Sesame Ginger Asian Chicken Bowl (Print View)

Tender chicken and crisp vegetables tossed in sesame-ginger sauce served over jasmine rice.

# Components:

→ Proteins

01 - 1.1 lb 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 grated ginger
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

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Combine soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, grated ginger, minced garlic, and sriracha in a bowl. Reserve half for drizzling and pour the other half over the chicken to marinate for 15 minutes.
02 - Rinse rice under cold water until clear. In a saucepan, bring rice and water to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 12–15 minutes until tender. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
03 - Heat a non-stick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add marinated chicken (discard marinade) and stir-fry for 5–7 minutes until golden and cooked through. Remove and keep warm.
04 - In the same pan, stir-fry carrot, bell pepper, and sugar snap peas for 2–3 minutes until crisp-tender.
05 - Divide rice into four bowls. Top with chicken and vegetables. Drizzle with reserved sauce.
06 - Finish with sliced spring onions, toasted sesame seeds, fresh coriander, and lime wedges. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in under half an hour, but tastes like you spent the whole afternoon in the kitchen.
  • The sesame-ginger sauce does all the heavy lifting, turning plain chicken and rice into something you actually crave.
  • You can swap the chicken for tofu or pile on extra veggies without rewriting the whole recipe.
02 -
  • Do not skip rinsing the rice, the starch makes it sticky and clumpy instead of light and fluffy.
  • Marinate the chicken for at least fifteen minutes, any less and the flavor stays on the surface instead of soaking in.
  • Keep the vegetables moving in the pan, they can char in seconds if you walk away.
03 -
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan until they smell nutty and start to pop, it takes thirty seconds and the difference is huge.
  • If your chicken releases a lot of liquid in the pan, crank the heat and let it evaporate before adding the vegetables, otherwise everything steams instead of searing.
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