This teriyaki chicken poke bowl has all the vibrant flavours of summer wrapped up in a delightful mix of colourful vegetables and fresh mango pieces. Poke bowls can be mix-and-matched to suit the vegetables you have in the fridge, and the flavours you know and love - but I will definitely try to convince you that this teriyaki marinade on the chicken is the best 😉
If you've ever taken the time to look at the ingredients on the jar of store-bought teriyaki sauce, you'll know that it is commonly packed with unnecessary sugars (so much so, that it is normally the top 2 ingredients). Because I try to avoid unnecessary sugars and ingredients, I like to make my own sauces. Of course, there is a convenience that comes to bottled teriyaki sauce which I won't deny.
BUT - once you've tried to make my teriyaki marinade (and added it to this delicious chicken poke bowl stacked full of summer ingredients), I bet you won't want to go back! This dish makes a fantastic summer dinner and meal prep recipe as it can be eaten both hot or cold. See post for meal prep and leftover tips and tricks.
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Ingredients
Teriyaki Chicken
Chicken breast. My preference for chicken recipes is chicken breast. You can definitely substitute for chicken thigh or other proteins if you wish. I actually have a Teriyaki Tofu Poke Bowl if you're after a vegetarian option.
Soy sauce. Teriyaki sauce uses a lot of soy sauce so I recommend a low-sodium variety. It won't change the taste, but if you're someone who is watching your salt intake, a low-sodium option will help.
Sweeteners. I use brown sugar and maple syrup to help balance the saltiness from the soy.
Mirin. Mirin adds a subtle sweetness, depth, and glossy finish to the teriyaki sauce. You can substitute for other sweeteners, but mirin does bring complexity to the dish which is known in Japanese-teriyaki sauces.
Water & cornstarch. The mix of water and cornstarch when added to the teriyaki sauce ingredients thickens the sauce and allows it to stick to the chicken breast bites.
Other poke bowl toppings
Grain. Rice is a usual suspect for a sushi bowl, rice bowl, or poke bowl (whatever you want to call it). I actually use a combination of brown rice and quinoa in this recipe because it helps boost the dietary fibre. If you're a fan of noodles, you can definitely make it teriyaki flavoured - I've even got an Asian Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry recipe for you to try.
Avocado and seaweed. This adds to the teriyaki sushi bowl vibe. I mean, how good is avocado teriyaki chicken sushi?! Obviously the rose is optional, but I have included instructions in the post for how to make it!
Mango. Mango in a teriyaki chicken and rice bowl just belongs. If you don't believe me, try it.
Vegetables. You can mix-and-match the vegetables to suit your preferences. I've used cucumber, carrot and pickled onion.
Please check the recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantity. See below for substitutions and variations.
How to make a poke bowl
- Prepare chicken
Slice chicken into 1inch pieces (or you can purchase pre-sliced diced chicken if you're short on time). Use some of the cornstarch and coat the chicken - this helps tenderise it.
- Prepare sauce
Mix together the sauce ingredients and combine well. Add to the chicken. If you have the time, marinate the chicken with the teriyaki sauce in the fridge for a couple of hours (or overnight). This will help the flavours seep through the chicken, providing more depth, but it's not necessary.
- Cook chicken
On a large pan over medium-high heat, add the chicken with the teriyaki sauce.
While you wait for the stovetop teriyaki chicken to bubble, add the remainder of the cornstarch to some water and mix. Once bubbling, add the water/cornstarch mixture (this will help the sauce thicken). Lower the heat and stir every couple of minutes until sauce thickens over the chicken (approx. 10 minutes). - Assemble
Assemble the teriyaki chicken together with the rest of the poke bowl ingredients.
Note for the rice - Because of the convenience of this dish, I will regularly use a microwave brown rice and quinoa packet to serve as it takes only 2 minutes. If I have rice prepped for the week, I will add this to the base of the bowl.
How to make an avocado rose
Cut a firm-ripe avocado in half and gently remove the skin away from the fruit. Place avocado seed side down and smooth the surface.
Slice the avocado as thinly and evenly as possible.
