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    Citrus Chicken Rice Bowl with Ginger Jalapeño Sauce

    April 22, 2024

    Sunny and zingy with a little flare of jalapeño and ginger, this citrus chicken on a bed of coconut rice is sure to be a crowd-pleaser!

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    A homemade Citrus Chicken Rice Bowl with Ginger Jalapeño Sauce with a fork
    Photography by Gayle McLeod

    Finger-Lickin’ Citrus Chicken

    This summer we’re all about fresh, citrusy flavors because they’re great for beating the heat! The contrast of refreshing mango and zingy orange zest with the delicious bite of fresh ginger and jalapeño give this citrus chicken a tropical lift that’s reinvigorating after a hot day. And the best part is that as complex as its flavors are, this chicken rice bowl takes just forty minutes of prep and comes together in just half an hour! It’s also really flexible, and the whole family can mix and match their ingredients. Picky eaters? No problem! This dish has something for everyone.

    ingredients for Citrus Chicken Rice Bowl with Ginger Jalapeno Sauce in bowls on the counter
    vegetable oil, orange zest, orange juice, honey, salt, and pepper being whisked in a bowl to make marinade for chicken
    raw chicken in a bowl of homemade marinade made with vegetable oil, orange zest, orange juice, honey, salt, and pepper
    raw chicken in a bowl of homemade marinade made with vegetable oil, orange zest, orange juice, honey, salt, and pepper

    What You’ll Need for Your Next-Level Chicken and Rice Bowl

    Great news, you might have some of these ingredients already on hand! And if not, a light grocery store run should do it. This rice bowl recipe is also great for meal prepping for the week. It makes a big batch, keeps well, and is a delicious treat that will have you looking forward to a hassle-free lunch or dinner all week long!

    vegetable oil, jalapeños, garlic, ginger, scallions, sugar & salt in a blender to make ginger jalapeño sauce
    boneless, skinless, chicken thighs being cooked in a skillet that have been marinated in a homemade citrus sauce
    homemade citrus chicken being sliced on a cutting board for citrus chicken rice bowls with ginger jalapeño sauce
    sliced citrus chicken on a cutting board for citrus chicken rice bowls with ginger jalapeño sauce

    For the Citrus Chicken Bowl:

    • Skinless, boneless chicken thighs.

    • Oranges. We bet you already have these in your fruit bowl! These will give the chicken that irresistible citrus tang.

    • Honey.

    • Garlic.

    • English cucumber. These are slightly milder and have thinner skin than regular cucumbers. This makes them better suited to the light, sweet flavors of the honey, oranges, and coconut rice.

    • Mango.

    • Coconut rice. The fluffy, mild sweetness of our easy coconut rice recipe complements this dish perfectly! You can whip it up while your chicken is marinating, and it will add that extra flavor boost taking your citrus chicken from good to great!

    For the Ginger Jalapeño Sauce, You’ll Need:

    • Vegetable oil. Any mild flavor vegetable oil will work here: canola, vegetable, avocado or an extra light tasting olive oil. Using a neutral oil here ensures you won’t clash flavors with the jalapeño and ginger.

    • Jalapeño peppers. These will give the sauce that delicious bit of heat!

    • Garlic. Who doesn’t love garlic?

    • Ginger. Pairs perfectly with the sweeter flavors in the citrus chicken marinade.

    • Scallions.

    • Sugar.

    • Salt.

    homemade citrus marinade being poured over diced English cucumbers and mangoes in a glass bowl
    Diced English cucumbers, mangoes and homemade citrus marinade being stirred together in a glass bowl with a wooden spoon

    How to Make Citrus Chicken with Ginger and Jalapeño Sauce

    The great thing about this recipe is that some of it is simply waiting! You can use that time to complete other parts of the process (we love a multi-tasking recipe!) or you can check some things off of your to-do list. Either way, you’ll end up with a tasty bowl of citrus chicken when you’re done! Here’s how we whip up your new weekday go-to:

    1. Make your coconut rice! It takes about twenty minutes to cook, so you can let it simmer while you make your marinade.

    2. Throw the oil, orange zest and juice, honey, salt, and pepper together in a bowl and stir it up till they’re combined.

    3. Add your chicken to the marinade and let it soak! Cover it up, then it’s off to the fridge for up to two hours.

    4. Heat up some oil in a skillet and start cooking the citrus chicken in batches. When it’s cooked and cooled, slice it up into bowl-ready strips. Then pour on some extra marinade to pack it with flavor!

    5. Pop the jalapeños, canola oil, garlic cloves, ginger, scallions and sugar into a blender and blend until it’s a good, saucey consistency.

    6. Make your cucumber-mango salad by combining them in a bowl and pouring some remaining marinade over it.

    7. Assemble the bowls! Make a base layer of coconut rice, add your favorite ingredients, and drizzle that oh-so-delicious sauce over the top!

    homemade citrus chicken sliced on a platter with a serving fork dried with ginger jalapeño sauce
    A Citrus Chicken Rice Bowl with Ginger Jalapeño Sauce beside bowls of additional coconut rice, sauce and cucumber salad

    Tools You’ll Need:

    • Blender

    • Skillet

    • Pot with lid

    • Can opener

    • Fine mesh strainer

    • Whisk

    More Healthy Bowl Recipes

    • Coconut Rice Salmon Bowl

    • Poke Bowl

    • Quinoa Bowl

    • Green Curry Buddha Bowl

    A Citrus Chicken Rice Bowl with Ginger Jalapeño Sauce beside bowls of additional coconut rice, sauce and cucumber salad

    This Summer, We’re Going Bowling!

