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Teriyaki Chicken Poke Bowls

These Teriyaki Chicken Poke Bowls feature sushi rice, teriyaki chicken, pineapple, and your choice of fresh toppings for an easy lunch or dinner that’s loaded with fresh flavor. The ability to customize the toppings makes these a hit with the whole family!

Overhead view of teriyaki chicken poke bowl topped with fresh veggies

Easy Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowls

Poke bowls and rice bowls are one of my favorite ways to pull together a meal that’s packed with flavor. Our whole family loves them, although not everyone likes poke bowls with the traditional raw fish. So these Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowls feature delicious glazed bites of chicken, just like the menu from our favorite local poke bowl restaurant. These bowls make EVERYONE happy!

This teriyaki chicken rice bowl recipe features sushi rice and teriyaki chicken, topped with any variety of fresh ingredients like pineapple, edamame, cucumber, and carrot. And of course, we always have some quick pickled red onions on hand – they add tangy flavor and crunch, plus another layer of beautiful color.

Since many of the ingredients can be made in advance, these chicken poke bowls are great for meal prep, but also make a super easy and filling dinner as well!

“Absolutely delicious and so easy to make. The teriyaki sauce was best I ever had. I am going to pre-make a bunch. So good!!!”

Deb
Chopsticks selecting a piece of chicken from a teriyaki chicken poke bowl

What Are Poke Bowls?

A traditional poke bowl, like my Hawaiian Poke Bowl recipe, is basically deconstructed sushi with rice, raw fish, and toppings that you’d normally find rolled up in a sushi roll.

However, poke bowls these days are no longer limited to raw fish and often just referred to as a rice bowl with protein, veggies, and some sort of dressing topping. Many restaurants that specialize in poke bowls know that not everybody likes fish, so they offer options like chicken. Which I love, because otherwise some of my favorite people wouldn’t go with me to poke restaurants!

Poke bowls are super fun to make because you can pick and choose the toppings.

This Sweet Potato Bowl was my first non-traditional poke bowl recipe, made to showcase our daughters’ love for sweet potatoes. And today I’m sharing a new favorite – a poke bowl recipe loaded with tender, delicious teriyaki chicken!

Overhead view of sushi rice ingredients

What You’ll Need

Below are the ingredients for each element of these chicken poke bowls. Several of the ingredients, like rice vinegar, are repeated on almost all of the lists. And besides the fresh ingredients, most of the others are simple pantry staples.

For the Sushi Rice

  • Sushi rice – This recipe is best made with short grain Japanese sushi rice but it can also be made with classic white rice. Sushi rice is smaller and starchier than regular white rice so it gives that classic sticky sushi rice texture.
  • Water – Cook the rice in water.
  • Rice vinegar – Rice vinegar (also called “rice wine vinegar”) adds a hint of acidity to the rice and is how sushi rice is traditionally flavored. If you use seasoned rice vinegar, consider skipping added sugar and salt.
  • Sugar – Sugar adds a bit of sweetness to the rice. It enhances the sweetness in the rice vinegar and pairs deliciously with teriyaki.
  • Salt – Salt helps balance out the sugar and vinegar in the rice.
Overhead view of teriyaki chicken ingredients

For the Teriyaki Chicken

  • Soy sauce – Soy sauce is the base of our homemade teriyaki sauce. It adds saltiness and umami flavor.
  • Water – Water dilutes the soy sauce so we don’t end up with an overpowering glaze.
  • Brown sugar – Light brown sugar adds sweetness to the teriyaki sauce. Honey would also be delicious.
  • Rice vinegar – Rice vinegar adds acidity to the teriyaki sauce. It helps balance out the sweetness of the brown sugar and the saltiness of the soy sauce.
  • Garlic & ginger – Garlic and ginger are staples of teriyaki sauce. I like to grate them both with a microplane zester so they incorporate smoothly into the sauce.
  • Sesame oil – Sesame oil adds a nutty, earthy flavor.
  • Cornstarch – Cornstarch thickens the teriyaki sauce into a glaze so it coats the chicken better. It makes the bites of chicken so pretty!
  • Olive oil – Olive oil helps the chicken brown and crisp in the oven – plus it helps prevent it from drying out.
  • Chicken breasts – Boneless skinless chicken breasts work great in this recipe but boneless skinless chicken thighs would also be extra flavorful if you’re a fan of dark meat chicken. Just be sure to cut the chicken into uniform 1” pieces so they cook evenly
Overhead view of spicy mayonnaise vinaigrette ingredients

