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    Rice Bowl with Turmeric Ginger Chicken

    August 20, 2024

    Healthful and delicious, this chicken and rice bowl brings together tasty ingredients for a good-for-you meal, or eaten separately in many other flavorful formats.

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    A rice bowl with turmeric ginger chicken, avocado, red cabbage, lime wedges and cilantro ranch
    Photography by Gayle McLeod

    More Dinner Bowl Ideas From The Modern Proper.

    Our Favorite Chicken Rice Bowl

    Turmeric and ginger are often paired together for their powerful medicinal properties. So, in the “let food be thy medicine” way of cooking, we present this easy chicken rice bowl that combines the wonderful flavors of chicken marinated in turmeric and ginger with cilantro-lime rice and creamy cilantro ranch dressing. Want more delicious dinner ideas? Check out our Peanut Chicken Noodle Bowl, Egg Roll in a Bowl or Broccoli Beef Soba Bowl.

    spices, chicken, cilantro-lime rice, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil and honey in bowls

    Ingredients for Building Tasty Rice Bowls

    The fun part about making rice bowls is that many of the ingredients would also be great guest stars in other recipes. We’re thinking of our Vegetarian Burrito Bowl with Avocado Crema that also uses that delicious Cilantro-Lime Rice. Here’s everything you’ll need to make this bowl.

    • Garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric

    • Salt and pepper

    • Freshly grated ginger, cilantro

    • Lime juice and jalapeño

    • Sour cream, mayonnaise and buttermilk

    • Honey and olive oil

    • Boneless, skinless chicken thighs

    • For serving: cilantro lime rice , red cabbage and avocado

    garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric, ginger, cilantro, lime juice, honey, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl
    garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric, ginger, cilantro, lime juice, honey, olive oil, salt, pepper and chicken in a bowl
    chicken marinating in garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric, ginger, cilantro, lime juice, honey, olive oil, salt and pepper
    buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, cilantro, jalapeno, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt in a food processor

    How To Make Cilantro-Lime Rice Bowls

    Building a chicken and rice bowl is easy when you break it down into parts. We’re making a marinated chicken, a cilantro ranch dressing, a bunch of veggies, with a rice base.

    1. Make the marinade. Toss the chicken in the marinade to coat well. How long does it take to marinate chicken? You can either marinate the chicken at room temperature for 15 minutes or refrigerate it overnight. We don’t recommend marinating the chicken for longer than overnight because the texture will break down.

    2. Cook the cilantro-lime rice recipe.

    3. Cook the chicken in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, about 2-3 minutes per side.

    4. Ranch it up! Prepare the cilantro ranch in a food processor or in a jar with an immersion blender.

    5. Serve the bowls! Divide the cilantro lime rice amongst the bowls. Top with the chicken, shaved red cabbage, and avocado slices. Drizzle cilantro ranch over the entire bowl and garnish with fresh cilantro.

    cilantro ranch in a food processor made with buttermilk, mayo, sour cream, cilantro, jalapeño, onion & garlic powders & salt
    turmeric ginger chicken being cooked in a skillet with a wooden spoon
    ingredients to assemble rice bowls on the counter including turmeric ginger chicken, cilantro-lime rice and cilantro ranch
    Rice Bowl with Turmeric Ginger Chicken and cilantro ranch

    Tools You’ll Need

    A rice bowl with turmeric ginger chicken, avocado, red cabbage, lime wedges and cilantro ranch

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    Rice Bowl with Turmeric Ginger Chicken

    Updated on August 20, 2024

    • Serves:  6
    • Prep Time:  20 min
    • Cook Time:  40 min
    • Calories:  405
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    Ingredients

    • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
    • 2 teaspoons onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon turmeric
    • 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
    • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
    • ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice, from 2 limes
    • 2 tablespoons honey
    • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
    • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, thinly sliced

    For the Cilantro Ranch

    • ½ cup buttermilk
    • ½ cup mayonnaise
    • ½ cup sour cream
    • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
    • 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

    For serving

    • Cilantro lime rice
    • Red cabbage, thinly shaved
    • Avocado, pitted and thinly sliced
    • Fresh cilantro leaves for serving

    Method

    1. In a large bowl, combine the garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric, ginger, cilantro, lime juice, honey, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken and toss to coat well. Let marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes or up to overnight in the refrigerator.

    2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the chicken in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, 2-3 minutes per side, continue cooking flipping every 2-3 minutes to prevent burning, until cooked through and the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 5-6 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Slice the chicken.

    3. Meanwhile, make the Cilantro Ranch. In the base of a food processor or blender, combine the buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, cilantro, jalapeño, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt until smooth.

    4. To serve, divide the cilantro lime rice between 6 bowls. Top with the chicken, red cabbage, and avocado. Drizzle with cilantro ranch and garnish with fresh cilantro.

    Nutrition Info

    • Per Serving
    • Amount
    • Calories 405
    • Protein 27 g
    • Carbohydrates 11 g
    • Total Fat 32 g
    • Dietary Fiber 0 g
    • Cholesterol 25 mg
    • sodium 376 mg
    • Total Sugars 8 g

    Rice Bowl with Turmeric Ginger Chicken

    Questions & Reviews

    Join the discussion below.

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    • ElA

      Love this chicken but want to use it for other dishes - any recommendations??

      Any type of rice bowl, you could add veggies with the chicken and sauce and make a stir fry or just serve the chicken on it's own with roasted veggies on the side.

    • Deb

      Made this one a few times and it’s delicious. BUT how to cook the chicken so it doesn’t wreck the pan? The honey makes the sauce burn even cooking on medium heat. By the last batch, it’s a blackened mess.

      After the initial cook on each side, I often flip my chicken a lot to prevent the burning. I don't always have to do this...you can also cook it on a grill if the weather permits!

    • Lauren

      Do the nutrition facts include rice and avocado?

      No, anything listed under "for serving" wasn't calculated in the nutrition as they are optional and not concrete amounts.

    • Natalie

      Would this recipe work with chicken breasts?

      Sure!

    • Shanae

      Yummm, this was so good! I just used greek yoghurt for the dressing instead of buttermilk and Mayo. Delish!

      Thanks Shanae, so glad you loved it!

    • Alison

      Whoa! Made this last night and so tasty!!! Instead of mango and cucumbers I shredded raw Brussel sprouts and mixed with dressing and layered on top...incredible meal ladies, 5 stars!

      Thanks Alison, we are so glad you loved it!

    • Amy

      My husband passed by while I was chopping everything up (I also thin sliced red bell pepper with the purple cabbage) and reminded me that he "doesn't like raw vegetables". I dutifully ignored him and served up this gem of a meal and he had two portions and said it was the "best meal" he'd ever had in his life! Yum yum yum. Thank you!

      WOW! What a transformation! This was such a fun story to hear, thanks for telling us Amy. We are so glad you both loved it!

    • Stephanie

      This dish became one of our favourites!! Jam-packed with amazing flavour for the chicken, and one incredible ranch sauce! Yum!!

      Thanks, so glad you loved it!

    • Samantha

      We love this dish and it’s become a frequent meal at our house! Make sure to have plenty of salad stuff on hand for the rest of the week as you’ll want to use up every single drop of the ranch! Sooo good

      Thanks Samantha, We are so glad you loved it!