Asian Chicken Power Bowl (Printable)
Marinated chicken over rice with crisp vegetables and tangy sesame-ginger dressing for a nourishing meal.
# What You Need:
→ Marinated Chicken
01 - 1.1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
02 - 2 tbsp soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free)
03 - 1 tbsp sesame oil
04 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
05 - 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
→ Bowl Base
08 - 2 cups cooked brown rice or jasmine rice
09 - 1 cup shredded red cabbage
10 - 1 cup shredded carrots
11 - 1 cup shelled edamame, cooked
12 - 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
13 - 1 avocado, sliced
14 - 2 scallions, sliced
→ Sesame-Ginger Dressing
15 - 3 tbsp soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free)
16 - 2 tbsp rice vinegar
17 - 1 tbsp sesame oil
18 - 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
19 - 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
20 - 1 tsp sriracha (optional, adjust to taste)
21 - 1 tbsp water
→ Toppings
22 - 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
23 - 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
24 - Lime wedges for serving
# How To Cook:
01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, minced garlic, and grated ginger until well combined. Add the chicken strips and toss to coat evenly. Let marinate for at least 10 minutes at room temperature.
02 - Heat a non-stick skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from the marinade and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, grated ginger, sriracha if using, and water until smooth and emulsified. Set aside.
04 - Divide the cooked rice evenly among 4 serving bowls. Arrange the shredded red cabbage, shredded carrots, edamame, sliced cucumber, and avocado in neat sections over the rice in each bowl.
05 - Slice the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces if desired and place on top of each assembled bowl. Drizzle generously with the sesame-ginger dressing.
06 - Sprinkle each bowl with toasted sesame seeds, chopped cilantro, and sliced scallions. Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice and serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sesame ginger dressing doubles as the marinade, which means one less bowl to wash and a flavor payoff that feels almost unfair for how little effort it takes.
- Everything cooks in under twenty minutes, but the colors on the plate make it look like you spent your entire afternoon carefully composing lunch.
02 -
- Do not skip the resting step after cooking the chicken because cutting into it immediately releases all the juices and leaves the meat dry.
- The dressing thickens as it sits in the fridge, so always whisk it again with a splash of water before using leftovers.
03 -
- Cook the chicken in two batches if your pan is not wide enough, because overcrowding steams the meat instead of searing it and you lose that caramelized crust.
- A microplane grater makes quick work of fresh ginger and catches the tough fibers so you get smooth ginger paste without any stringy bits in your marinade.