Creamy Spicy Mayo Vinaigrette

This is an easy li’l sauce to whip up – I LOVE the creaminess mixed with the fresh acidity of lime juice!

  • Rice vinegar – Rice vinegar adds acidity to the vinaigrette and helps tie together all of the flavors in the bowl.
  • Fresh lime juice – Lime juice also adds acidity but gives a fresher, brighter flavor.
  • Sriracha – Sriracha brings the heat to the bowl! Feel free to adjust the amount of sriracha to taste depending on how spicy you like your poke.
  • Mayonnaise – Mayonnaise makes the vinaigrette creamy, with the texture and flavor of spicy mayo that’s typically served with sushi.
  • Toasted sesame oil -Sesame oil adds nuttiness and brings through the sesame flavor from the teriyaki.
  • Water – Water helps thin the dressing so it isn’t too thick. Add as little or as much as you like to achieve your desired consistency.
Overhead view of a teriyaki chicken poke bowl topped with fresh veggies
pickled red onions in a white bowl

Additional Add-Ins & Toppings

All of these toppings are optional and you can add as little or as much as you like.

  • Pineapple – Pineapple adds sweetness and fun texture to the bowls. Not to mention, it’s a delicious pairing with teriyaki. When our girls order chicken poke bowls at restaurants, they ALWAYS add pineapple to their bowls!
  • Edamame – Edamame adds additional protein. I like to buy the shelled steam-in-bag edamame for this recipe. Just steam it according to the package instructions and top it with a pinch of kosher salt and you’re good to go.
  • Persian cucumber – I’m using a Persian cucumber because they’re perfectly sized and their tender skins don’t require peeling. Just slice and enjoy.
  • Carrot – I like to peel carrots into ribbons – it just adds fun shape and texture. But chopping them would work as well. Or just buy a bag of pre-shredded carrots!
  • Pickled red onions – This is truly one of my favorite condiments EVER. It’s so easy to make, always in our fridge – it goes great with so many meals! If you’re serving pickled onions with these bowls, I recommend making these first, or even the day prior, so they have some time to pickle while you’re making the rest of the bowl. Also – know that the thinner you slice the onion, the faster it will pickle. Here’s how to make pickled red onions!
  • Green onion – Green onion adds fresh onion flavor. I like to use both the white and the green parts.
  • Sesame seeds – Sesame seeds add a small crunch and traditional flavor. White, black, or toasted sesame seeds would all work.

Some other fun toppings would be avocado, celery, pickled ginger, fried onions, and nori sheets. I oftentimes add a handful of tender greens to the bottom of my bowl for even more freshness!

Angled overhead view of a teriyaki chicken rice bowl

Do I Have To Use a Homemade Teriyaki Sauce?

Although making homemade teriyaki sauce is completely optional, it’s so delicious! Feel free to use ¾ cup of your favorite teriyaki sauce in place of the homemade sauce.

Just keep in mind that you will still need to add the cornstarch and cook it to make a glaze, unless your store-bought sauce already incorporates a thickening agent.

How to Make Teriyaki Chicken Poke Bowls

There are a few steps to making these chicken poke bowls, but keep in mind that many things can be prepped at the same time. You can easily pull this super tasty poke bowl recipe together in under an hour. Get the rice cooking, then start the chicken and pickled onions.

