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It’s Monday night, the week is just getting started, and I can already feel that craving for sweet, savory, sticky takeout! But I have a little secret for you: this Sticky Chicken Rice Bowls is so much faster, fresher, and more delicious than anything you can get delivered.
This is the best sticky chicken recipe for a better than takeout dinner that’s on the table in under 30 minutes! These bowls are made with a base of rice, broccoli, and baked chicken bites covered in a thick sticky sauce. Whether you want a simple chicken rice bowl recipe, healthy chicken rice bowl recipe, or best asian chicken rice bowl recipe, this sticky chicken rice bowls recipe delivers. The sweet and spicy Asian chicken with honey soy glaze creates an incredible flavor, perfect for easy sticky chicken rice bowls.
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Why You’ll Love This Sticky Chicken Rice Bowls
1. Ready in 30 Minutes – This is one of those quick 30-minute meal options that saves busy weeknights. The baked chicken bites cook fast, the rice steams while you make the sauce, and dinner is done before you know it. Perfect for yummy dinner recipes healthy that don’t take hours.
2. Incredible Sticky Sauce – The honey soy glaze or honey garlic marinade creates that addictive sweet and savory flavor. The sticky sauce coats every bite of chicken and clings to the rice. This chicken rice bowl sauce is what makes these bowls so crave-worthy and better than any chicken rice bowl restaurant version.
3. Perfect for Meal Prep – Make these ahead for easy food meal prep throughout the week. The bowl base rice broccoli chicken stays fresh for 4-5 days. These rice meal prep recipes are ideal for protein dinner recipes healthy planning and meal ideas for one or family meals over rice.
Ingredients for Sticky Chicken Rice Bowls
This recipe uses simple ingredients to create restaurant-quality bowls. You’re making the best chicken and rice meal prep with pantry staples.
What You’ll Need
For the Chicken:
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Sticky Sauce:
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup honey
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
For the Bowls:
- 3 cups cooked white or brown rice
- 3 cups broccoli florets, steamed
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
- 3 green onions, sliced
- Optional: sriracha, extra soy sauce
Why These Ingredients Matter
Baked Chicken Bites – Cutting the chicken into bite-sized pieces means it cooks quickly and evenly. Tossing them in cornstarch before cooking creates a slightly crispy exterior that helps the sticky sauce cling better. This technique is what makes restaurant-style sticky rice bowl chicken so good.
Honey Soy Glaze – The combination of honey and soy sauce creates that perfect sweet and savory balance. The honey caramelizes slightly, creating a thick, glossy glaze. Garlic and ginger add depth and authentic Asian flavor. This is what makes it the best asian chicken rice bowl recipe.
Bowl Base Rice Broccoli Chicken – This combination provides complete nutrition with protein, carbs, and vegetables all in one bowl. The broccoli adds color, crunch, and vitamins. The rice soaks up the extra sauce. Together they create a balanced meal that’s perfect for easy healthy chicken recipes for dinner.
Instructions for Making Sticky Chicken Rice Bowls
Step-by-Step Directions
Step 1: Cook the rice according to package directions. You’ll need about 1 cup dry rice to make 3 cups cooked. Set aside and keep warm.
Step 2: Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 3: Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces (about 1-inch cubes). Pat dry with paper towels. This helps them get crispy.
Step 4: Toss chicken pieces with 2 tablespoons cornstarch, salt, and pepper until evenly coated. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and toss again.
Step 5: Spread chicken in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and cooked through to 165°F.
Step 6: While chicken bakes, make the sticky sauce. In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce, honey, minced garlic, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, and red pepper flakes if using.
Step 7: Bring sauce to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
Step 8: Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water to make a slurry. Add to the sauce and stir. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy. Remove from heat.
Step 9: Steam the broccoli until tender-crisp, about 4-5 minutes. You want it bright green with a slight crunch.
Step 10: When chicken is done, transfer to a bowl and toss with the sticky sauce until completely coated. To assemble bowls, add rice, top with chicken, add broccoli, and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and scallions.
Hint: These pair perfectly with creamy garlic pasta for an Italian-Asian fusion dinner, or serve alongside smashburger quesadilla for variety.
Top Tip
What Are the Three Ingredients in Sticky Chicken? – The essential three ingredients in basic sticky chicken are chicken, soy sauce, and honey. These create that signature sweet and savory sticky sauce. Many recipes add garlic as a fourth essential ingredient. For this recipe, we enhance it with ginger, sesame oil, and rice vinegar for more depth, but soy sauce, honey, and garlic are the foundation.