    Healthy, versatile, and downright delectable, this citrus chicken rice bowl with ginger and jalapeño sauce is an all-star. Whether you’re feeding the family, prepping your meals for the week, or you’re just in the mood to try something new, look no further. It’s time to bowl! Show us how you build your citrus chicken bowl on Instagram at @themodernproper and #themodernproper!

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    Citrus Chicken Rice Bowl with Ginger Jalapeño Sauce

    Updated on April 22, 2024

    • Serves:  6
    • Prep Time:  40 min
    • Cook Time:  30 min
    • Calories:  807
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    Ingredients

    Citrus Chicken Rice Bowl

    • 2 tablespoons honey
    • 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
    • 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
    • ½ cup + 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice (from 2 large oranges)
    • ⅔ cup + 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
    • 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
    • 4 garlic cloves, minced
    • 2 cups diced English cucumber
    • 1 large mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into ½-inch dice (1½ cups)
    • 4 cups coconut rice, for serving
    • Cilantro, for serving

    Ginger Jalapeño Sauce

    • ⅓ cup vegetable oil
    • 2 medium jalapeños, seeded and roughly chopped
    • 1 large garlic clove, smashed
    • 1-inch piece of ginger, roughly chopped
    • 3 scallions, trimmed
    • ¾ teaspoon granulated sugar
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt

    Method

    1. In a large bowl, whisk together the honey, salt, pepper, orange zest, ½ cup of the orange juice, and ⅔ cup of the oil, until combined. Transfer ½ cup of the marinade to a small bowl.

      vegetable oil, orange zest, orange juice, honey, salt, and pepper being whisked in a bowl to make marinade for chicken

    2. Add the chicken to the marinade in the large bowl along with the minced garlic; turn until coated. Let marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.

      raw chicken in a bowl of homemade marinade made with vegetable oil, orange zest, orange juice, honey, salt, and pepper

    3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the chicken in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Let rest for 5 minutes, then cut into ½-inch-thick slices. Pour ¼ cup of the reserved marinade over the chicken and toss to coat.

      boneless, skinless, chicken thighs being cooked in a skillet that have been marinated in a homemade citrus sauce

    4. While the chicken cooks, make the sauce. In the base of a blender, combine the oil, jalapeños, garlic, ginger, scallions, sugar, and salt.

      vegetable oil, jalapeños, garlic, ginger, scallions, sugar & salt in a blender to make ginger jalapeño sauce

    5. In a small bowl, combine the cucumber, mango, the remaining ¼ cup reserved marinade, and the remaining 1 tablespoon orange juice or to taste.

      Diced English cucumbers, mangoes and homemade citrus marinade being stirred together in a glass bowl with a wooden spoon

    6. To serve, divide the coconut rice among 6 bowls. Top with the chicken and cucumber-mango salad. Garnish with fresh cilantro and drizzle with the ginger jalapeño sauce.

      A Citrus Chicken Rice Bowl with Ginger Jalapeño Sauce beside bowls of additional coconut rice, sauce and cucumber salad

    Nutrition Info

    • Per Serving
    • Amount
    • Calories 807
    • Protein 44 g
    • Carbohydrates 79 g
    • Total Fat 47 g
    • Dietary Fiber 1 g
    • Cholesterol 0 mg
    • sodium 180 mg
    • Total Sugars 15 g

    Citrus Chicken Rice Bowl with Ginger Jalapeño Sauce

    Questions & Reviews

    Join the discussion below.

    or
    • Mari

      Would this be good with flank steak? Thanks!

      Yep! When is flank steak not good, right? Hope you enjoy Mari.

    • Maddie

      If i just don’t like the taste of jalapeños, is there a good sub or can i omit? I like a little spice but just don’t like the jalapeño flavor!

      You can omit or sub with a mild pepper that you like the flavor of. Hope you enjoy Maddie!

    • Heather

      Huge hit with my family! Amazing flavors! The second time I made it, I cooked the chicken in my instapot but the marinade flavors didn't come thru as well cooking the chicken in a skillet. If I use the instapot again, would you recommend omitting or reducing the 2/3 cup of oil in the marinade?

      Yes. If you make in the instant pot, you wouldn't need as much oil. Glad you liked it!

    • Jessica

      Are the recipes featured each week also available in the cookbook?

      A few of the recipes from our book our on our site but mostly the cookbook is separate.

    • Charity

      would it work to grill the chicken?

      Absolutely! Hope you enjoy Charity!

    • Ashlyn

      Wow. Just wow. I made this for the first time last week and have already made it for a second time today. The combination of the coconut rice, marinated chicken, mango/cucumber and jalapeño sauce is just incredible. Tastes like a fabulous summery dish but I will most definitely be making this throughout the fall/winter or as long as I can find good mangoes :)

      Wow, this is so great to hear. We are so glad you loved it. Thanks Ashlyn!

    • Megan

      My family & I enjoyed this meal so much. I used half an avocado in the ginger jalapeño sauce and removed the ginger due to my husbands sensitivity to it. It came out wonderful!

      Thanks Megan, we are so happy you loved it!

    • Tresa

      All these components on their own were good but once I put it all together...wow, LOVED it. Don't skip the coconut rice it's so worth it and goes so good with the cucumber mango salad.

      Thanks Tresa, glad you loved it!

    • Heather

      I'm obsessed with this recipe and have made it 5 times already. Would love an adaptation from you to make the chicken in the instapot. I've tried twice but the flavors don't pull thru the same. I'm not experienced in adapting recipes so would love your advice!

      Thanks Heather, we are glad you love it! we have not yet tested this in an instant pot.

    • Sarah

      We tripled this recipe for our family reunion and everyone LOVED it! Even the kids. So many incredible flavors. Will definitely be making again!

      YAY! Thanks Sarah, so happy everyone loved it!