Sesame Ginger Chicken Bowl (Printable)

Tender chicken and crisp vegetables served over fragrant jasmine rice with sesame-ginger sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 1.1 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Marinade & Sauce

02 - 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
03 - 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
04 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
05 - 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
06 - 2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
07 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
08 - 1 tbsp sriracha or chili garlic sauce (optional)

→ Rice

09 - 1 1/4 cups jasmine or short-grain white rice, rinsed
10 - 2 cups water

→ Vegetables

11 - 1 medium carrot, julienned
12 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
13 - 3.5 oz sugar snap peas or snow peas, halved
14 - 2 spring onions, sliced

→ Garnishes

15 - 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
16 - Fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves
17 - Lime wedges

# Cooking Steps:

01 - In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, grated ginger, minced garlic, and sriracha if using. Reserve half of the mixture for drizzling and pour the other half over the chicken. Marinate for 15 minutes.
02 - Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. In a saucepan, combine rinsed rice and water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until tender. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
03 - Heat a large non-stick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken pieces, discarding the marinade. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes until the chicken is golden and cooked through. Remove from heat and keep warm.
04 - In the same skillet, quickly stir-fry the carrot, red bell pepper, and sugar snap peas for 2 to 3 minutes until crisp-tender.
05 - Divide cooked rice evenly among four bowls. Top each bowl with chicken and stir-fried vegetables. Drizzle with the reserved sauce.
06 - Sprinkle spring onions and toasted sesame seeds over each bowl. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and lime wedges. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than waiting for delivery and tastes like you ordered from somewhere good.
  • The ginger and sesame make plain chicken taste like it has a secret.
  • You can toss in whatever vegetables are starting to wilt and theyll shine.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully, which means lunch is handled tomorrow.
02 -
  • Do not skip rinsing the rice; I learned this the hard way and ended up with sticky, gluey clumps.
  • Reserve half the marinade before it touches raw chicken, or you will have nothing to drizzle at the end.
  • High heat is your friend for the chicken and vegetables; it gives you color and flavor instead of steamed blandness.
03 -
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan until they smell nutty and start to pop; it only takes 2 minutes and changes everything.
  • Use the small holes on a box grater for the ginger so it melts into the sauce instead of sitting in stringy bits.
  • If your rice is done early, leave it covered off the heat; it will stay warm and fluffy while you finish the rest.
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