This Thai Chicken Bowl is healthy and flavorful! It's made with grilled chicken skewers, veggies, rice, and a gluten free peanut sauce.
After a long winter, it's finally grilling season in Minnesota and I'm kicking it off with these Thai Grilled Chicken Skewers. This dish is bursting with flavor and full of fresh ingredients.

There's nothing better than firing up the grill after a long winter. Especially when it's to make tasty meals like this one.
Of course, I love to grill more traditional things like burgers and brats, but sometimes it's fun to switch it up and opt for dishes that are a bit more ambitious.
This recipe consists of chicken breasts that are cut into pieces and marinated until tender. The chicken is placed onto skewers along with fresh veggies and cooked on the grill until juicy and flavorful.
These Thai chicken skewers are served on top of rice along with a homemade peanut sauce and fresh herbs. It makes for a healthy meal that's a nice change of pace from the more traditional grilled fare.
Jump to:
- What Is A Thai Chicken Bowl?
- Ingredients For Thai Chicken Bowl
- Should I Marinate The Chicken Before Grilling?
- How To Make Chicken Vegetable Skewers
- How Long Does It Take To Grill Chicken Skewers?
- How To Make Peanut Sauce
- Which Rice Is Best?
- What To Serve With Thai Chicken Rice Bowls
- How Long Does This Chicken Bowl Last In The Fridge?
- Can It Be Frozen?
- Thai Chicken Bowl with Peanut Sauce

What Is A Thai Chicken Bowl?
This Thai Chicken Bowl is a dish in which the main components consist of rice (or grain of choice), marinated grilled chicken, fresh vegetables of choice, peanut sauce, and fresh herbs.
All of these components are served in a bowl and can be somewhat customized according to your tastes. The rice may be swapped out for any type of grain. Quinoa, brown rice, and wild rice are all great options.
This recipe was made with bell peppers and mushrooms, but it can be prepared using any veggies you like. Zucchini, summer squash, onions, tomatoes, eggplant, or any vegetables with a similar cooking time may be used.
No matter how you customize this dish, it's sure to pack a lot of flavor!
Ingredients For Thai Chicken Bowl
Here's what you'll need to make it.
- 1 ½ lbs. Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
- 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil (split)
- 6 Tbsp. Lemon Juice (split)
- 8 cloves Garlic (split)
- ¼ tsp. Smoked Paprika
- ¼ tsp. Red Chili Flakes
- ½ tsp. Kosher Salt (split)
- ½ tsp. Pepper (split)
- 1 inch Fresh Ginger (equals 1 Tbsp. grated)
- 1 Tbsp. Sambal Oelek
- ¾ cup Creamy Peanut Butter
- 1 cup Full-Fat Coconut Milk
- 2 Tbsp. Low Sodium Tamari (or low sodium soy sauce if not gluten free)
- 1 Tbsp. Maple Syrup (or sweetener of choice)
- 1 cup Rice
- 2 Bell Peppers (any color)
- 1 8 oz. package Mushrooms
- Spinach or fresh greens of choice
- Fresh Cilantro, Thai Basil, Mint, or herb of choice (for garnish)


Should I Marinate The Chicken Before Grilling?
When it comes to chicken skewers or kabobs, I find that marinating the chicken before grilling helps to make it more tender and flavorful.
It's easy to prepare the marinade and once tossed with the chicken, it can sit in the refrigerator for a few hours before grilling.
This recipe is made with boneless, skinless chicken breasts that are tossed with a combination of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, Sambal Oelek (also known as chili garlic sauce), a few spices, along with salt and pepper.
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs may also be used, but the cooking time might be a bit longer, as chicken thighs take longer to cook.
- Start by mincing four cloves of garlic.
- Place the minced garlic in a large glass bowl, along with 2 Tbsp. olive oil, 3 Tbsp. lemon juice, ¼ tsp. each smoked paprika (or regular paprika) and red chili flakes (feel free to add more for spicier chicken), and ¼ tsp. each kosher salt and pepper. Stir all of these ingredients until completely combined.
- Cut 1 ½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs) into chunks.
- Place the diced chicken into the bowl and toss until completely coated in the marinade.
- Place the bowl of chicken into the refrigerator and allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
I do not recommend marinating the chicken for more than 2 hours, or the acid from the lemon juice may begin to 'cook' the chicken, which makes it tough.

