The Crispy Rice Bowl at sweetgreen is my personal favorite. It's made with arugula, wild rice, blackened chicken, fresh veggies, seasoned crispy rice, and a delicious spicy cashew dressing. Since sweetgreen is pretty expensive, we decided to make our own at home!
This recipe is perfect for meal prep, and will save you money!
It's cliché to call a recipe addictive, but I really can't stop making these bowls. There are a decent amount of components, but everything is pretty easy to make. The chicken is marinated in a spiced oil-balsamic mixture, then grilled until slightly charred.
Wild rice is cooked in broth for extra flavor, then puffed rice is toasted with soy sauce and spices. Carrot, cucumber, and cabbage add freshness, while toasted almonds add crunch.
The whole thing is then topped with a spicy and creamy cashew dressing. There's a reason why this is one of sweetgreen's most popular bowls and one of our most requested recipes!
If you're looking for more sweetgreen dupes, check out the super delicious Hot Honey Chicken Plate Dupe.
Jump to:
Crispy Rice Bowl Ingredients
For the bowl
- Blackened chicken: We used chicken breasts instead of the thighs that Sweetgreen uses, but you can use either based on your personal preference. The chicken is marinated in a blend of olive oil, balsamic, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, cumin, coriander, and chili powder.
- Wild rice: There are a few varieties of wild rice out there, and we recommend avoiding the rice that's entirely purple grains - it can be a bit tough. Try using a wild rice blend instead, like this one from Lundberg.
- Puffed rice: We used puffed brown rice which you can find in the cereal aisle. Nature's Path and Arrowhead Mills both make a good product. In a pinch, you could try Rice Krispies, but they definitely don't taste as good or have as much crunch as the higher-quality stuff.
- Almonds: We used raw almonds and toasted them. You could also use whatever nuts you prefer, like pecans, walnuts, or cashews.
- Arugula: Arugula is our salad base of choice, but you can also use spinach or romaine.
- Lime: This is squeezed atop the salad once it's done for an extra touch of freshness and acidity.
- Carrots, cabbage, and cucumbers: These are all added raw to the bowl, and they add freshness and crunch. You could also use pickled vegetables or a different assortment of vegetables.
- Cilantro: We add a sprig atop the finished bowl for garnish. You can leave it out if you don't care for cilantro. It's also added to the dressing.
For the dressing
- Kosher salt: Make sure you're using kosher salt, not table salt, or your dressing will be too salty! Lower the quantity we put in the recipe card if you're using table salt.
- Garlic: This goes into the dressing raw, but you could also use roasted garlic or garlic powder for a milder and sweeter flavor.
- Cilantro: This adds freshness and a green tint to the dressing. You can leave it out if you really don't like cilantro, or replace it with parsley.
- Sesame oil: We love using toasted sesame oil in the dressing – it adds a lot more flavor. But if you can't find any, regular sesame oil is perfectly find!
- Ginger: Fresh ginger adds lots of flavor to the dressing, but you can always use powdered if you don't have any.
- Rice wine vinegar: You should be able to find this at any grocery store, but if not, feel free to use red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar instead. Regular white vinegar might be a bit too acidic.
- Maple syrup: This adds sweetness and balances out the heat in the dressing. Use agave or honey if you don't have any maple syrup.
- Red chili flakes: If you don't like spice, GO LIGHT on the red pepper flakes. Seriously, this dressing is supposed to be spicy, and it is written as such, so don't go overboard if you don't like spice.
- Cashews: We soaked raw, unsalted cashews in hot water for 30 minutes to make sure that they're soft enough to blend.
- Lime juice: Use freshly squeezed if possible.
- Water: This will thin out the dressing. You can add more if your finished dressing is too thick for your liking.
Ingredient Spotlight
There's an official recipe for the creamy cashew dressing that's been put out there by Sweetgreen, and we tried it and it wasn't... quite right. We opted for soaked cashews instead of cashew butter in this recipe because our cashew butter versions were a bit too thick. Here are some tips to make sure your cashews blend up nice and creamy:
- Soak them for a few hours in room temp water or in hot tap water (as hot as you can get it) for 30-45 minutes, swapping out the water halfway.
- Don't use roasted cashews - they won't absorb moisture as well as raw ones.