What Kind of Rice is Best for Rice Bowls? – Short-grain white rice or jasmine rice works best for Asian-style bowls because it’s slightly sticky and holds together well. Brown rice is great for healthier options. Sushi rice creates authentic texture. For meal prep, jasmine or long-grain white rice holds up better over several days without getting mushy.
Don’t Skip the Cornstarch – Tossing the chicken in cornstarch before baking creates a light coating that gets crispy and helps the sauce stick. It’s what separates good sticky chicken from amazing restaurant-quality sticky chicken. This is key for crispy chicken rice bowl texture.
Make Extra Sauce – The sticky sauce is so good you’ll want extra for drizzling. Double the sauce recipe and keep half separate for serving. Some people like their bowls saucier than others, and the rice soaks up a lot of sauce.
My Sticky Chicken Rice Bowls Journey
I discovered this recipe when I was craving takeout but wanted something healthier and faster than delivery. I needed easy dinner to make that felt special but didn’t require complicated techniques. When I made it for the first time, Grandma watched me and said, “Jazzy, this is smart cooking! You’re making your own takeout at home, and it’s so much fresher than restaurant food. That honey and soy combination is classic Asian cooking. Simple ingredients, big flavor. That’s how the best meals are made.”
She was absolutely right. Now these are my favorite rice with chicken recipes that I make at least once a week. They’ve become a staple for easy whole food dinners when I want something satisfying but healthy. Every time I make them, I remember that first batch and being amazed at how much better homemade tasted than takeout. They’re proof that easy dinner high protein doesn’t have to be boring or complicated.
Substitutions for Sticky Chicken Rice Bowls
Protein Swaps – Use shrimp, tofu, or pork instead of chicken. Shrimp cooks even faster (about 8-10 minutes). For tofu, use extra-firm, press it well, and bake at 425°F for 25 minutes for crispy texture. Ground turkey also works for bowl chicken variations.
Rice Options – Use cauliflower rice for low-carb, quinoa for more protein, or noodles for sticky chicken skewer rice bowls style. Each base absorbs the sauce differently but all work beautifully. Brown rice makes it more nutritious for healthy chicken and rice bowls.
Vegetable Variations – Replace or add to broccoli with snap peas, bell peppers, carrots, edamame, or bok choy. Any quick-cooking vegetable works. This makes it easy to customize for chicken for rice bowls with whatever you have on hand.
Sauce Adjustments – For sticky pineapple chicken and rice bowls, add 1/4 cup pineapple juice to the sauce. For sticky honey garlic chicken rice bowls, double the garlic and use all honey. Make it sweet and sticky chicken rice bowls by adding extra honey.
Variations on Sticky Chicken Rice Bowls
Mexican Chicken Rice Bowl Recipe – Season chicken with cumin, chili powder, and paprika instead of Asian seasonings. Top with salsa, avocado, black beans, and cilantro. Skip the sticky sauce and use a lime crema instead for mexican chicken rice bowl recipe style.
Chicken Rice Bowl Japanese – Use teriyaki sauce instead of honey soy for chicken rice bowl japanese style. Add pickled ginger, nori strips, and wasabi mayo. Serve with short-grain sushi rice for authentic texture.
Sticky Honey Garlic Chicken Bowls with Pineapple Salsa & Cilantro Rice – Make cilantro-lime rice, add grilled pineapple salsa on top, and use extra garlic in the sauce. This sticky honey garlic chicken bowls with pineapple salsa & cilantro rice version is tropical and fresh, similar to sweet hawaiian crockpot chicken flavors.
Crispy Chicken Rice Bowl – Instead of baking, pan-fry the cornstarch-coated chicken in oil for extra crispy texture. This crispy chicken rice bowl version has more crunch and works great for those who love fried chicken texture.
Meal Prep Version – Make a big batch for best chicken and rice meal prep. Store components separately: rice in one container, chicken in another, broccoli separate, sauce separate. Combine when ready to eat. This keeps everything fresh and prevents soggy rice, perfect for easy dinner ideas kid friendly throughout the week, similar to techniques in creamy crock pot ranch chicken meal prep.
Equipment for Sticky Chicken Rice Bowls
Baking Sheet – For cooking the chicken. Use a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper for easy cleanup. The parchment prevents sticking and makes the chicken crispy.
