Peanut Chicken Protein Bowl
The appeal of this bowl is the contrast between warm chicken, fluffy rice, crunchy cabbage and a creamy peanut-lime sauce. Soy sauce, sesame oil and honey round out the dressing, giving the meal enough sweet, salty and tangy flavor that every component feels connected.
Thin the peanut sauce with warm water until it pours easily rather than piling up in one spot. Keep the cabbage and carrots raw for texture and add them after the chicken is cooked.
The Peanut Sauce Is What Ties This Bowl Together
- The peanut sauce does double duty: part coats the hot chicken and the rest becomes a finishing drizzle.
- Rice gives the bowl substance while cabbage, carrot and cucumber keep each bite crisp and fresh.
- Lime and soy sauce balance the richness of peanut butter with acidity and salt.
- The components can be prepared separately, which makes the bowl well suited to meal prep.
Peanut Chicken Protein Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 lb boneless skinless chicken breast diced
- 2 cups cooked jasmine rice
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cucumber sliced
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp warm water
- 2 tbsp chopped peanuts
- 2 tbsp sliced green onions
Instructions
- Whisk peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, honey, sesame oil and warm water until smooth.
- Heat avocado oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook chicken 6–8 minutes until browned and cooked through.
- Toss half the peanut sauce with the hot chicken.
- Divide rice, cabbage, carrots and cucumber among bowls.
- Add chicken, drizzle with remaining sauce and finish with peanuts and green onions.
Notes
Thin the Peanut Sauce Before It Hits the Bowl
Peanut butter needs enough warm water to turn from a paste into a pourable sauce. Whisk the water in gradually with soy sauce, lime, honey and sesame oil until the sauce flows easily from a spoon.
Sauce the Chicken While It Is Hot
Tossing part of the sauce with freshly cooked chicken helps the glaze cling to the surface. Save the rest for drizzling so the rice and vegetables get flavor without everything becoming coated in the same texture.
Keep the Crunchy Pieces Separate
Cabbage, carrots, cucumber and chopped peanuts provide the contrast that makes the bowl work. For meal prep, store the fresh vegetables and peanuts away from the warm chicken and rice until you are ready to eat.
A Better Meal-Prep Setup
Pack rice and chicken together in the reheatable section of the container. Keep the vegetables, extra peanut sauce and green onions cold; add them after reheating so the bowl still has crunch and freshness.
