I share a Teriyaki Bowls Recipe that pairs succulent chicken coated in a savory-sweet glaze with fresh broccoli and colorful bell peppers over rice or quinoa, and it takes just 10 minutes of prep for an easy weeknight meal.
I love dinners that feel like a treat but take no brain power. My Delicious Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl does exactly that.
Juicy boneless skinless chicken thighs meet tender cooked white rice or quinoa for a combo thats both comforting and bright. Its the sort of dish that keeps popping up in my Teriyaki Bowls Recipe roundups and its perfect for anyone browsing Rice Meal Ideas For Dinner late at night.
Honest, I dont always eat clean, but this hits the spot when I want big flavor without fuss, and it makes leftovers I actually look forward to.
Ingredients
- Chicken thighs: packed with protein, juicy and forgiving, bring richer flavor than breast.
- Rice or quinoa: carbs for energy, quinoa adds fiber and extra plant protein.
- Broccoli: high in fiber vitamins C and K, crunchy, keeps it healthy.
- Red bell pepper: sweet, vitamin C rich, adds color and crisp bite.
- Soy sauce: salty umami base, gives savory depth and that teriyaki note.
- Brown sugar: sweetens and caramelizes, balances salty soy, gives glossy glaze.
- Garlic and ginger: aromatic punch, sharp and warm, wakes up the dish.
- Sesame oil seeds green onions: nutty finish, fresh crunch, great garnish.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
- 3 cups cooked white rice or quinoa
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water (for slurry)
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- Salt and black pepper to taste
How to Make this
1. Pat the chicken pieces dry, season with salt and black pepper, and set aside. Prep the broccoli, slice the red pepper, mince garlic and ginger and have the cooked rice or quinoa ready.
2. Whisk together soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, rice vinegar, minced garlic and minced ginger in a bowl until the sugar mostly dissolves. This is your teriyaki sauce.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken in a single layer so it can brown, don’t overcrowd the pan or it will steam. Cook until golden and cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes, flipping once. Transfer chicken to a plate.
4. In the same skillet add the broccoli and sliced red pepper. Stir fry 3 to 4 minutes until bright and just tender, season with a little salt and pepper.
5. Return the chicken to the skillet, pour the teriyaki sauce over everything, bring to a gentle simmer so flavors start to meld, about 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Mix the cornstarch with the 2 tablespoons water to make a slurry, then slowly stir it into the simmering sauce. Cook 1 to 2 minutes more, stirring, until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken and veggies. If it gets too thick add a splash of water.
7. Remove from heat, stir in the toasted sesame oil for extra aroma, taste and adjust salt or pepper if needed. Let it sit a minute so the sauce settles.
8. Divide 3 cups cooked rice or quinoa between bowls, spoon the teriyaki chicken, broccoli and peppers over the top, then sprinkle with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. For meal prep cool completely before refrigerating in containers, it keeps well for 3 to 4 days and reheats great in the microwave.
Equipment Needed
1. Large skillet or frying pan (12 inch works best)
2. Cutting board and a sharp chef knife
3. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
4. Small mixing bowl and a whisk or fork for the teriyaki sauce
5. Small bowl or cup for the cornstarch slurry and a spoon to mix it
6. Tongs or spatula for flipping the chicken
7. Plate or tray to rest the cooked chicken
8. Rice cooker or medium pot for the rice or quinoa
FAQ
Delicious Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl For Busy Nights Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Soy sauce: swap with tamari (gluten free) or coconut aminos for a lower sodium, slightly sweeter option. Use about the same amount and add a pinch of salt if you need more savory flavor.
- Mirin: replace with 1 tablespoon sake or dry sherry plus 1 teaspoon sugar, or use 1 tablespoon rice vinegar plus 1 teaspoon sugar if that’s what you got. Taste and tweak.
- Brown sugar: honey or maple syrup work fine — use a little less liquid sweetener than sugar and stir while simmering so it dissolves evenly.
