Copycat Sweetgreen Crispy Rice Bowl

Name: Copycat Sweetgreen Crispy Rice Bowl
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 bag Success Boil-in-Bag White Rice, or 1 heaping cup of cooked rice; 5 oz mixed greens; 1 1/2 cups shredded reb cabbage; 1 cup diced cucumbers; 1 cup shredded carrots; 1/2 cup fresh cilantro; 1/3 cup slivered almonds; 1/3 cup dressing, Spicy Cashew or Sesame Dressing (see full blog post for options!); 1 lb chicken tenderloins, or chicken breast; 1 tbsp blackened seasoning; Olive oil spray; 1/2 cup puffed rice cereal; 1 tbsp sesame oil; 1 tsp soy sauce; 1/2 tsp honey

by Kayla Berman on May 8, 2024 0 comments

Jump to Recipe

This copycat Sweetgreen Crispy Rice Bowl is a healthy and delicious lunch, dinner, or meal prep recipe! Made with white rice, homemade crispy rice, blackened chicken, and tons of fresh, colorful veggies … this loaded bowl is full of different textures and wonderful flavor. Protein-packed and nutrient rich, you will love this easy-to-make, affordable version of the Sweetgreen classic!

This post is sponsored by Success Rice but all thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Wellness by Kay possible!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Delicious: The number one reason why you’ll love this Sweetgreen crispy rice bowl recipe is that it is so dang delicious! There are so many textures and flavors that combine to create a true party in your mouth. It’s sweet, spicy, savory, umami! Everything you could want.
Full of Color & Nutrients: This bowl is one of those recipes that is so gorgeous you almost don’t want to eat it. I mean look at all those colors! This vibrant and fresh bowl just screams spring and summer to me. But not only are those colors fun to look at, they are good for you too. Color equals nutrients! This recipe is full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, healthy fats, and carbs. It is a wonderfully well rounded meal!
Affordable: We all know that going to Sweetgreen everyday and ordering a salad for lunch will quickly break the bank! However, there is no need to worry. This at-home copycat version of one of their most popular salad bowls will save the day.

Looking for more restaurant copycat recipes? Check out my McDonald’s Crispy Chicken Snack Wrap or Joe & The Juice Tunacado Sandwich next.

Ingredients & Substitutions

One of the many reasons why I love this recipe is because it is SO good for you! It’s full of natural ingredients, fresh veggies, and tons of color. Here is the exact list you’ll need from the store:

Crispy Rice

Puffed Rice Cereal: You can find this light and fluffy cereal grain in most grocery stores. Look for a very plain option! No Rice Krispies in this salad bowl.
Sesame Oil: A tablespoon of sesame oil helps crisp up the rice cereal here. It also adds such yummy flavor!
Soy Sauce: Soy sauce adds fabulous umami flavor to this crispy rice. You could alternatively use coconut aminos.
Honey: I love to add a bit of honey for a touch of sweetness! I think it balances out the other flavors beautifully. Pure maple syrup could also be used.

Salad Bowls

Rice: Success Boil-in-Bag White Rice is my go-to for this recipe! It is so easy to prepare … there is no mess and it comes out perfectly fluffy every time in just 10 minutes. You simply can’t beat it! However, you could use any type of rice you’d like. I know the real deal uses warm wild rice.
Mixed Greens: The original recipe uses arugula as a base, but I personally don’t love the peppery green. I choose a more mild mix! But feel free to use whatever lettuce you prefer.
Fresh Vegetables: Cucumber, red cabbage, and shredded raw carrots add wonderful crunch and color to this copycat Sweetgreen crispy rice bowl.
Slivered Almonds: Roasted slivered almonds add more crunch! Plus some salty, savory goodness and healthy fats.
Dressing: The original Sweetgreen recipe uses spicy cashew dressing. It is a thick, rich, and creamy dressing with a bit of an Asian flare. Read the section below for my recommendations on store-bought versions or making your own at home!
Fresh Cilantro: I love to add big bunches of fresh cilantro to these salads. I don’t even bother to chop!
Lime: The last addition to these bowls is a fresh lime squeeze to top everything off. It adds the best zesty flavor.

Blackened Chicken

Chicken: I have recently discovered that my preferred cut of chicken is chicken tenderloins. They are just so tender and cook up in no time at all. But chicken breast or chicken thighs will work too!
Blackened Seasoning: Ease is the name of the game in my kitchen. Therefore I will be taking any and all shortcuts available to me! That means buying pre-made blackened seasoning. You should be able to find this in the spice aisle of your grocery store. If you can’t find the mix or simply want to make your own here is a blackened seasoning mix recipe.
Olive Oil Spray: Olive oil spray is one of my favorite cooking staples! Its perfect for uses like this – it just coats the chicken in a little bit of oil. You could also use regular olive oil or avocado oil.

Spicy Cashew Dressing

A key element to this popular Sweetgreen bowl is the dressing. It is a spicy cashew based dressing that the fast and fresh restaurant is pretty well known for! You have a couple of options for acquiring this dressing for your at-home version of the beloved bowl.