How To Make Chicken Vegetable Skewers
These skewers are made with both chicken and vegetables. The vegetables may be prepared while the chicken is marinating in the fridge.
Once marinated, the chicken is placed onto skewers along with the veggies and both are cooked on the grill until the chicken is cooked through and the veggies slightly charred.
I find that the sweetness of the vegetables pairs nicely with the spicy and umami-packed peanut sauce.
As mentioned, you can customize this recipe by swapping out the bell peppers and mushrooms for your veggies of choice. I recommend using vegetables with a similar cooking time, so that everything is ready at once.
Here are some vegetables that are easily prepared on the grill:
- Zucchini
- Summer Squash
- Bell Peppers
- Mushrooms
- Onions
- Cherry or Grape Tomatoes
- Eggplant (any variety)
For best results, I recommend using metal skewers when making these Thai chicken skewers. Metal skewers are more sturdy than wood skewers, easier to handle, and fit more ingredients.
- Wipe any dirt from 1 8 oz. package of button mushrooms. Cut the mushrooms into halves or quarters, depending on the size of the mushrooms.
- Cut 2 bell peppers (any color) into chunks. Make sure that all vegetables are relatively the same size to ensure that they cook evenly. Also, make sure not to cut the vegetables too small, or they will fall off the skewers.
- Place the chunks of marinated chicken and diced vegetables on the metal skewers, alternating between the chicken and the vegetables. Make sure not to leave too much room between them, nor pack them together too closely.


How Long Does It Take To Grill Chicken Skewers?
The great thing about these Thai chicken skewers is that they don't take long to cook. Once placed on the grill, it only takes about 10 minutes to cook these chicken vegetable skewers.
Feel free to use either a charcoal or gas grill to make these chicken skewers. My husband loves a Weber charcoal grill to make just about everything, but a gas grill works great as well.
The best way to tell if these chicken skewers (or any grill chicken, for that matter) is done is to measure the internal temperature using a food thermometer.
Internal temperature is a far better gauge than time to tell if chicken is properly cooked. It also helps to ensure that the chicken does not overcook, as overcooked chicken tends to be tough.
The safe internal temperature for chicken is 165 degrees Fahrenheit and may be tested using a food thermometer.
- To grill the chicken skewers, heat a grill (charcoal or gas) to anywhere from 400 - 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place the chicken skewers directly over the heat and grill for 4 minutes on the first side.
- After 4 minutes, flip and rotate the skewers and grill for another 4 minutes on the second side.
- Flip the skewers once again and cook for another minute or two, or until the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit (chicken thighs may take a few more minutes to cook than chicken breasts).
- Once cooked, remove the skewers from the grill and allow to rest for a few minutes.

How To Make Peanut Sauce
The element that brings this entire dish over the top and ties it together is the peanut sauce that's drizzled over the top of this Thai Chicken Bowl.
Peanut sauce (or satay sauce) is commonly used as a dipping sauce for grilled meats in Indonesian, Malaysian, and Thai cuisines. There are many varieties of peanut sauce and this one is inspired by the flavors of Thailand.
This peanut sauce recipe is gluten free and made using Tamari, but soy sauce can be used if gluten is not an issue for you. Whether using Tamari or soy sauce, I recommend the low sodium variety to help cut down on the amount of sodium in the dish.
- To make the peanut sauce, start by mincing another 4 cloves of garlic.
- Peel a 1 inch portion of fresh ginger root. Grate the ginger with a Microplane or small zester and place in a small bowl (this yields 1 Tbsp. fresh ginger). Grating the ginger ensures that there are no large chunks of ginger in the peanut sauce and results in a more balanced flavor.
- Place a skillet on the stove top and heat to medium. Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil to the skillet.
- Once heated, add the minced garlic, grated ginger, and 1 Tbsp. Sambal Oelek (also known as chili garlic sauce). Sauté these ingredients for 2-3 minutes, stirring often.
- Add ¾ cup creamy peanut butter, 1 cup full-fat coconut milk, 3 Tbsp. lemon juice, 2 Tbsp. low sodium Tamari (or soy sauce), 1 Tbsp. maple syrup, and ¼ tsp. each kosher salt and pepper to the skillet. Stir all of these ingredients until combined (the mixture will appear clumpy at first).
- Sauté the peanut sauce for 5 minutes or so, stirring often. Continue to cook until the sauce is creamy. Feel free to thin the sauce out with a bit of water if it's too thick.
This is a great versatile sauce that's delicious with tofu, any type of grilled or roasted vegetables, or just served over rice.
You could serve it over grilled beef or pork as well.
Love Asian flavors? Check out these recipes!
- Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs
- Thai Basil Pesto
- Vietnamese Shrimp Noodle Salad
- Thai Potato Corn Chowder
- Asian Grilled Chicken Wings