Make the Sushi Rice

  • Rinse the rice (optional). Rinse the rice in a fine mesh sieve until the water runs clear. This step removes any starch from the rice, which gives you grains that are more separated when cooked. If you really don’t care about that, skip the rinsing!
  • Cook the rice. If you have a rice cooker, it’s really the easiest way to make a pot of rice – we have this one and use it all the time. Otherwise, bring the rice and water to a gentle boil on the stovetop and cover with a tight fitting lid. Cook according to package directions, until plump and tender.
  • Add the rice vinegar. Whisk together the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt – and then fold into the cooked rice to evenly coat.

Bake the Teriyaki Chicken

  • Make the glaze. Whisk together the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and cornstarch. Cook until the mixture has thickened into a glaze that just covers the back of a spoon. Add half to a medium bowl and stir in the olive oil.
  • Bake the chicken. Add the cubed chicken to the bowl with the teriyaki glaze; fold to coat evenly. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until just cooked through. Brush with the reserved teriyaki glaze, and broil for 2 to 3 minutes, until the glaze is browned and caramelized.
spicy mayo in a white bowl

Make the Creamy Spicy Mayo Vinaigrette

  • Combine the ingredients. Whisk together the rice wine vinegar, lime juice, and sriracha. Add the mayonnaise and sesame oil, then whisk in the water until smooth.

Assemble the Poke Bowls

  • Assemble the bowls. Divide the rice between two large bowls or four smaller bowls. Top with the teriyaki chicken and any additional toppings you like. Drizzle with the spicy mayo vinaigrette and garnish with sesame seeds and green onion as desired.
Spicy mayo vinaigrette being poured over a teriyaki chicken poke bowl

Serving Suggestions

These teriyaki poke bowls make a great lunch or dinner. If making these for dinner, I usually get two large bowls out of these ingredients, while for lunch I make the servings smaller and get 3 or 4 bowls.

Plus loading these up with additional toppings can make the servings stretch even further! I usually just create a little “toppings bar” so that everyone can add whatever they want to the bowl.

I shared my favorite toppings, but feel free to go wild and customize these as you want. The beauty of poke bowls is that they can be switched up every time, to whatever you’re craving that day!

Overhead view of a teriyaki chicken rice bowl, with chopsticks resting on the bowl

How to Store & Reheat Leftovers

Each element of these chicken poke bowls should be stored separately, in an airtight container in the fridge. Ingredients will keep well for 3 to 4 days. And the pickled red onions will be good for a month or so, just store them in a jar with their pickling juice.

Leftovers can also be easily turned into meal prep. I like to reheat the chicken in the microwave but everything else can be enjoyed cold. If you have to head to work, you can assemble the bowls at home, keep the chicken separate, reheat at work, and enjoy.

More Tasty Lunch Ideas:

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overhead view of a teriyaki chicken poke bowl with rice, edadame and veggies

Teriyaki Chicken Poke Bowls

Yield: 2 dinner servings/4 lunch servings
prep time: 25 minutes
cook time: 35 minutes
total time: 1 hour
These Teriyaki Chicken Poke Bowls feature sushi rice, teriyaki chicken, pineapple, and your choice of fresh toppings for an easy lunch or dinner that's loaded with fresh flavor. The ability to customize the toppings makes these a hit with the whole family!
4.4 Stars (59 Reviews)
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Ingredients

For the Sushi Rice

  • 2 cups short grain sushi rice
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Teriyaki Chicken

  • ½ cup soy sauce
  • ¼ cup water
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon grated garlic
  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1” pieces (add a little more if you like, for 4 dinner-size portions – no need to adjust the teriyaki glaze ingredients)

For the Creamy Spicy Mayo Vinaigrette

  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon sriracha
  • cup mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons water

Additional Toppings (all optional and to taste)

  • pickled red onions *See note below.
  • 1 cup shelled edamame steamed
  • 1 cup diced fresh pineapple
  • 1 Persian cucumber thinly sliced
  • 1 carrot peeled into ribbons or thinly sliced
  • Green onion sliced + sesame seeds, for garnish

