Japanese Style Salmon Chicken Bowl (Printable version)

A vibrant bowl with salmon, chicken, avocado, and crisp vegetables framed by perfectly cooked rice.

# What You Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 skinless salmon fillets (10.5 oz total)
02 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (8.8 oz total)

→ Marinade

03 - 3 tbsp soy sauce
04 - 1 tbsp mirin
05 - 1 tbsp sake or dry white wine
06 - 1 tsp sesame oil
07 - 1 tsp honey

→ Rice

08 - 2 cups Japanese short-grain rice
09 - 2 1/2 cups water

→ Toppings & Vegetables

10 - 1 ripe avocado, sliced
11 - 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
12 - 1 medium carrot, julienned
13 - 2 scallions, finely sliced
14 - 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
15 - 1 sheet nori, cut into thin strips (optional)

→ Sauce

16 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
17 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
18 - 1 tsp sesame oil
19 - 1/2 tsp sugar

→ For Reheating

20 - 4 ice cubes

# How to Make It:

01 - Rinse the rice under cold water until clear. Cook with 2 1/2 cups water in a rice cooker or saucepan. Let steam, then fluff with a fork.
02 - Whisk marinade ingredients in a bowl. Divide between two dishes. Marinate salmon in one and chicken in the other for at least 10 minutes.
03 - Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken thighs 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove, rest, then slice.
04 - In the same pan, cook salmon fillets 2 to 3 minutes per side until just cooked. Remove and flake gently.
05 - Slice avocado, cucumber, carrot, and scallions as directed.
06 - Whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar until sugar dissolves.
07 - Divide rice into four bowls. Arrange sliced chicken, flaked salmon, avocado, cucumber, carrot, and scallions atop rice. Drizzle with sauce and sprinkle sesame seeds and nori.
08 - Place one ice cube in the center of rice when reheating assembled bowls. Cover with microwave-safe lid or plastic wrap and microwave on high 1 to 2 minutes. Remove remaining ice before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The ice cube hack transforms sad leftover rice into something restaurant-worthy in under two minutes.
  • You get two proteins in one bowl, so it feels indulgent but stays balanced and light.
  • Everything can be prepped ahead and assembled in minutes, making weeknight dinners feel effortless.
  • The colors alone make you want to eat it, even before you taste the salty-sweet sauce.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the rice, I learned this the hard way when my first batch turned into a sticky blob that wouldn't separate.
  • Let the chicken rest before slicing or all the juices run out onto the cutting board instead of staying in the meat.
  • The ice cube trick only works if you cover the bowl tightly, otherwise the steam escapes and the rice stays dry.
03 -
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan for 30 seconds before sprinkling them on, it wakes up their flavor and makes the whole bowl smell amazing.
  • If your salmon is sticking to the pan, it's not ready to flip yet, wait another 30 seconds and it will release on its own.
  • Use the ice cube trick on any leftover rice dish, not just this bowl, it's a game changer for fried rice and grain bowls too.
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