Small Saucepan – For making the sticky sauce. A 2-quart saucepan works perfectly. You need something with high enough sides that the sauce won’t splatter as it simmers.
Rice Cooker or Pot – For cooking perfect rice. A rice cooker makes it foolproof, but a regular pot with a lid works great too.
Steamer Basket – For the broccoli. You can steam it in the microwave, but a steamer basket gives better texture and color.
Storage Tips for Sticky Chicken Rice Bowls
Refrigerator Storage – Store components separately in airtight containers for 4-5 days. Keep rice, chicken, broccoli, and sauce in different containers. This prevents the rice from getting soggy and keeps everything fresh for meal prep bowls.
Reheating Tips – Reheat chicken and rice together in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. Add a splash of water to the rice to keep it moist. The broccoli is best eaten cold or reheated separately for just 30 seconds so it doesn’t get mushy. Add fresh sauce when serving.
Freezer Storage – The chicken and rice freeze well for up to 3 months. Don’t freeze the broccoli or sauce. Freeze chicken and rice separately. Thaw overnight in the fridge and make fresh sauce when serving. This makes great meals over rice for quick dinners.
Meal Prep Strategy – On Sunday, cook chicken, rice, and broccoli. Make the sauce. Store separately. Each day, assemble a fresh bowl by reheating components and adding sauce. This keeps everything tasting fresh all week for rice meal prep recipes.
Grandma’s Secret for Sticky Chicken Rice Bowls
Grandma taught me the most important trick for making these bowls taste restaurant-quality. “Jazzy,” she said while watching me cook one evening, “the secret to really good sticky chicken is to not add all the sauce to the chicken at once. Toss the chicken with most of the sauce, but save some to drizzle on top when you serve it. That way you get sauce on every bite, not just the chicken. Also, don’t forget to toast those sesame seeds. Raw sesame seeds are fine, but toasted ones have so much more flavor. Just a minute in a dry pan makes all the difference.”
She was absolutely right. Now I always reserve sauce for drizzling and I toast my sesame seeds until they’re golden and fragrant. Her other secret is to make sure your chicken pieces are all the same size so they cook evenly. She says nothing ruins a meal like dry, overcooked chicken alongside raw chicken. Cut everything uniform and your chicken will be perfect every time. These simple tricks turn good sticky rice bowl into amazing, perfectly balanced meal ideas for one or family dinners.
FAQ about Sticky Chicken Rice Bowls
What are the three ingredients in sticky chicken?
The three essential ingredients in sticky chicken are chicken, soy sauce, and honey. These create that signature sweet and savory sticky sauce. Soy sauce provides saltiness and umami, honey adds sweetness and helps create the sticky glaze, and chicken is obviously the protein. Most recipes enhance this with garlic, ginger, and sesame oil, but the basic three-ingredient version is just chicken, soy, and honey mixed together and cooked until thick.
What kind of rice is best for rice bowls?
For Asian-style rice bowls, short-grain white rice or jasmine rice works best because it’s slightly sticky and holds together well with chopsticks. Sushi rice creates authentic Japanese texture. For healthier options, brown rice or cauliflower rice work great. For meal prep, jasmine or long-grain white rice holds up better over several days. The rice should be fluffy but slightly sticky so it absorbs the sauce without getting mushy.
Is a rice bowl healthy for weight loss?
Rice bowls can be healthy for weight loss if you balance the components properly. Use brown rice or cauliflower rice for fewer calories and more fiber. Include lean protein like chicken breast, load up on vegetables, and use sauce sparingly. A balanced rice bowl with lean protein, vegetables, and moderate portions of rice provides nutrition without too many calories. Control portion sizes and limit high-calorie toppings. The protein and fiber keep you full longer.
How do you add flavor to rice bowls?
Add flavor to rice bowls by using flavorful sauces (like this sticky sauce), seasoning the rice (add garlic, ginger, or cook in broth instead of water), adding aromatic toppings (sesame seeds, green onions, fresh herbs), including pickled vegetables for tang, drizzling with sesame oil or chili oil, and ensuring your protein is well-seasoned. Layer flavors with different textures (crispy, creamy, crunchy) and temperatures (warm rice, cold cucumber).
Conclusion
These Sticky Chicken Rice Bowls are absolutely perfect for busy nights! So go ahead and put that delivery app away! Here’s to a homemade meal that’s faster, healthier, and a million times more satisfying. It’s our new favorite way to win the “what’s for dinner?” race on a busy night.
