Chicken Poke Bowl
Why this recipe works
- Bright, savoury dressing: Rice vinegar and lime cut through the sesame oil and soy sauce, keeping the chicken lively rather than heavy.
- Fast once the rice is on: The chicken poaches while the sushi rice cooks, so most of the work happens in parallel.
- Fresh texture contrast: Soft rice and tender chicken are balanced by crisp cucumber, creamy avocado and a sesame seed finish.
Get the most out of this recipe
Timing notes
- Rest the rice and chicken: Letting the rice stand after cooking improves its texture, while resting the chicken before slicing helps keep it juicy.
- Best assembled just before eating: Build the bowls close to serving so the cucumber stays crisp and the avocado looks fresh.
Make-ahead tips
- Store components separately: Keep the rice and dressed chicken in separate sealed containers, then add the avocado, cucumber and spring onion just before serving.
- Good for short-term lunches: The cooked rice and chicken can be prepared ahead for up to 2 days, making the bowl easy to assemble later.
- Reheat only the rice: Warm the rice until piping hot, then top with the cold chicken and fresh vegetables for the best contrast.
Ingredient notes
- Use ripe avocado: A ripe avocado gives the bowl its creamy element; under-ripe avocado will taste firm and muted.
- Dress the chicken warm: Warm poached chicken absorbs the soy, sesame and citrus dressing more readily than fully chilled meat.
- Adjust the sharpness: White wine vinegar can stand in for rice vinegar, though it gives the dressing a slightly sharper edge.
Equipment you'll need
Ingredients
Instructions
- Rinse the sushi rice in cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Cook it in a saucepan with water according to the packet directions, then cover and rest off the heat for 10 minutes.
- While the rice cooks, poach the chicken in gently simmering water for 12 to 15 minutes until cooked through. Lift out, rest for 5 minutes, then slice or pull into bite-sized pieces.
- In a bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, caster sugar, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil and the juice of the lime. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then toss the chicken through the dressing.
- Fluff the rice and divide between two bowls. Finely slice the cucumber, dice the avocado, and thinly slice the spring onion.
- Top each bowl with the dressed chicken, cucumber and avocado. Finish with spring onion and sesame seeds, then serve straight away.
Recipe notes
Tips
- Keep the chicken poaching water just below a simmer so the meat stays tender and juicy.
- Dress the chicken while it is still warm so it absorbs more flavour, then build the bowls right before serving for the freshest texture.
Substitutions
- Replace Rice vinegar with White wine vinegar for a slightly sharper dressing.
- Replace Lime with Lemon for a softer, less aromatic citrus note.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 2 days
- Refrigerate rice and chicken separately in sealed containers for up to 2 days. Serve cold, or reheat the rice in a microwave until piping hot and add the cold toppings afterwards.
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Recipe overview
- Servings: 2 bowls
- Total time: 30min (20min active)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cuisine: Fusion
-
Allergens:
Sesame Soybeans
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