Asian Chicken Bowls combine perfectly charred chicken, fresh quick-pickled veggies, and an amazing creamy sauce for a restaurant-worthy bowl at home.
Author’s Notes
Better-Than-Takeout Asian Chicken Bowls!
Zao’s Asian Cafe is one of my family’s favorite quick dinner spots—it’s like Chipotle, but Asian-inspired with bowls, tacos, soups, and salads. It’s one place everyone agrees on!
My husband is obsessed with their tacos (these Asian Chicken Tacos are similar!) and I always go for the bowls. The kids prefer noodles, but for me, it’s all about the brown rice topped with perfectly tender chicken, quick pickled veggies, roasted corn, crunchy fried onions, peanuts, and their amazing sauce. It took some trial and error to get this recipe just right, but honestly? I think it’s even better than Zao’s!
Ingredients You Need To Make Asian Chicken Bowls
The full recipe is below, but first, a few quick notes on some of the ingredients:
- Chicken thighs: Juicy and tender, perfect for the quick oven-broiling method.
- Chili powder & mustard powder: Adds flavor; use less chili powder to reduce heat.
- Sugar: Helps the chicken get a nice brown crust.
- Carrots & radishes: Quick-pickled for tangy flavor and crunch.
- Mayo & Sriracha: Creamy sauce with a kick; use less Sriracha if sensitive to spice.
Asian Chicken Bowl Toppings
- Fire-roasted corn: Adds the perfect sweet and smoky flavor; frozen corn works great.
- Peanuts & fried onions: Add both on top right before serving for the best crunch.
- Brown rice: Chewy and hearty; or swap with greens, white rice, or noodles.
- Cilantro & lime wedges: For freshness and flavor.
How To Make Asian Chicken Bowls (Tips)
- Slice after resting: Keeps the chicken juicy and tender.
- Space it out: Give the chicken room on the pan so it roasts, not steams.
- Line the pan: Foil makes cleanup super easy.
- Make the sauce early: This gives the flavors time to blend and deepen.
- Add avocado: For a great creamy texture and nice balance to the heat.
- Use dry-roasted peanuts: They add great flavor with no extra prep.
Storage
How To Meal Prep & Store
- Store separately: Keep each part of the Asian Chicken Bowls in its own container in the fridge for 4–5 days.
- Sauce on the side: Store in a jar or squeeze bottle and add just before eating.
- Top last: Add peanuts, fried onions, and sauce right before eating.
More Chicken Bowl Recipes:
Chicken
BBQ Chicken Bowl
Dinner
Greek Chicken Bowls
Dinner
Hot Honey Chicken Bowl
Dinner
Chicken Fajita Bowl
Asian Chicken Bowl
Asian Chicken Bowls are your ticket to flavor-packed bowls featuring perfectly charred chicken, quick pickled veggies, and an amazing creamy sauce.
Equipment
- Large sheet pan (15" x 21") plus foil
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 pounds chicken thighs or breasts, see note 1
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 1-1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
- Salt and pepper
Sauce
- 2 limes
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Quick Pickled Veggies
- 2 cups shredded carrots
- 2 cups shredded radish
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
Bowl Components
- Rice for serving (I use brown rice)
- Fire-roasted corn see note 2
- Peanuts coarsely chopped
- French fried onions crumbled
- Limes plus cilantro, optional
Instructions
- Pickle Veggies: In a large bowl, mix carrots, radishes, rice vinegar, sugar, and 1-1/2 tsp salt. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour (or until ready to eat), stirring gently every 15–20 minutes.
- Chicken: Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil. Trim chicken thighs and pat dry. In a large bowl, combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, all the spices, plus salt and pepper (I add 1 tsp salt & 3/4 tsp pepper). Toss chicken in mixture until evenly coated. Place chicken thighs flat on baking sheet, spacing them out. Bake 15 minutes.
- Bake Chicken: After 15 minutes, move oven rack about 8 inches from heat source and switch oven to broil (no need to wait for it to fully heat up). Immediately return chicken to oven and broil 7–9 minutes until caramelized and slightly blackened (internal temperature should reach 160°F; carryover heat will reach 165°F). Rest chicken uncovered for 5 minutes, then thinly slice or dice.
- Sauce: Zest one lime to get 1/2 tsp zest and juice both limes to get 4 tbsp juice. In a bowl, whisk mayo, lime zest, lime juice, Sriracha, and sugar. Add salt and pepper to taste, adjusting lime or Sriracha to preference.
- Assembly: Divide cooked rice among bowls, top with chicken, pickled veggies, corn, peanuts, and fried onions. Drizzle with sauce. Garnish with lime wedges and cilantro if desired, and enjoy!
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Use about 6–7 evenly sized chicken thighs. Chicken breasts won’t work well with this method, but here’s how to use them: Pound to about 1/2 inch thick using a rolling pin, meat mallet, or your fist so the pieces cook evenly (or cut thick breasts in half widthwise). Toss with oil and spices, then bake at 425°F for 18 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
Note 2: Warm corn through before adding to the bowl. Sauté in a pan over medium-high heat, stirring often, until heated through.
Storage: Store all components of the Asian Chicken Bowls separately in the fridge for 4–5 days. Keep the sauce in a jar or squeeze bottle and add just before eating. Wait to add peanuts and fried onions until serving so they stay crisp.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 509kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 144mg | Sodium: 401mg | Potassium: 874mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 14674IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
