TikTok Chili-Crisp Cucumber Chicken Bowls (Printable)

Savory chicken meets crisp cucumbers in a bowl finished with spicy chili crisp for the perfect balance of heat and cool.

# What Goes In:

→ Creamy Cucumber Salad

01 - 2 large English cucumbers, thinly sliced
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
04 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
05 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
06 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
07 - 1 teaspoon sugar
08 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
09 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

→ Seared Chicken

10 - 1.25 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
11 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
12 - 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
13 - 1 tablespoon honey
14 - 1 tablespoon neutral oil
15 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
16 - 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
17 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Serving

18 - 4 cups cooked jasmine or short-grain rice
19 - 4 tablespoons chili crisp
20 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
21 - Extra green onions, sliced

# How to Make It:

01 - Place sliced cucumbers in a colander, sprinkle with salt, and toss. Let sit for 10 minutes to remove excess moisture. Rinse briefly and pat dry with paper towels.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar. Add drained cucumbers, green onions, and sesame seeds. Toss until evenly coated. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
03 - In a separate bowl, combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, honey, neutral oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, and black pepper. Add chicken and coat thoroughly. Let marinate for 10 minutes.
04 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add marinated chicken and sear for 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a cutting board, let rest for 3 minutes, then slice into strips.
05 - Divide creamy cucumber salad evenly among four serving bowls. Add 1 cup cooked rice to each bowl. Top with sliced chicken and drizzle 1 tablespoon chili crisp over each portion.
06 - Top each bowl with fresh cilantro and additional sliced green onions. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 35 minutes flat, making weeknight dinners actually feel doable instead of defeating.
  • The contrast between cool, creamy cucumbers and hot, savory chicken with that spicy chili crisp hit is genuinely addictive.
02 -
  • Skip the cucumber salting step and you'll end up with a watery mess within 30 minutes, no matter how good your yogurt sauce is.
  • Chili crisp flavors vary wildly between brands, so taste it first and adjust the amount based on your heat tolerance and the oil's actual spice level.
03 -
  • Make the cucumber salad a few hours ahead, and it actually gets better as the flavors meld and the cucumbers soften slightly without becoming mushy.
  • Slice your chicken against the grain, which sounds fancy but just means looking at the lines in the meat and cutting perpendicular to them for maximum tenderness.
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