Delicious marinated and grilled Thai Chicken is combined with brown rice, veggies and THE BEST Thai Peanut Sauce in this healthy, gluten free bowl recipe, that's easy to make in under an hour!
Tender, juicy chicken, flavorful veggies and the most creamy peanut sauce combine to make a meal that's both flavorful and healthy!
This recipe is not only delicious, but it's gluten free and packs in tons of protein, potassium, vitamin A and vitamin C.
These Thai Chicken Bowls are one of the best meals you'll make for dinner, but they're also perfect for meal prep! Take them to work for lunch, or simply prep them ahead of time for an effortless weeknight dinner.
Whenever you choose to enjoy them, do NOT forget the Healthy Thai Peanut Sauce, it's a game changer!
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Ingredients
- Coconut aminos or tamari - you can find both of these options near the soy sauce at the grocery store. Coconut aminos is a soy free and gluten free sauce with amazing savory flavor, with much less sodium than soy sauce. Tamari is a soy based sauce that is gluten free.
- Rice vinegar - this ingredient is easily found in the Asian section of most major grocery stores and will give you the best flavor. In a pinch you can substitute white wine vinegar, but it will slightly change the flavor.
- Sesame oil - don't skip out on this marinade ingredient, it gives a wonderful depth of flavor that other oils don't provide.
- Lime juice - fresh squeezed will give you the best results, but you can use bottled if that's all you have on hand.
- Maple syrup - this is my favorite natural sweetener. However, you could also substitute honey or agave nectar if you prefer.
- Chili garlic sauce - find this spicy staple in the Asian section of your local grocery store or online.
- Chicken - boneless, skinless chicken breasts are preferred in this recipe. You can also use chicken thighs.
- Olive oil - extra virgin olive oil is preferred, but you can use any you have on hand. Other mild tasting oils such as avocado oil or vegetable oil may also be used if you do not have olive oil.
- Zucchini - slice the zucchini in half lengthwise then into half moons. Leave the skin on for added texture and nutrition.
- Broccoli - a fresh crown of broccoli broken up into florets is ideal. Frozen broccoli may also be used, just be sure to defrost it first.
- Cooked brown rice <-- click the link to learn how to cook brown rice perfectly in your Instant Pot, rice cooker, or on the stove. You could also serve the bowls with cooked quinoa or coconut rice.
- Carrots - use a cheese grater to shred the carrots, or buy them already shredded in the refrigerated section on the produce aisle at the grocery store.
- Cilantro - pick the leaves off of the stems to add a burst of fresh flavor to the bowls.
- Healthy Thai Peanut Sauce <-- click the link to learn how to make this easy 5 minute sauce to drizzle all over the bowls! Peanut butter, coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar, and a few other ingredients create a sauce that's sweet, salty, and savory all at the same time!
Instructions
I’ve included step by step photos below to make this recipe super easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1: combine coconut aminos, rice vinegar, sesame oil, lime juice, maple syrup and chili garlic sauce to make the marinade. Remove one tablespoon of the marinade and set aside to use for later. Pour the rest of the marinade over the chicken in a large bowl or zipper bag. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours.
Step 2: heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil to the skillet, then add the zucchini and broccoli. Sauté the vegetables for 7-8 minutes.
Step 3: place the chicken on a grill or grill pan over medium high heat. Grill for 4-5 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove the chicken from the grill, place on a cutting board, and dice the chicken.
Step 4: assemble the bowls. Mix the tablespoon of marinade that you set aside with warm brown rice. Divide the rice between four bowls. Add the sautéed vegetables and grilled chicken to each bowl. Add carrots and cilantro. Serve the Thai Peanut Sauce on the side, or drizzled over the bowls.
Optional additions
Add extra flavor and nutrients to these Thai Chicken Bowls! Here are a few optional additions that would pair well with the other ingredients in this dish.
- Peanuts
- Red bell peppers
- Spinach
- Green onions
- Fresh grated ginger
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Sriracha
- Sweet chili sauce
Make it vegan
- Use this Asian Marinated Tempeh recipe instead of the chicken.
- Mix up the marinade.
- Toss cubed tempeh in the marinade and let it rest to soak up the flavor.
- Cook the tempeh on the stove or in the oven.
Make it low carb
- To make these bowls low carb, omit the brown rice. This will reduce the total carbohydrates per bowl from 39, down to 16, and the net carbs from 34, down to 13.
- You can also use cauliflower rice instead of brown rice. Replacing ½ cup of cooked brown rice in each bowl with ½ cup cooked cauliflower rice will reduce the carbs per bowl from 39 grams, down to 18.5 grams per bowl. The net carbs will also be reduced from 34 grams per bowl, down to 14.5 grams per bowl.
Meal prep it
- For storage
- Prepare the Thai chicken, brown rice, peanut sauce and veggies.
- Divide the rice, chicken, and veggies between four airtight storage containers
- Split the Thai Peanut Sauce into four small containers.
- Keep all containers in the fridge until you are ready to eat.
- To reheat and eat
- Uncover the airtight container and microwave the chicken, rice, and veggie mixture for 2 minutes or until heated through. Drizzle on the sauce and dig in!
More Asian inspired bowls
Be sure to add these other super flavorful recipes to your weekly menu!
- Sesame Seared Tuna Sushi Bowls
- Whole30 Chicken Teriyaki Bowl
- Keto Fried Rice
- Asian Tempeh Bowl
- Keto Pad Thai
- Crispy Asian Brussels Sprout Bowl
Recipe
Thai Chicken Bowls with Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
Asian Chicken Marinade
- ¼ cup coconut aminos or tamari
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts sliced in half through the middle so they’re 1 inch or less thick
Bowls
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups zucchini sliced into half moons
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 2 cups cooked brown rice click link for recipe
- ½ cup carrots shredded
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves
- ½ cup healthy thai peanut sauce click link for recipe
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the coconut aminos, rice vinegar, sesame oil, lime juice, maple syrup and chili garlic sauce.
- Remove one tablespoon of the marinade from the bowl and set aside. We’ll mix it into the rice later.
- Add the chicken to the remaining marinade.
- Place in the refrigerator and marinate for at least 30 minutes, up to 8 hours.
- If you do not have cooked brown rice already prepared, use the brown rice recipe linked above in the ingredient section to prepare the brown rice now.
- Heat a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat.
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet, then add the zucchini and broccoli.
- Cook the vegetables for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, then set aside.
- Heat a grill, or grill pan over medium-high heat.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade.
- Place the chicken on the grill and cook for 4-5 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Remove the chicken from the grill, place on a cutting board and dice the chicken.
- Mix the tablespoon of marinade that we separated out earlier in with the prepared brown rice, then divide the rice between four bowls.
- Divide the diced chicken and sauteed vegetables between each of the bowls.
- Add carrots and cilantro to each bowl.
- Serve the Thai peanut sauce drizzled over the bowls or on the side.
Notes
- To make these bowls low carb, omit the brown rice. This will reduce the total carbs per bowl from 39, down to 16, and the net carbs from 34, down to 13.
- You can also use cauliflower rice instead of brown rice. Replacing ½ cup of cooked brown rice in each bowl with ½ cup cooked cauliflower rice will reduce the carbs per bowl from 39 grams, down to 18.5 grams per bowl. The net carbs will also be reduced from 34 grams per bowl, down to 14.5 grams per bowl.
- To make these bowls vegan, use this Asian Marinated Tempeh instead of the chicken.
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