Ground Chicken Rice Bowl

This Ground Chicken Rice Bowl is a healthy and flavorful dinner! It's made with cabbage sauteed in an Asian sauce and served over rice.

When it comes to easy weeknight meals that are big on flavor, it doesn't get any better than this Asian Chicken Rice Bowl. It only takes about 30 minutes to prepare and is full of fresh ingredients.

It doesn't take a lot of time or exotic ingredients to create healthy and interesting meals at home. Rice bowls are one of my favorite dishes to whip up when I want something flavorful and don't want to spend all evening in the kitchen.

One of the best things about rice bowls is that they can be taken in so many different directions in terms of flavor. All that's needed to make them is your favorite rice (or grain), a protein, some vegetables, and a sauce or garnish.

This version is prepared with ground chicken that's sauteed along with bell peppers, Napa cabbage, and an Asian sauce flavored with garlic, ginger, green onions, Tamari, rice vinegar, and Sriracha hot sauce. It's a little sweet, a bit spicy, and has an overall balanced flavor profile.

The chicken and vegetable mixture is served over rice and garnished with scallions and fresh herbs like mint and cilantro for extra color and freshness.

Jump to:

• What Goes In A Rice Bowl?
• Ingredients For Ground Chicken Rice Bowl
• How To Add Flavor To Rice Bowls
• How To Make Chicken Rice Bowls
• How Long Does Ground Chicken Take To Cook?
• What Rice Is Best For Rice Bowls?
• What To Serve With Rice Bowls
• How Long Do Ground Chicken Bowls Last In The Fridge?
• Can They Be Frozen?
• Ground Chicken Rice Bowl

What Goes In A Rice Bowl?

A rice bowl (or grain bowl) is an incredibly versatile dish that consists of a grain such as rice, a protein, vegetables, and a sauce. It's one of those blank canvas dishes that can be taken in lots of different directions.

The base of a rice bowl is some type of grain, such as white or brown rice, quinoa, or millet. A grain bowl can also be made with ingredients such as wild rice or lentils.

The rice or grains are topped with any variety of protein such as chicken, turkey, beef, fish or seafood, eggs or plant-based proteins such as tofu or tempeh and any type of fresh, sauteed, roasted, or pickled vegetables.

Rice bowls are topped with some type of sauce and can be garnished with fresh herbs for extra color and flavor. A rice bowl can be customized in so many different ways, making it a great choice for a weeknight dinner.

Ingredients For Ground Chicken Rice Bowl

Here's what you'll need to make it.

• 6 cloves Garlic
• 6 Green Onions (also known as scallions)
• 1-inch portion Ginger Root (peeled and grated)
• 1 large Bell Pepper (red, orange, or yellow)
• 4 packed cups Napa Cabbage (shredded)
• 1 lb. Ground Chicken (may sub ground turkey)
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• ½ tsp. each Kosher Salt and Pepper
• 4 Tbsp. Low Sodium Tamari (or low sodium soy sauce if not gluten free)
• 1 Tbsp. Rice Wine Vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar (can sub maple syrup or honey)
• 2 tsp. Sriracha Hot Sauce
• 1 Tbsp. Corn Starch
• ¼ cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth (can sub low sodium vegetable broth or water)
• ¼ cup Fresh Mint
• ¼ cup Fresh Cilantro
• 1 cup Rice (white or brown)

How To Add Flavor To Rice Bowls

This rice bowl is made with ground chicken, which doesn't have a lot of flavor on its own. The great thing about ground chicken (and ground turkey), though, is that it picks up the flavors of whatever is added to it.

Ground chicken contains less fat than ground beef or pork, cooks quickly, pairs well with just about any vegetables, and absorbs all of the flavors in this Asian sauce.

This Asian sauce is easy to prepare and provides this Ground Chicken Rice Bowl with all kinds of savory, sweet, and umami flavor. It's made with grated ginger, minced garlic, sliced green onions, Tamari, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, and Sriracha hot sauce.

1. To make the sauce, start by mincing 6 cloves of garlic.
2. Using a spoon or a knife, peel a 1-inch portion of ginger root. Grate it with a Microplane zester or any small grater.
3. Slice the bottom portions of 6 green onions (also known as scallions). Slice the green onion tops as well and reserve for a garnish.
4. Place 4 Tbsp. of low sodium Tamari (or low sodium soy sauce if not gluten free), 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar, 1 Tbsp. brown sugar (can sub maple syrup or honey), and 2 tsp. of Sriracha hot sauce (feel free to add more for a spicier sauce), and 1 Tbsp. of corn starch to a small bowl. Whisk together until completely combined using a fork or small whisk.
5. Add the grated ginger, minced garlic, and sliced green onions to the bowl and stir until completely combined.