Which Rice Is Best?
As mentioned, this dish can be made with any type of rice or grain you like.
I love to use Jasmine or Basmati rice when making Asian inspired meals, but you can use white rice, brown rice, quinoa, or wild rice if you prefer.
The rice can be cooked while the chicken is marinating in the fridge, or it can be made ahead of time.
Feel free to use leftover cooked rice or quick cook rice if you'd like to save time.
Love rice bowls? Check out these recipes!
- Teriyaki Turkey Rice Bowls
- Asian Ground Chicken Rice Bowls
- Mexican Shrimp Rice Bowls
- Asian Salmon Rice Bowls
- Vegetarian Fajita Bowl
- Korean Turkey Bowls
- Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl

What To Serve With Thai Chicken Rice Bowls
After the chicken and veggies, peanut sauce, and rice are ready, it's time to combine all of the components in a bowl and serve.
I like to throw in some fresh spinach (or any type of hearty greens) to brighten it up, along with fresh herbs like cilantro, Thai basil, or mint for garnish.
You can add any type of fresh veggies or herbs you like.
- Roughly chop 2 cups of fresh spinach (or hearty greens of choice).
- Roughly chop ½ cup of fresh herbs.
- Cut 1 lemon into wedges (optional).
- Remove the grilled chicken and veggies from the skewers.
- Place some of the cooked rice into a bowl. Add some of the grilled chicken and veggies, along with some chopped spinach.
- Drizzle desired amount of peanut sauce over the top of the dish.
- Garnish with fresh herbs, chopped unsalted peanuts, and a squeeze of lemon juice (optional).
If you're looking for a side dishes, check out this miso ginger coleslaw, fresh pea salad, maple sesame Brussels sprouts, or sweet spicy Brussels sprouts.

How Long Does This Chicken Bowl Last In The Fridge?
Any leftover grilled chicken and veggies may be stored for 2-3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The rice may be stored for the same amount of time in the same or a separate container.
Make sure to allow the chicken, veggies, and rice to come to room temperature before transferring to the fridge for storage.
Leftover peanut sauce may be stored for 1-2 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
The peanut sauce may separate when stored in the fridge. Simply reheat in a skillet on the stove top and stir until combined when reheating. Feel free to add a bit of water to thin it out if necessary.
Can It Be Frozen?
I do not recommend freezing this dish, as it is best enjoyed fresh or within a few days.
Love to grill? Check out these recipes!
- Chicken Kofta Kebabs
- Italian Grilled Chicken Sandwich
- Grilled Bruschetta Chicken
- Juicy Lucy Burgers
- Grilled Chuck Steak
- Blue Cheese Burgers
- BBQ Sweet Potatoes
- Jalapeno Sauce Burgers
Looking For More Grilled Chicken Recipes? Don't Miss These!
Grilled Chicken Fajitas
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken
Grilled Chili Lime Chicken

