Japanese Salmon Chicken Bowl (Printable Version)

Tender salmon and chicken atop rice with fresh avocado and crisp vegetables for a vibrant meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

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

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

# Tips for Success:

01 -
  • It looks restaurant-worthy but uses one skillet and whatever vegetables you have waiting in the crisper drawer.
  • The ice cube trick transforms sad microwaved rice into something fluffy and almost freshly steamed.
  • You get two proteins in one bowl, so everyone at the table can pick their favorite or pile on both.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the rice or you'll end up with a gummy, sticky mess instead of fluffy grains that hold their shape.
  • Let the chicken rest after cooking or all the juices will run out onto your cutting board instead of staying inside the meat.
  • The ice cube hack only works if you cover the bowl tightly so the steam has nowhere to escape.
03 -
  • Pat the salmon and chicken dry with paper towels before marinating so the sauce clings instead of sliding off.
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan for 30 seconds until they smell nutty and turn golden, it makes all the difference.
  • If your rice cooker has a keep-warm function, turn it off once the rice is done or the bottom layer will dry out and stick.
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