Start slowly spreading the avocado out into a rectangle shape.
Fan the avocado slices out into a straight line (or however much you have patience for).
Begin at one end and gently roll up the slices as tight as possible.
Continue circling the avocado slices around until you get the final avocado rose.
Substitutions and variations
Vegetarian/Vegan. You can very easily make this dish vegetarian or vegan by substituting the protein with tofu or tempeh. The rest of the sauce ingredients and toppings I have suggested are plant-based. Here is my Teriyaki Tofu Poke Bowl Recipe.
Grain. This is a rice bowl so the grain of choice is rice. It doesn't have to be any one type of rice. For sushi bowls, traditionally the sushi rice is used, but don't feel like you have to go all out to buy rice you may only use once.
Other vegetables. You can use pretty much any vegetables you like. I like using the cucumber, carrot and pickled onions in this one because it adds an extra textual crunch which helps break up the softness of the glazed teriyaki chicken.
Mango. While I absolutely recommend mango because it is so delicious, it's also not available all year round. If you can't find mango (although, you could always use frozen that has been thawed), you can substitute other fruit in this poke bowl. Here are some of my suggestions - pineapple, orange, watermelon, rockmellon).
Recommended
- Measuring cups and measuring spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Large knife
- Chopping board
- Large pan
- Spatula or wooden spoon
- Rice cooker (optional)
- Meal prep containers (optional)
Meal prep and leftovers
Poke bowls are fantastic meal preps and really great in leftover dishes.
Storing
If you want to have teriyaki chicken poke bowls as a hot dish, separate the fresh ingredients (avocado, mango, onion, cucumber, carrot) separate from the rice and chicken.
Reheating
You can reheat the chicken and rice together in the microwave after adding a drizzle of water. Reheat in 1 minute intervals until heated through. Then add the rest of the toppings.
Freezing
You can freeze the chicken and rice portions in airtight containers or vacuum seal bags, but I wouldn't recommend freezing the watery fruits/vegetables as the freezer will change their texture.
If you want more meal prep information, check out my Meal Prep for Beginners post and my Meal Prep Basics E-Book.
FAQs
You can definitely use bottled teriyaki sauce for your poke bowl if you're after convenience. But, once you try my homemade teriyaki sauce, you'll be amazed at just how easy it is!
They're both very similar, but a sushi bowl is more of a deconstructed sushi bowl and doesn't normally have the extra ingredients like this poke bowl with mango and pickled onions.
Yes and No. You can freeze the chicken and rice components for up to 3-6 months, however the watery ingredients don't hold up well in the freezer so I wouldn't recommend freezing those and to make them fresh when you want to prepare the poke bowl.
You might also like
- Cashew Chicken and Rice
- Grilled Chinese Lemon Chicken
- Honey Soy Chicken
- Asian Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry Noodles
- Quick Spicy Chicken Pad Thai
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Recipe
Teriyaki Chicken Poke Bowl (with Rice and Mango)
Ingredients
Teriyaki chicken
- 400 g chicken breast cut 1 inch cubed
- ½ cup soy sauce low sodium
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoon mirin
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger minced
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
Other toppings
- 2 cups cooked brown rice (See Note 1)
- 1 cup cooked quinoa (See Note 1)
- 1 avocado sliced
- 1 mango sliced
- 1 cucumber sliced
- 1 carrot julienned
- ½ red onion pickled
- 5 g seaweed
Instructions
- Add 1 tablespoon cornstarch to the diced chicken breast, toss.
- Add 1 tablespoon cornstarch to the water and stir until combined. Set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the rest of the sauce ingredients together then add to the chicken. At this point, you can marinate in the fridge for a more intense flavour.
- On a large pan over medium-high heat, add the chicken with the teriyaki sauce. When it begins to bubble, add the water/cornstarch mixture and stir (it will begin to thicken). Lower the heat and stir every couple of minutes until sauce thickens over the chicken (approx. 10 minutes)
- In the meantime, assemble the rest of the bowl then top with the chicken (it can also be made ahead of time and added cold).
- See post on information for meal prep and leftovers.
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