Thai Chicken Bowl with Peanut Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
For The Chicken Skewers:
- 1 ½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 3 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 4 cloves garlic
- ¼ tsp. smoked paprika or regular paprika
- ¼ tsp. red chili flakes
- ¼ tsp. kosher salt
- ¼ tsp. pepper
For The Peanut Sauce:
- 1 inch ginger equals 1 Tbsp. grated ginger
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 Tbsp. Sambal Oelek
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup full fat coconut milk
- 2 Tbsp. low sodium Tamari or low sodium soy sauce if not gluten free
- 1 Tbsp. maple syrup or sweetener of choice
- 2 bell peppers any color
- 1 8 oz. package mushrooms button or crimini
- 1 cup rice any variety
- 2 cups spinach or leafy greens of choice
- ½ cup cilantro Thai basil or mint are also great
Instructions
For The Chicken Skewers:
- Mince 4 cloves of garlic.
- Place the minced garlic in a large glass bowl, along with 2 Tbsp. olive oil, 3 Tbsp. lemon juice, ¼ tsp. each smoked paprika (or regular paprika) and red chili flakes (feel free to add more to make chicken spicier), and ¼ tsp. each kosher salt and pepper. Stir all of these ingredients until completely combined.
- Cut 1 ½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs) into chunks. Place the diced chicken into the bowl and toss until completely coated in the marinade.
- Place the bowl of chicken into the refrigerator and allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
- Wipe any dirt from 1 8 oz. package of button mushrooms. Cut the mushrooms into halves or quarters, depending on the size of the mushrooms.
- Cut 2 bell peppers (any color) into chunks. Make sure that all vegetables are relatively the same size to ensure that they cook evenly. Also, make sure not to cut the vegetables too small, or they will fall off the skewers.
- Place the chunks of marinated chicken and diced vegetables on the metal skewers, alternating between the chicken and the vegetables. Make sure not to leave too much room between them, nor pack them together too closely, so that they cook correctly.
- Heat a grill (charcoal or gas) to 400 - 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place the chicken skewers directly over the heat and grill for 4 minutes on the first side. After 4 minutes, flip and rotate the skewers and grill for another 4 minutes on the second side.
- Flip the skewers once again and cook for another minute or two, or until the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit (this can be checked using a food thermometer) (chicken thighs may take a few more minutes to cook than chicken breasts).Once cooked, remove the skewers from the grill and allow to rest.
For The Peanut Sauce:
- Mince 4 cloves of garlic.
- Peel a 1 inch portion of fresh ginger root. Grate the ginger with a Microplane or small zester and place in a small bowl (this yields 1 Tbsp. fresh ginger).
- Place a skillet on the stove top and heat to medium. Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil to the skillet. Once heated, add the minced garlic, grated ginger, and 1 Tbsp. Sambal Oelek (also known as chili garlic sauce). Sauté these ingredients for 2-3 minutes, stirring often.
- Add ¾ cup creamy peanut butter, 1 cup full-fat coconut milk, 3 Tbsp. lemon juice, 2 Tbsp. low sodium Tamari (or soy sauce), 1 Tbsp. maple syrup, and ¼ tsp. each kosher salt and pepper to the skillet. Stir all of these ingredients until combined (the mixture will appear clumpy at first).
- Sauté the peanut sauce for 5 minutes or so, stirring often. Continue to cook until the sauce is creamy. Feel free to thin the sauce out with a bit of water if it's too thick.
- Prepare 1 cup of rice (any variety) or grains of choice according to package instructions.
- To serve: Place a scoop of rice in bowl. Remove chicken and vegetables from skewers and place on rice. Drizzle with desired amount of peanut sauce. Add a handful of fresh spinach, some chopped cilantro or fresh herbs of choice, and a squeeze of lemon.
Elaine @ Dishes Delish
This looks so delicious! I wish I had an outdoor grill, but alas I don't. I'll just bake them. I can't wait to try your recipe!!
Christine
Thank you, Elaine. You can also use an indoor grill pan but baking the skewers would work as well. Hope you enjoy it!
Mindy
That peanut sauce sounds amazing!!
Christine
Thank you!
Noel
We use our grill almost every day during good weather! I love chicken but my husband gets tired of it. This recipe might just be the thing to jazz up the chicken enough to make him happy!
Christine
I think it will - so much flavor in this recipe!
Shashi at Savory Spin
Peanut sauce might not be attractive but it sure causes me to drool - fantastic skewers - thanks so much for the tip on marinating before grilling!
Christine
Marinating the chicken really makes it moist and flavorful!
Bintu - Recipes From A Pantry
I love Thai peanut sauce and these chicken skewers look so healthy too
Christine
Thanks, Bintu!
Patty
Mmmm! Nothing can beat a good hot satay recipe, love yours!
Christine
So true - Thanks!
Kathryn @ FoodieGirlChicago
These look great for an easy summer dinner!
Christine
Thanks, Kathryn!