If you love rice bowls, check out these Instant Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice Bowls from Allrecipes for another delicious variation.
Give this sticky chicken rice bowls recipe a try and let me know what you think. Grandma and I love hearing about your rice bowl successes!
Grandma’s “Better Than Takeout” Sticky Chicken Rice Bowls
Equipment
- 1 Baking Sheet Lined with parchment paper. Grandma always said this saves you from scrubbing!
- 1 small saucepan For making that amazing sticky sauce.
- 2 Large Mixing Bowls
- 1 Steamer Basket (or pot with lid), For getting that broccoli perfectly tender-crisp
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1.5 lbs Boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs Cut into 1-inch bite-sized pieces.
- 2 tablespoons Cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon Vegetable oil
- 1 pinch Salt and pepper To taste. Grandma always said "don't be shy with the pepper Jazzy!"
For the Sticky Sauce
- 1/3 cup Soy sauce
- 1/3 cup Honey
- 3 cloves Garlic Minced. Fresh is always best, just like she taught me.
- 2 tablespoons Rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon Fresh ginger Grated. The aroma is everything!
- 1/4 teaspoon Red pepper flakes Optional, but we love a little kick.
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons Water
For Assembling the Bowls
- 3 cups Cooked white or brown rice Jasmine rice is my favorite for this.
- 3 cups Broccoli florets Steamed until just tender-crisp.
- 2 tablespoons Sesame seeds Toasted. Don't skip this!
- 3 Green onions Sliced, for garnish.
Instructions
- First things first, get your [rice] cooking according to the package directions. Grandma always started the rice first, no matter what. "It minds its own business while you do the real work, Jazzy," she'd say, tapping her wooden spoon.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line that baking sheet with parchment paper. Pat your [chicken pieces] dry with paper towels, this is the secret to getting them crispy! In a large bowl, toss the [chicken] with [2 tablespoons cornstarch], [salt], and [pepper] until every piece is lightly coated. Drizzle with [1 tablespoon vegetable oil] and toss it one more time.
- Spread the [chicken] in a single layer on your prepared baking sheet. Grandma always said, "Give them space, honey, or they'll steam instead of bake." Pop it in the oven for 15-18 minutes, flipping the pieces halfway through, until they're golden and cooked to 165°F.
- While the chicken bakes, make that glorious sauce. In your small saucepan, whisk together the [soy sauce], [honey], [minced garlic], [rice vinegar], [sesame oil], [grated ginger], and [red pepper flakes] (if you're using them). Bring it to a simmer over medium heat for about 2-3 minutes. The whole kitchen will start to smell like your favorite takeout spot!
- In a tiny bowl, mix the [1 tablespoon cornstarch] with [2 tablespoons water] to make a slurry. Pour this into the simmering sauce, whisking constantly. Let it bubble for another 2-3 minutes until it's thick, glossy, and perfect. My grandma's notebook has "THIS IS THE MAGIC!" written right next to this step in her beautiful cursive.
- While everything else finishes, steam your [broccoli florets] for 4-5 minutes. You want them bright green and still a little crunchy. Nobody likes mushy broccoli!
- Once the chicken is done, transfer it to a large bowl. Now, remember Grandma's big secret: pour most of the sauce over the [chicken] and toss to coat every piece, but save a little sauce for drizzling at the end! To build your bowls, lay down a bed of warm [rice], top with the sticky chicken, add your [steamed broccoli], and garnish with those [toasted sesame seeds] and [sliced green onions]. Drizzle with that extra sauce you saved. Perfection!
Notes
- Grandma’s #1 Tip: Don’t ever skip toasting your [sesame seeds]! Just a minute in a dry pan over medium heat until they’re golden and fragrant. She always said, “It wakes up the flavor, Jazzy. It’s the little things that make a meal special.”
- Even Cooking: Grandma always insisted on cutting the [chicken] pieces as uniform as possible. This ensures everything cooks evenly, and you don’t get some dry bits and some raw bits.
- Meal Prep: This recipe is a dream for meal prep. Store the [rice], [chicken], [broccoli], and sauce in separate containers in the fridge. Reheat and assemble when you’re ready to eat!
- Protein Swaps: This sauce is amazing on baked tofu or shrimp, too! If using shrimp, they’ll only need about 8-10 minutes to bake.
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