Japanese Salmon Chicken Bowl (Print)

A colorful Japanese bowl with salmon, chicken, avocado, veggies, and a clever method for perfectly steamed rice.

# Components:

→ 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 tablespoons soy sauce
04 - 1 tablespoon mirin
05 - 1 tablespoon sake or dry white wine
06 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
07 - 1 teaspoon 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 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
15 - 1 sheet nori, cut into thin strips (optional)

→ Sauce

16 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
17 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
18 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
19 - 1/2 teaspoon sugar

→ For Reheating

20 - 4 ice cubes

# Directions:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Two proteins mean it's actually filling enough for dinner, not just a side dish pretending to be lunch.
  • The ice cube reheating trick genuinely works and keeps leftover rice from turning into a brick.
  • Everything cooks in under 20 minutes if your rice is already ready, making weeknight dinners feel less impossible.
02 -
  • Overcooked salmon becomes mealy and loses its delicate texture—cook it until it just turns opaque and trust that it'll keep cooking slightly as it rests.
  • The ice cube trick genuinely changes how reheated rice tastes; without it, microwaved rice becomes hard and unpleasant within hours.
  • Don't assemble the bowl more than a few hours ahead unless you want the avocado to oxidize and the vegetables to weep into the rice.
03 -
  • Cook the proteins separately even though they use the same pan; this way each one gets its own time in the heat and develops proper color instead of steaming each other.
  • Let the cooked proteins rest for a few minutes before slicing or flaking—this keeps them tender and juicy instead of dry.
  • If you're making this for a crowd, prep all your vegetables ahead and store them separately; assembly becomes a five-minute task instead of a hectic scramble.
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