Description
This Coconut Chicken Rice Bowl is a quick, healthy, and high-carb lunch featuring tender chicken, fluffy jasmine rice, and a creamy coconut sauce. It’s perfect for meal prep, customizable, and packed with flavor to keep you energized all day.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast (or thighs)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (or 1 tablespoon fresh, grated)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup uncooked jasmine or basmati rice (white or brown)
- 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
- 3/4 cup water or chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar or honey (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut, toasted (optional)
- Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
- Lime wedges
- Chopped scallions
- Red chili flakes or sliced fresh chili (optional)
Instructions
- Pat chicken dry and cut into 1-inch cubes.
- Rinse rice under cold water until water runs mostly clear.
- Chop cilantro, slice scallions, and cut lime into wedges for garnish.
- In a medium saucepan, combine rice, coconut milk, water or broth, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 15-18 minutes until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. (If using a rice cooker, add everything and set to ‘white rice’ or ‘cook’ mode.)
- While rice cooks, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken cubes, sprinkle with garlic powder, ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Sauté until golden brown and cooked through, 6-8 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add soy sauce or coconut aminos, lime juice, and brown sugar or honey to the chicken. Pour in 1/2 cup coconut milk from the rice ingredients if desired for extra creaminess. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
- Fluff coconut rice with a fork and divide into bowls.
- Top with coconut chicken and spoon extra sauce over everything.
- Garnish with toasted coconut, cilantro, scallions, and lime wedges. Sprinkle chili flakes if desired.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with more lime or sweetener as needed.
Notes
For best results, use full-fat coconut milk for a creamier sauce. Let rice steam off the heat for 5 minutes before fluffing for the best texture. Store rice and chicken separately for meal prep. For a vegetarian version, substitute chickpeas or tofu for chicken. Adjust sweetness and tang to taste with honey and lime juice.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 490
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 700
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 11
- Carbohydrates: 52
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 29
Keywords: coconut chicken rice bowl, healthy lunch, high carb, meal prep, easy chicken recipe, coconut rice, Asian bowl, gluten-free option, dairy-free, post-workout meal