Cutlets: Set up a breading station: one shallow dish with 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, a second with 2 beaten large eggs, and a third with 1 cup panko breadcrumbs. Dredge each pounded chicken breast first in flour (shaking off excess), then dip in egg (allowing excess to drip off), and finally coat thoroughly in panko breadcrumbs, pressing gently to adhere.
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
Fry the Chicken Cutlets: Heat 3 cups of vegetable oil in a deep pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 350°F. Carefully place the breaded chicken cutlets into the hot oil. Fry for 4-6 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F). Remove chicken from oil and place on a wire rack set over paper towels to drain excess oil. Once slightly cooled, cut each cutlet into 1-inch wide strips.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 350
- 6
Make the Bang Bang Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce, 2 tablespoons gochujang, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes. Add the cut chicken pieces to the sauce and toss gently to coat evenly.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Cook Medium-Boiled Eggs: Bring a small saucepan of water to a rolling boil. Carefully lower the 2 large eggs into the boiling water. Cook for 6-7 minutes for a medium-boiled egg with a slightly jammy yolk. Immediately transfer eggs to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Once cooled, peel and halve lengthwise, optionally using a ruffled cutter for decorative edges.
⏱️ 10 min
- 8
Prepare Instant Noodles: Cook the 2 packages of instant ramen noodles according to package directions (discarding seasoning packets). Drain well. In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon gochujang, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil. Add the drained noodles to this sauce and toss to coat.
⏱️ 5 min
- 9
Steam Cauliflower and Cook Corn Dogs: Steam 2 cups of cauliflower florets until tender-crisp, about 5-7 minutes. Cook the 8 mini corn dogs according to package instructions (typically baking at 375°F for 10-12 minutes or frying).
⏱️ 12 min•🌡️ 375
- 10
Assemble the Bento Boxes: Divide the fried rice among 4 bento boxes, pressing it into a dome shape in one section. Arrange 1 washed green leaf lettuce, 3 halved cherry tomatoes, 1/2 medium-boiled egg, a portion of the sauced Bang Bang chicken, a portion of the seasoned instant noodles, and a portion of steamed cauliflower in each box. Place 2 mini corn dogs in each bento. Drizzle ketchup over the corn dogs and garnish the chicken with dried parsley.
⏱️ 10 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Korean-inspired Bento Box with Bang Bang Chicken
Ingredients
For the Fried Rice
- 3 cups cold cooked white rice
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup frozen green peas
- 1/2 cup carrots, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
For the Bang Bang Chicken Cutlet
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 6 ounces each, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3 cups vegetable oil, for deep frying
For the Bang Bang Sauce
- 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons gochujang, Korean chili paste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley, for garnish
For the Bento Box Components
- 4 green leaf lettuce, leaves, washed and dried
- 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 large eggs, medium-boiled
- 2 instant ramen noodles, packages, seasoning packets discarded
- 1 tablespoon gochujang, Korean chili paste, for noodles
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce, for noodles
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, for noodles
- 2 cups cauliflower florets, fresh or frozen
- 8 mini corn dogs
- 1/4 cup ketchup, for drizzling
Instructions
- 1
Prepare all ingredients: If not already cooked, prepare 3 cups of white rice. Finely dice carrots. Pound chicken breasts to about 1/2-inch thickness. Set aside all ingredients for each component.
⏱️ 15 min - 2
Start the Fried Rice: Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Pour in the 2 beaten eggs and scramble until just set. Remove the scrambled eggs and set aside. Add the diced carrots and green peas to the skillet and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until tender-crisp.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Finish the Fried Rice: Add the cold cooked white rice to the skillet with the vegetables. Break up any clumps. Pour in 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper. Stir-fry for 5-7 minutes, ensuring the rice is heated through and slightly toasted. Return the scrambled eggs to the skillet and toss to combine. Keep warm or set aside.
⏱️ 7 min - 4
Prepare the Chicken Cutlets: Set up a breading station: one shallow dish with 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, a second with 2 beaten large eggs, and a third with 1 cup panko breadcrumbs. Dredge each pounded chicken breast first in flour (shaking off excess), then dip in egg (allowing excess to drip off), and finally coat thoroughly in panko breadcrumbs, pressing gently to adhere.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
Fry the Chicken Cutlets: Heat 3 cups of vegetable oil in a deep pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 350°F. Carefully place the breaded chicken cutlets into the hot oil. Fry for 4-6 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F). Remove chicken from oil and place on a wire rack set over paper towels to drain excess oil. Once slightly cooled, cut each cutlet into 1-inch wide strips.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 350 - 6
Make the Bang Bang Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce, 2 tablespoons gochujang, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes. Add the cut chicken pieces to the sauce and toss gently to coat evenly.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Cook Medium-Boiled Eggs: Bring a small saucepan of water to a rolling boil. Carefully lower the 2 large eggs into the boiling water. Cook for 6-7 minutes for a medium-boiled egg with a slightly jammy yolk. Immediately transfer eggs to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Once cooled, peel and halve lengthwise, optionally using a ruffled cutter for decorative edges.
⏱️ 10 min - 8
Prepare Instant Noodles: Cook the 2 packages of instant ramen noodles according to package directions (discarding seasoning packets). Drain well. In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon gochujang, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil. Add the drained noodles to this sauce and toss to coat.
⏱️ 5 min - 9
Steam Cauliflower and Cook Corn Dogs: Steam 2 cups of cauliflower florets until tender-crisp, about 5-7 minutes. Cook the 8 mini corn dogs according to package instructions (typically baking at 375°F for 10-12 minutes or frying).
⏱️ 12 min•🌡️ 375 - 10
Assemble the Bento Boxes: Divide the fried rice among 4 bento boxes, pressing it into a dome shape in one section. Arrange 1 washed green leaf lettuce, 3 halved cherry tomatoes, 1/2 medium-boiled egg, a portion of the sauced Bang Bang chicken, a portion of the seasoned instant noodles, and a portion of steamed cauliflower in each box. Place 2 mini corn dogs in each bento. Drizzle ketchup over the corn dogs and garnish the chicken with dried parsley.
⏱️ 10 min