Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl
These Chicken Teriyaki Bowls take just 30 minutes to make and are loaded with oven roasted juicy chicken smothered in a homemade teriyaki sauce, broccoli, cauliflower rice and pickled cucumbers! They are packed with flavor and make great leftovers, so be sure to make extra!
Why You Are Going To Love This Teriyaki Chicken Bowl Recipe
- So much flavour! These bowls are loaded with salty, sweet, umami and acidic flavour
- These teriyaki chicken bowls are an easy dinner that take just 30 minutes to make start to finish! They are perfect for weeknight dinner and something that the whole family will enjoy!
- This easy recipe is great for meal prep, everything can be prepped up to a day in advance so all you need is 5 minutes to assemble the bowls before eating. I
- These chicken teriyaki rice bowls are low carb, Whole30, Paleo, Grain Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free and Specific Carbohydrate Diet Legal.
- Store-bought teriyaki sauce is often loaded with sugar, preservatives and other not so good for you things. In this recipe you make a delicious teriyaki sauce with just a few ingredients in a matter of minutes.
- The roasted broccoli is ridiculously good!
- The pickled cucumber are so tasty and leftovers can be enjoyed as a snack or with other meals
What’s In The Teriyaki Sauce?
The homemade sauce contains just a handful of simple ingredients and is so much more flavorful than store-bought sauce. The simple teriyaki sauce contains
- Coconut aminos: Feel free to swap the coconut aminos for tamari or soy sauce depending on food intolerances/allergies
- Apple cider vinegar: Can be substituted for rice vinegar
- Honey – it can be substituted for other sweeteners such as maple syrup, or 2 medjool dates for anyone doing a Whole30. I recommend soaking the medjool dates in hot water for a few minutes before adding them to the blender.
- Garlic
- Fresh Ginger: use the real stuff, not jarred!
- Fish Sauce: Although not required (because I’ve found some people don’t like fish sauce) it adds a nice saltiness to the sauce.
How To Make Your Own Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
This teriyaki sauce comes together in a matter of minutes.
- While you can whisk everything together in a small bowl, I recommend combining the sauce ingredients into a blender to ensure the garlic, ginger and dates (if using) are completely blended into a smooth puree.
- Pour the sauce into a small saucepan and bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Leave to simmer for 2-3 minutes before removing from the heat and leaving to cool slightly. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon dipped into the sauce.
Is This Chicken Teriyaki Bowl Spicy?
Not at all, there is only a pinch of chili flakes in the broccoli but otherwise the dish is very mild. If you like things with a bit of spice, feel free to add a red chili pepper into the delicious homemade teriyaki sauce and blending it with the other ingredients, or alternatively you can use red pepper flakes.
Can I Use Chicken Breasts Instead Of Thighs?
You definitely can! I prefer using boneless skinless chicken thighs because they are more flavorful than breasts and tend to stay moist even when overcooked. If using chicken breasts, cut them in half to reduce cooking time and ensure they are done at the same time as the broccoli.
How To Make The Pickled Cucumbers
I find that the acidity of the pickled cucumbers is a refreshing contrast to the teriyaki chicken and roasted broccoli. The pickled cucumbers are incredibly easy to make and require just a few ingredients. Cut half a cucumber into thin slices and then place them in a bowl with vinegar (apple cider or rice), coconut aminos and sesame oil plus a spoonful of white or black sesame seeds. The longer you leave the cucumbers to marinate the more tender and “pickled’ they will be. I recommend leaving the pickles in the sauce for a minimum of 15 minutes and up to a day.
What Size Sheet Pan Should I Use?
I recommend using a sheet pan at least 12 x 17 inches in size. The larger the sheet pan the more spread out the chicken and broccoli will be, helping to ensure that they are evenly cooked and nicely brown on the edges.
Can I Add Other Vegetables?
If you would like to add more fresh veggies to these teriyaki chicken rice bowls there are quite a few options. To the sheet pan you can add asparagus, green beans, thin strips of bell peppers, halved brussels sprouts or sliced zucchini.
Can I Use Frozen Cauliflower Rice?
You absolutely can! I always have a bag of cauliflower rice in my freezer for those times I am in a pinch. Frozen cauliflower rice contains more moisture than fresh, so I recommend thawing the cauliflower rice on the countertop or in the microwave before squeezing it with a dish towel or cheese cloth to remove as much of the excess moisture as possible. Remove the liquid will help prevent the cauliflower rice from becoming mushy when cooked.
