These tasty weeknight chicken poke bowls have a chewy-sticky sushi rice base, teriyaki-glazed chicken breast, sweet pineapple bites, and fresh toppings. The chicken is loaded with flavor and we love to add a sriracha mayo sauce to the top for a creamy element. Even the pickiest eaters in my family love these because there is no raw fish and they can build the bowl to their liking!
“Eww, Fish.” Said no one!!
Blake and I started eating sushi and poke bowls with raw fish when we were first married, nearly thirty years ago. When our daughters were younger, they didn’t like raw fish — but Hatti and Tessa still liked the idea of customizing their own rice bowl meals. They often joined Blake and me at our favorite local poke bowl restaurant because this place offers teriyaki chicken as an option. Such a genius way to include EVERYONE!
I created this recipe during those years when our daughters were ordering their poke bowls with teriyaki chicken and fresh pineapple. These two ingredients were always in their bowls and pair beautifully together! In fact, we make these grilled pork and pineapple tacos on the regular too!
Once I realized how easy it is to make teriyaki sauce, I’ve never looked back. My homemade teriyaki sauce tastes sooooo much better than store-bought; I adore the fresh garlic and ginger! Plus, it’s gorgeously thickened and glossy, and clings perfectly to the tender, juicy bites of chicken.
Beyond those two key toppings, I want to give a shout-out to my own personal favorite poke bowl topping: pickled red onions. I adore their tangy flavor and crunch, plus they’re so vibrant and pretty in the bowls. I recommend making these first-thing, 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.
And I highly recommend using short-grain Japanese sushi rice. It’s smaller and starchier, and offers that classic chewy, sticky (so fun and irresistible!) sushi rice texture. PS — don’t skip the rice vinegar and teaspoon of sugar when making the rice, because it adds a hint of super lovely flavor!
When serving, I like to create a little toppings bar so everyone can add whatever they like to their bowl. This meal is creative and fun and makes my people so happy!
“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
Feel Free to Go Wild!
Besides the toppings I already mentioned, here are a few more suggestions for you. All of these are optional and you can add as little or as much as you like.
For a protein boost, my family likes to add edamame. I buy the shelled steam-in-bag edamame for this recipe. Just steam it according to the package instructions, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and you’re good to go.
Extra veggies are always welcome. I use Persian cucumbers or English cucumbers because they have tender, sweet skins that don’t require peeling. Carrots offer earthy, sweet flavor and some crunch — I like to peel carrots into thin ribbons, but chopping or slicing also work well. Green onions add super fresh onion flavor that’s different from the pickled red onions; just thinly slice both the white and green parts. Sliced radishes hit a peppery note. Bell peppers, cut into thin slices, add crisp, juicy texture and sweetness. And sliced or chopped avocados offer rich creaminess.
If you’re not a fan of pickled red onions, try pickled ginger, which is a very traditional topping for sushi and poke bowls.
And for some classic ways to finish off your bowl and add a little crispity texture, add a sprinkle of sesame seeds, fried onions, or furikake.
Here’s how i prep this meal:
Teriyaki Chicken Poke Bowls
Ingredients
Sushi Rice
- 2 cups short-grain sushi rice
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt
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)
Creamy Spicy Mayo
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons water
Additional Toppings (all optional and to taste)
- 1 cup diced fresh pineapple
- ½ cup pickled red onions (See Notes below)
- 1 cup shelled edamame, steamed
- 1 Persian cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1 large carrot, peeled into ribbons or thinly sliced
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
Instructions
Sushi Rice
- Rinse the rice in a fine mesh sieve until the water runs clear, to remove excess starch.
- If you have a rice cooker, I highly recommend using it here. Add the rice 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.
Teriyaki Chicken
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a small saucepan over medium/medium-high heat, whisk together soy sauce, water, light brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and cornstarch. Cook 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.
Creamy Spicy Mayo
- 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.
Assemble
- Divide rice between 2 large bowls or 3-4 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
- Store each element of these bowls separately, in an airtight container in the fridge. Everything will keep well for up to 4 days. And the pickled red onions will keep well for a month or so – just store them in a jar in the fridge, with their pickling juice.
- You can also easily turn any leftovers into meal prep. I like to reheat the chicken in the microwave but everything else can be enjoyed cold. If you need to head to work, you can assemble the bowls at home, keep the chicken separate, reheat at work, and enjoy.
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!
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:).
I’m so happy you liked this, Deb. Thank you for coming back to let me know! :)
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!
This was yummy! Crowd pleaser! Our new favorite.
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!!
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.
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
5 Stars