First, you could make the dressing at home! There are tons of copycat recipes on the internet. You will need a food processor or a high speed blender, raw cashews or cashew butter, and a little more effort than I am willing to give. LOL. Here is a recipe that looks tasty to me!

Second, you could buy a pre-made dressing at the store. This is the option I go with! Even though I’m a food blogger and spend a lot of time in the kitchen … I still love shortcuts to make my life easier. To me that means buying dressing rather than making my own. However, you will sacrifice a bit of accuracy to the real deal with this option.

There are not many spicy cashew dressings on the market. Trader Joe’s has one (Spicy Cashew Butter Dressing) that is very similar to the one from Sweetgreen, but it is sometimes difficult to get your hands on.

I typically just look for a similar option. A dressing that is creamy and rich, nut or seed based, and has a comparable taste profile. Like a Spicy Sesame Dressing!

Equipment Needed

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How To Make This Crispy Rice Bowl Recipe

This copycat recipe of Sweetgreen’s popular crispy rice bowl is quite easy to prepare!

It requires 4 main steps: prepare crispy rice, cook Success Boil-in-Bag White Rice, air fry (or oven bake) chicken, and assemble. Then just dive into the deliciousness!

Step 1: Prepare the crispy rice. Add the sesame oil, soy sauce, and honey to a small pan over medium heat. Combine. Add in the puffed rice cereal once the sauce begins to simmer. Coat thoroughly. Cook for 2-3 minutes, being careful to not burn the rice. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Step 2: Prepare the Success Boil-in-Bag White Rice according to the package directions. Set aside.

Step 3: Cook the chicken. First add the raw chicken to a small mixing bowl. Add olive oil spray and the blackened seasoning. Coat the chicken thoroughly. Air Fry: Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the seasoned chicken in the basket. For chicken tenderloins air fry for 8 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through. Chicken breast will require a longer cooking time, about 12-15 minutes. Bake: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the seasoned chicken on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. For chicken tenderloins bake for 10 minutes. For chicken breasts bake for 18-20 minutes. Once cooked, chop the chicken and set aside.

chicken tenderloins in an air fryer basket

Step 4: Assemble the bowls. Start with a base of mixed greens. Then add the blackened chicken, white rice, crispy rice, red cabbage, cucumber, carrots, fresh cilantro, and slivered almonds. Top with a drizzle of dressing. See above for homemade and store-bought options.

Step 5: Serve and enjoy! I like to add a fresh squeeze of lime juice.

Expert Tips

Measurements are just a guide! I always say for salad or bowl recipes like this that the listed measurements are just a guide. You can add however much or little of the elements – crunchy cucumbers, warm rice, protein-packed chicken, salty almonds, etc. – as you’d like.

Use Success Rice! Success Boil-in-Bag White Rice is one of my favorite tips for making your life easier in the kitchen. Their products take just about 10 minutes and turn out perfectly fluffy every time. You can use the white rice or other Success Rice products in any rice dish … Turkey Teriyaki Rice Bowls, Mexican Beef & Rice Skillet, or Spicy Mayo Tuna Rice Bowls.

Air fry your chicken! My air fryer is absolutely my new best friend in the kitchen. I use it for everything! From s’mores and cinnamon rolls to garlic bread, shrimp, and frozen french fries … the trendy appliance gets the job done. Air frying chicken is so quick, relatively mess free, and works perfectly for this salad bowl recipe.

Sweetgreen Crispy Rice Bowl Serving Suggestions

I think there are two superior ways to serve this nutritious and delicious bowl: build-you-own style dinner or meal prep.

Build-Your-Own: If you are serving this bowl to your family, partner, or guests for dinner I highly recommend making a build your own bowl serving station. Like Chipotle style! Start with a big serving bowl of blackened chicken, cooked rice, and greens. You could even include additional options of shrimp and wild rice to the table too. Then add a variety of veggie – cucumber, carrot, red cabbage, bell pepper, roasted broccoli, edamame, etc. You could also include multiple dressing options and garnishes. Like fresh lime, cilantro, almonds, sesame seeds, scallions, and more. Everyone can customize their dream bowl! I’m drooling just thinking about it.
Meal Prep: This is a slightly less elaborate serving option, but still a fabulous one! I would love to have these bowls on hand for quick, healthy lunches throughout the week. I suggest preparing each element ahead of time, storing separately, and then assembling your bowls as needed.

Storing Suggestions

I recommend storing the different elements and ingredients of this Sweetgreen crispy rice recipe separately. This will prolong freshness! Everything should last about 3-5 days.

Crispy Rice: Store in an airtight container or Ziploc bag at room temperature.
Cooked Rice: Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Veggies: Store in airtight containers in the fridge. I always recommend placing in the veggie drawer for maximum freshness and longevity.
Chicken: Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Check out my post on rotisserie chicken storage for more information on the proper handling and storage of cooked chicken.

Related Recipes

More Salad Recipes

More Meal Prep Recipes

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If you make this crispy rice bowl Sweetgreen recipe or any of my other recipes, I would absolutely love to know! Tag me @wellnessbykay on Instagram so I can see and share your recreations.

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