How to Make this Crispy Rice Bowl Recipe
STEP 1: Marinate the chicken. In a mixing bowl, combine olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and add in all the spices. Whisk to combine, then toss in the chicken and use tongs to get them evenly coated. Cover with plastic wrap and move to the fridge to marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
STEP 2: Get your cashews soaking. Pour hot tap water over your cashews and soak for as long as you marinate your chicken, 30 minutes to 2 hours. Swap your water out with fresh hot water halfway through soaking.
STEP 3: Start cooking your rice. Add rice, chicken or vegetable broth, and olive oil to a pot, bring to a bowl, then cover and lower to a simmer for 40-45 minutes. We recommend following the directions on the back of your package, as cooking times will vary based upon the products you use.
STEP 4: Prepare the crispy rice. In a mixing bowl, toss together puffed rice, soy sauce, oil, and spices. Move to a large pan and cook over low/medium low heat until rice is brown and crispy. These can burn pretty quickly, so watch carefully and stir frequently.
STEP 5: Toast your almonds. Toast almonds over medium low heat, until they have a little color and are releasing a nutty aroma. These also can burn quickly, so stir frequently. Let the almonds cool, then chop.
STEP 6: Blend together the dressing. Combine soaked cashews and the rest of the dressing ingredients, and blend together until creamy. The cilantro is often the last thing to fully blend, so wait until you can't see any more large green pieces.
STEP 7: Grill your chicken. At this point, your chicken should have been in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. We'd recommend marinating for about 2-3 hours for maximum flavor, but you can take it out now and move it to the grill or a grill pan over medium-high heat.
Make sure there's a high heat oil in your grill pan or that your grill grates are well lubricated. Cook until one side is blackened (about 6-8 minutes) then flip and cook for another 6-8 minutes. Our grill pan was around 400˚-450˚F and we used avocado oil. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of around 165˚F. Let it rest for a few minutes, then cut into roughly 1" x 1" pieces.
STEP 8: Assemble your crispy rice bowls. Spread a bed of arugula over your bowl or plate, then add chicken and wild rice. Chop cabbage, carrots, and cucumber and add to the plate, then add crispy rice. Sprinkle almonds in the center. Add a sprig of cilantro, squeeze a lime over the whole thing, and drizzle with dressing.
Substitutions and Variations
- Vegetarian - swap out the chicken for tofu. You can use the same marinade and grill the tofu. Just be sure to press some of the moisture out of the tofu before marinating.
- Nut free - You can use coconut milk or silken tofu instead of the soaked cashews. You can then just leave the almonds out of the recipe as well.
- Gluten free - puffed rice cereal should be naturally gluten free, but check the label to make sure. The only other ingredient you'll have to swap is soy sauce. Use tamari instead.
- You can use brown rice or white rice instead of wild rice.
- Feel free to swap out any of the vegetables we used for your favorites.
- Arugula can be swapped out for a green of your choosing, like spinach or baby kale.
- Make it a wrap or taco: serve it with tortillas!
- If you don't like how the spicy cashew dressing sounds, you can try a milder dressing like our Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette.
Storage
Kept in an airtight container, these should keep for 3-5 days in the refrigerator. Just be sure to store the crispy rice away from any wet ingredients, or it'll get soggy and lose the crunch factor. You should also only dress the bowl at the time of eating, so be sure to set aside the dressing as well.
This is a perfect recipe to meal prep, so you can place lunch or dinner sized portions into individual containers (keeping the crispy rice and dressing set aside), and enjoy them throughout the week!
Tips and FAQ
Top tip
Let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes. If you can, get it started in advance of everything else so it has about 2 hours to absorb the flavors of the marinade. Start soaking your cashews at the same time!
More tips
- The dressing is supposed to be spicy, so go light on the red pepper flakes if you're spice-sensitive.
- Meal prep it! This recipe has a lot of components, so it's best to make a big batch. Our recipe makes about 6 large servings, so it's perfect to make at the beginning of the week and enjoy as a lunch or dinner each day.
This recipe is an interpretation based on a several sources, and it will vary slightly in terms of flavor. Most notably, we used chicken breasts instead of thighs. We also didn't think the dressing recipe that Sweetgreen has posted matched up with how the dressing actually tastes at the restaurant. For every other component, we tried to reasonably recreate it! We also did a few taste-test comparisons in the name of research. 😉
More copycat recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
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📖 Recipe
Crispy Rice Bowl (Sweetgreen Dupe)
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 large servings 1x
Description
The Crispy Rice Bowl at sweetgreen is my personal favorite. It's made with arugula, wild rice, blackened chicken, fresh veggies, seasoned crispy rice, and a delicious spicy cashew dressing. This recipe is perfect for meal prep, and will save you money!
