Japanese Salmon Chicken Bowl (Printable)

Tender salmon and chicken with avocado, cucumber, and sesame on steamed Japanese rice.

# What You Need:

→ Proteins

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

# Directions:

01 - Rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear. Cook using a rice cooker or saucepan with 2 1/2 cups water. Let it steam before fluffing with a fork.
02 - Whisk together soy sauce, mirin, sake, sesame oil, and honey. Divide between two shallow dishes. Marinate salmon in one and chicken in the other 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, 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 soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar until sugar dissolves.
07 - Divide rice among four bowls. Arrange chicken, salmon, avocado, cucumber, carrot, and scallions on top. Drizzle with sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds and nori strips.
08 - For reheating pre-assembled bowls, place an ice cube in the center of the rice. Cover with microwave-safe lid or plastic wrap and microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove any melted ice before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Two proteins in one bowl means you get variety without the fuss of cooking two separate mains.
  • The ice cube hack makes reheating rice feel like a kitchen secret you've finally learned.
  • It comes together in 35 minutes, start to finish, which is perfect for a weeknight that still feels special.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the rice—it's the difference between fluffy and gluey, and it takes 30 seconds.
  • The marinade is forgiving, but don't cook the salmon past medium or it'll flake into dust instead of staying tender.
  • Assemble the bowl right before eating if you can; if you're prepping ahead, keep the sauce and toppings separate until the last moment.
03 -
  • Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan for 2–3 minutes before adding them—it wakes up their flavor and makes them taste a hundred times better than straight from the jar.
  • The ice cube hack genuinely works; I've converted skeptics who swore leftover rice was ruined until they tried this.
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