Japanese Style Salmon Chicken Bowl (Print Version)

A nourishing bowl with salmon, chicken, avocado, veggies, and a clever ice cube technique for moist 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 rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Cook rice with 2 1/2 cups water in a rice cooker or saucepan. Allow to steam, then fluff with a fork.
02 - Whisk together soy sauce, mirin, sake, sesame oil, and honey. Divide marinade into two shallow dishes. Place salmon in one, chicken in the other. Allow to marinate for at least 10 minutes.
03 - Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken thighs for 4 to 5 minutes on each 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. Finely slice scallions.
06 - Whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar until the sugar dissolves.
07 - Divide cooked rice evenly among four bowls. Arrange sliced chicken, flaked salmon, avocado, cucumber, carrot, and scallions over the rice. Drizzle with sauce and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and nori strips if using.
08 - When reheating pre-assembled bowls, place one 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. The ice will melt slowly, steaming the rice to keep it moist. Remove any remaining ice before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The ice cube hack actually works—your reheated rice stays fluffy instead of turning into a brick.
  • You get two different proteins in one bowl, so it feels fancy but comes together faster than you'd think.
  • Everything can be prepped while the rice cooks, making it genuinely ready in under 40 minutes.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the rice—that starch difference between rinsed and unrinsed is actually noticeable and matters for the final texture.
  • The marinade timing doesn't need to be exact, but 10 minutes is the minimum where it actually makes a difference; 20 minutes is even better if you have time.
  • Raw vegetables are doing real work in this bowl—they're not just color, they're texture and freshness, so don't skip them or substitute with cooked versions.
03 -
  • Patting your proteins dry before cooking is the small move that makes the biggest difference—it lets them develop a real crust instead of steaming themselves.
  • The sauce should taste slightly strong when you taste it alone because it needs to season all the rice underneath—that concentration is intentional.
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