When it comes to ginger, I recommend grating instead of mincing it. It's difficult to mince ginger finely and chunks of ginger can be overwhelming. Grating the ginger with a Microplane zester is a great way to impart ginger flavor without overwhelming the dish.

How To Make Chicken Rice Bowls

All that's needed to make this dish after preparing the sauce is to slice the bell pepper and Napa cabbage.

The vegetables are then sauteed in a skillet on the stove top along with the ground chicken. The sauce is added to the skillet at the end of the cooking process and thickens slightly as it cooks.

I recommend using either a large red, orange, or yellow bell pepper to make this dish. These bell peppers are naturally sweeter, which lends itself nicely to this rice bowl.

I love to use Napa cabbage to make this rice bowl. It's more tender than green or red cabbage and cooks quickly. You can also use Savoy cabbage if you prefer.

Green or red cabbage may be used as well, but keep in mind that the texture of both is tougher and more crunchy than Napa or Savoy cabbage.

1. Cut 1 large bell pepper into strips and then cut the strips into halves or thirds (depending on your preference).
2. Remove any dirty or damaged outer leaves from 1 head of Napa cabbage (or cabbage of choice). Slice 4 packed cups of cabbage.
3. Place a large skillet on the stove top and heat to medium-high. Add 2 Tbsp. of olive oil to the skillet.
4. Once the oil is heated, add the sliced bell peppers to the skillet and sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add 1 lb. of ground chicken (or ground turkey) to the skillet along with ½ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper. Sauté for 6-8 minutes, breaking the ground chicken up as it cooks.
6. Add 4 packed cups of Napa cabbage to the skillet (it will look like a lot, but cooks down quite a bit). Stir to combine and sauté for another 2-3 minutes, or until the cabbage has cooked down.

How Long Does Ground Chicken Take To Cook?

Ground chicken only takes about 6-8 minutes to cook over medium-high heat.

It's important that the chicken is fully cooked through before serving. The safe internal temperature for ground chicken is 165 degrees Fahrenheit and can be checked using a food thermometer if you have any concerns.

1. Once the chicken and vegetables are cooked, reduce the heat to medium and pour the sauce mixture into the skillet.
2. Stir the sauce mixture until the chicken and vegetables are completely coated. Add ¼ cup of low sodium chicken broth (or low sodium vegetable broth or water) and stir until combined.
3. Sauté for another 2-3 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency.
4. Prepare 1 cup of rice (any variety) according to package instructions.

What Rice Is Best For Rice Bowls?

As mentioned, rice bowls can be prepared with any variety of rice or grains you like.

I love Jasmine rice for this type of dish, but any variety of white rice, such as long-grain or Basmati is great. Brown rice may be used in place of white rice.

You can also use cauliflower rice, quinoa, or wild rice if you prefer.

To save time, you can use your favorite variety of microwave or pre-made rice.

What To Serve With Rice Bowls

Once the chicken and vegetable mixture and the rice have finished cooking, it's time to serve the rice bowl.

Serve a big helping of the ground chicken mixture over the freshly cooked rice.

Mince some fresh cilantro and mint (or fresh herbs of choice such as Thai basil) and slice the top portion of the green onions. Garnish the rice bowls with the green onions and fresh herbs.

The herbs and scallions add great color and fresh flavor that complements the rice bowl nicely.

You can also drizzle some extra Sriracha or hot sauce of choice, Tamari (or soy sauce), or any of your favorite Asian sauces over the top.

Kimchi or any pickled vegetables are the perfect addition to any Asian rice bowl.

Love Asian flavors? Check out these recipes!

• Asian Cabbage Slaw
• Vietnamese Shrimp Salad
• Thai Potato Corn Chowder
• Sweet Spicy Grilled Chicken Wings
• Sweet Spicy Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Thai Basil Pesto
• Asian Chicken Noodle Soup
• Grilled Eggplant Sandwiches with Miso Mayo

How Long Do Ground Chicken Bowls Last In The Fridge?

Any leftover chicken and rice should last 2-3 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Make sure the dish has cooled completely before transferring to the fridge for storage.

Can They Be Frozen?

For optimal taste and texture, I do not recommend freezing this dish.

Love ground chicken? Don't miss these recipes!

• Ground Chicken Sloppy Joes
• Chicken Kofta Kebabs

Love rice bowls? Check out these recipes!

• Teriyaki Turkey Rice Bowls
• Mexican Shrimp Rice Bowls
• Grilled Thai Chicken Bowls
• Asian Smoked Salmon Rice Bowls
• Korean Turkey Bowls
• Vegetarian Fajita Bowls

Looking For More Healthy Rice Bowls? Don't Miss These Recipes!

Bulgogi Korean Beef Bowls

Edamame Brown Rice Bowl with Salmon

Cuban Chicken Rice Bowl