Can I Use White Rice?
If you aren’t following a grain free or paleo diet than feel free to use brown rice or jasmine rice. I usually use a rice cooker for ease, and spoon lots of extra teriyaki sauce over the cooked rice.
Can I Make This Chicken Teriyaki Bowl In Advance?
This is a great make ahead recipe. The chicken and broccoli as well as the cauliflower rice can all be cooked up to two days in advance. The teriyaki sauce and the pickled cucumbers can also be made a day in advance. This is a great dish to prep for nights when everyone in the family is eating dinner at different times, everyone can assemble their bowls, reheat them in the microwave and top with the pickled cucumber before eating.
What About Leftovers?
Leftovers will last for up to 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. I recommend reheating leftovers in the microwave or alternatively placing the cauliflower rice, leftover chicken and broccoli on a sheet pan and warming it in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. If you are looking for a fun way to switch up the leftovers, roughly chop the chicken and broccoli into smaller pieces and toss them into a pan with the cauliflower rice, carrot and any excess teriyaki sauce. Serve it as a fried rice bowl with the pickled cucumber on top.
Here are a few more Asian inspired chicken recipes that you might enjoy:
If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos (or tamari/soy sauce)
Pickled Cucumbers
- 1/2 cucumber (approx 7 inches)
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos (or tamari/soy sauce)
- 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds
Broccoli
- 1 head broccoli broken into florets
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp grated ginger
- 1/4 tsp chili flakes
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Teriyaki Sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp honey (or 2 medjool dates)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 inch piece ginger
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup coconut aminos (or tamari/soy sauce)
- 1 tsp fish sauce
Other Veggies
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 4 cups cauliflower rice
- 1/2 carrot julienned or cut into matchsticks
- 1 scallion thinly sliced for garnish
- 2 tsp sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit
- Place the chicken thighs in a bowl, top with the baking soda, apple cider vinegar and coconut aminos and stir to ensure they are well coated. Set aside for 5 minutes.
- Cut the cucumber in half and then slice each half into half circle slices. Place all of the slices in a bowl along with the sesame oil, apple cider vinegar, coconut aminos and sesame seeds. Set aside.
- To make the broccoli in a small bowl stir together the olive oil, garlic, ginger, salt, pepper and chili flakes. Place the broccoli on one half of a 12 x 17 inch sheet pan and drizzle the sauce overtop. Toss with your hands to ensure the broccoli is all well coated.
- On the other half of the sheet pan, lay the chicken thighs out evenly. Place the sheet pan in the oven and leave to cook for 20 minutes.
- While the chicken is cooking make the sauce. In a nutribullet or high speed blender combine all of the ingredients for the teriyaki sauce and blend until smooth. Pour the sauce into a small skillet and bring to a gentle simmer for 2 minutes before turning off the heat.
- In a pan on medium heat add the sesame oil and cauliflower rice and cook for 5 minutes until the cauliflower rice is tender.
- After the chicken has been cooking for 20 minutes, remove it from the oven and generously brush the chicken with teriyaki sauce and then return the sheet pan to the oven to cook for 5 additional minutes.
- Once the chicken is cooked through, slice it into strips and then assemble the bowls. Divide the cauliflower rice between two bowls, before topping each bowl with 2 sliced chicken thighs, the roasted broccoli, carrot and pickled cucumbers. Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions before serving.
This dish is absolutely fabulous! Thank you for the amazing meal inspiration! The marinades and sauces were perfectly flavored. The baking soda made the chicken SO tender (I used chicken breasts because that’s what I had). I used the date option instead of honey for the teriyaki sauce. After blending it was pretty thick so I added about 3 Tbsp of water and the consistency was then perfect. We did not make the cauliflower rice (though I would have loved it!). My family opted for just the chicken, broccoli and cucumbers. I sprinkled green onion and cilantro on top to serve. To anyone reading, don’t hesitate to make this meal!! Your belly will be happy! ❤️
Made this tonight and will be a weekly rotation! So easy and so good! Thankyou for your recipes!
Oh my goodness! This was an absolute feast tonight. I’ve never made chicken teriyaki before but this was delicious, I could’ve had 2 bowls…I substituted the chicken thighs for breast, used soya instead and served on brown rice. Will definitely do this again. Your recipes are a treat. Thank you!