Instructions

For the Sushi Rice:

  • For rice that has more separated grains once cooked, rinse it first in a fine mesh sieve until the water runs clear. This step removes any starch from the rice. If you really don’t care about the more separated grains, skip the rinsing!
  • If you have a rice cooker, I highly recommend using it here – we have this one (affiliate link) and use it all the time Add the rice (rinsed or not) and water to the rice cooker and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Or cook the rice on the stovetop according to package directions, until the rice is plump and just tender. While the rice cooks, prepare the teriyaki chicken.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the rice wine vinegar, sugar, and salt. Sprinkle evenly over the cooked rice and fold briefly to incorporate.

For the Teriyaki Chicken:

  • Preheat oven to 400° F.
  • In a small saucepan set over medium to medium-high heat, whisk together the soy sauce, water, light brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and cornstarch. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the mixture has thickened into a glaze. It should just cover the back of a spoon – if it becomes too thick, just add a little water, a tablespoon at a time.
  • Add half of the teriyaki sauce to a medium bowl, then whisk in the olive oil. Add the cubed chicken and fold until evenly coated.
  • Place chicken on a rimmed sheet pan (line it with foil for easy clean-up) and bake for 10-15 minutes, until chicken is just cooked through. Then brush the chicken with the reserved teriyaki sauce and place the pan under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, or until the teriyaki sauce is browned and caramelized. Be sure to watch it so it doesn't burn.

For the Creamy Spicy Mayo Vinaigrette:

  • In a small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, lime juice, and sriracha. Add mayonnaise and sesame oil, and whisk to combine. Add water, if desired, and whisk until smooth. refrigerate until ready to use.

To Assemble:

  • Divide the rice between two large bowls or three to four smaller bowls. Top with teriyaki chicken, pickled red onions, and your additional toppings of choice. Drizzle with the spicy mayo vinaigrette and garnish with green onion and sesame seeds. Enjoy immediately.

Video

Notes

Note about the Pickled Red Onions – This recipe is a favorite around here – it goes great with so many meals! If you're serving pickled onions with these bowls, I recommend making these first, or even the day prior, so they have some time to pickle while you're making the rest of the bowl. Also – know that the thinner you slice the onion, the faster it will pickle!

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1 Calories: 634kcal Carbohydrates: 48g Protein: 44g Fat: 29g Saturated Fat: 5g Polyunsaturated Fat: 23g Cholesterol: 104mg Sodium: 2532mg Fiber: 4g Sugar: 15g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a comment below. And share a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #afarmgirlsdabbles or tag @farmgirlsdabble!
overhead view of a teriyaki chicken poke bowl with rice, edadame and veggies

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9 comments on “Teriyaki Chicken Poke Bowls”

  1. 5 stars
    This poke bowl sauce is the best I ever had.  With fresh pineapple- heavenly!  I fried up zucchini, mushrooms and peppers for the top too.  So good!

  2. Absolutely delicious and so easy to make.  The teriyaki sauce was best I ever had.  I am going to pre-make a bunch.  So good!!!  I fried zucchini, peppers and mushrooms for the top too:).

  3. 5 stars
    Made this for my family today for dinner and it was incredible. I would highly recommend this recipe. I followed the exact measurements and it produced more than enough food to feed four people. I would highly recommend the DIY picked onions, definitely worth the extra 5 minutes. In addition to the recommended toppings I added sliced avocado which paired super well. I will definitely be making this again! 

  4. I never leave comments but in this case I have to tell you this was the best thing I’ve ever made! We LOVED it!!

  5. 5 stars
    I don’t post reviews very often but I had to write about this awesome recipe. It was very easy to make and turned out fantastic. The steps are well explained and very easy to follow. I will make this again. Thank you for a great recipe. 

  6. This is such a brilliant idea and recipe. I’ll be making this asap and I can tell you my kids will be soo happy Â