Ingredients
Blackened Chicken:
- 2 pounds chicken breast or thighs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt (use less if using table salt or fine sea salt)
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ heaping teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Crispy Rice:
- 1 cup puffed rice cereal
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil (or another neutral oil)
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
Spicy Cashew Dressing:
- ¾ cup raw, unsalted cashews
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- 1 medium clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (use less if using table salt or fine sea salt)
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (use less if you don't want it as spicy)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil (we use toasted sesame oil)
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup, honey or agave
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ~½ cup water (you may have to adjust depending on how long you soak the cashews)
For serving:
- 2 cups dry wild rice blend
- Optional: 3 ½ cups vegetable broth (can also use water)
- 8 ounces arugula
- 1 ½ cups chopped cucumber
- 1 ½ cups grated or thinly sliced carrot
- 1 ½ cups thinly sliced cabbage
- ¾ cup toasted almonds, chopped
- Optional: cilantro and lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Soak the cashews: Add cashews to a bowl and cover with hot water. Let soak for at least 30 minutes, or up to a few hours. If only soaking 30 minutes, change out the water halfway through with new hot water.
- Marinate the chicken. In a mixing bowl, combine olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and add in all the spices. Whisk to combine, then toss in the chicken and use tongs to get them evenly coated. Cover with plastic wrap and move to the fridge to marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
- Cook the rice: Add rice and water to a pot and cook according to package directions (every blend is a bit different).
- Make the crispy rice: Add the puffed rice, soy sauce and oil to a bowl and toss to coat. Add in spices and toss again until well coated. Spread in an even layer in a pan over medium low heat. Toast, stirring often, for about 10 minutes, until browned and crispy. Be careful – they can burn easily!
- Toast the almonds (optional). Add almonds to a small pan over medium heat. Toast, stirring frequently for a few minutes, until fragrant and lightly browned. Remove from pan and chop finely.
- Make the dressing: Drain the cashews and add to a blender with all remaining ingredients. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. You may need more water depending on how long you soaked the cashews/how powerful your blender is.
- Cook the chicken. At this point, your chicken should have been in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. We'd recommend marinating for about 2-3 hours for maximum flavor, but you can take it out now and move it to the grill or a grill pan over medium-high heat. Make sure there's a high heat oil in your grill pan or that your grill grates are well lubricated. Cook until one side is blackened (about 6-8 minutes) then flip and cook for another 6-8 minutes. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of around 165˚F. Let it rest for a few minutes, then cut into roughly 1" x 1" pieces.
- Assemble the bowls: Start with a bed of arugula, then top with cooked wild rice, chicken, crispy rice, cucumber, carrots, cabbage, almonds and (optional) lime wedge and cilantro. Top with dressing if serving right away, or place in meal prep containers and store dressing separately. We also suggest storing crispy rice separately at room temperature so it doesn't get soggy.
Notes
Stored in an airtight container, these should keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Just be sure to store the crispy rice away from any wet ingredients, or it'll get soggy and lose the crunch factor. You should also only dress the bowl at the time of eating, so be sure to set aside the dressing as well.
The dressing is supposed to be spicy, so go light on the red pepper flakes if you're spice-sensitive. We suggest starting with ¼ teaspoon if you're not sure.
Meal prep it! This recipe has a lot of components, so it's best to make a big batch. Our recipe makes about 6 large servings (or 8 smaller servings), so it's perfect to make at the beginning of the week and enjoy as a lunch or dinner each day.
Vegetarian - swap out the chicken for tofu. You can use the same marinade and grill the tofu. Just be sure to press some of the moisture out of the tofu before marinating.
Gluten free - puffed rice cereal should be naturally gluten free, but check the label to make sure. The only other ingredient you'll have to swap is soy sauce. Use tamari instead.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 711
- Sugar: 8.5 g
- Sodium: 800.4 mg
- Fat: 31.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 62.6 g
- Fiber: 8.3 g
- Protein: 49.8 g
Sydney says
This was so so so good. I had to make the puffed rice twice because I managed to burn it the first time, but I would give this 10 stars if I could. And double the dressing, you’ll want it!
Kate says
Spot on deliciousness!! Can’t wait to eat it again tomorrow. Thanks for figuring out this copycat recipe.