- Boneless chicken thighs: use boneless chicken breasts, firm tofu (press and pan crisp), or shrimp. Adjust cooking time so breasts don’t dry out and shrimp/tofu cook through but stay tender.
Pro Tips
– Pat the chicken very dry and make sure the pan and oil are properly hot before you add it. Don’t overcrowd the pan it will steam not brown, so do it in batches if you need to — cook in batches for way better color and flavor.
– Make the cornstarch slurry with cold water and whisk until totally smooth so there are no lumps. Add the slurry slowly to a gentle simmer while stirring, a little at a time, so you can control the thickness; if it gets too thick just splash in warm water to loosen it.
– For brighter, crisper broccoli, blanch it 20 to 30 seconds in boiling water then shock in ice water, then finish quickly in the skillet to get a bit of char. Flash-cook the peppers on high heat too so they stay sweet and not mushy.
– For meal prep cool everything completely before sealing containers, store the rice/quinoa separate if you can so it doesn’t get soggy. Reheat in a skillet with a splash of water or in the microwave covered, and always add the toasted sesame oil and green onions right before serving for the best aroma and fresh taste.
Delicious Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl For Busy Nights Recipe
I share a Teriyaki Bowls Recipe that pairs succulent chicken coated in a savory-sweet glaze with fresh broccoli and colorful bell peppers over rice or quinoa, and it takes just 10 minutes of prep for an easy weeknight meal.
4
servings
548
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large skillet or frying pan (12 inch works best)
2. Cutting board and a sharp chef knife
3. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
4. Small mixing bowl and a whisk or fork for the teriyaki sauce
5. Small bowl or cup for the cornstarch slurry and a spoon to mix it
6. Tongs or spatula for flipping the chicken
7. Plate or tray to rest the cooked chicken
8. Rice cooker or medium pot for the rice or quinoa
Ingredients
-
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
-
3 cups cooked white rice or quinoa
-
2 cups broccoli florets
-
1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
-
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
-
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
-
2 tablespoons mirin
-
2 tablespoons brown sugar packed
-
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
-
2 cloves garlic, minced
-
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
-
1 tablespoon cornstarch
-
2 tablespoons water (for slurry)
-
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
-
2 green onions, sliced
-
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
-
Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions
- Pat the chicken pieces dry, season with salt and black pepper, and set aside. Prep the broccoli, slice the red pepper, mince garlic and ginger and have the cooked rice or quinoa ready.
- Whisk together soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, rice vinegar, minced garlic and minced ginger in a bowl until the sugar mostly dissolves. This is your teriyaki sauce.
- Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken in a single layer so it can brown, don’t overcrowd the pan or it will steam. Cook until golden and cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes, flipping once. Transfer chicken to a plate.
- In the same skillet add the broccoli and sliced red pepper. Stir fry 3 to 4 minutes until bright and just tender, season with a little salt and pepper.
- Return the chicken to the skillet, pour the teriyaki sauce over everything, bring to a gentle simmer so flavors start to meld, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Mix the cornstarch with the 2 tablespoons water to make a slurry, then slowly stir it into the simmering sauce. Cook 1 to 2 minutes more, stirring, until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken and veggies. If it gets too thick add a splash of water.
- Remove from heat, stir in the toasted sesame oil for extra aroma, taste and adjust salt or pepper if needed. Let it sit a minute so the sauce settles.
- Divide 3 cups cooked rice or quinoa between bowls, spoon the teriyaki chicken, broccoli and peppers over the top, then sprinkle with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. For meal prep cool completely before refrigerating in containers, it keeps well for 3 to 4 days and reheats great in the microwave.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 405g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 548kcal
- Fat: 20.8g
- Saturated Fat: 3.8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Polyunsaturated: 4.5g
- Monounsaturated: 10g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
- Sodium: 550mg
- Potassium: 490mg
- Carbohydrates: 46g
- Fiber: 3g
- Sugar: 9g
- Protein: 32.5g
- Vitamin A: 875IU
- Vitamin C: 79mg
- Calcium: 50mg
- Iron: 1.6mg