Japanese Salmon Chicken Bowl (Printable)

A vibrant bowl with salmon, chicken, avocado, crisp veggies, and a smart rice reheating technique for perfect warmth.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 skinless salmon fillets (about 10.5 oz total)
02 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8.8 oz total)

→ Marinade

03 - 3 tbsp soy sauce
04 - 1 tbsp mirin
05 - 1 tbsp sake or dry white wine
06 - 1 tsp sesame oil
07 - 1 tsp honey

→ Rice

08 - 2 cups Japanese short-grain rice
09 - 2 1/2 cups water

→ Toppings & Vegetables

10 - 1 ripe avocado, sliced
11 - 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
12 - 1 medium carrot, julienned
13 - 2 scallions, finely sliced
14 - 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
15 - 1 sheet nori, cut into thin strips (optional)

→ Sauce

16 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
17 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
18 - 1 tsp sesame oil
19 - 1/2 tsp sugar

→ For Reheating

20 - 4 ice cubes

# Directions:

01 - Rinse the rice under cold water until clear, then cook with 2 1/2 cups water using a rice cooker or saucepan. Allow to steam after cooking, then fluff with a fork.
02 - Whisk all marinade ingredients together, divide between two shallow dishes. Submerge salmon in one and chicken in the other. Marinate for at least 10 minutes.
03 - Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and cook chicken thighs for 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove, rest briefly, then slice.
04 - Using the same skillet, cook salmon fillets for 2 to 3 minutes per side until just cooked through. Remove and gently flake.
05 - Slice avocado, cucumber, and carrot; finely slice scallions.
06 - Whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar until sugar is dissolved.
07 - Divide rice evenly among four bowls. Arrange chicken, salmon, avocado, cucumber, carrot, and scallions on top. Drizzle with sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds and nori strips as desired.
08 - When reheating pre-assembled bowls, place an ice cube in the rice center, cover with microwave-safe lid or plastic wrap, and microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove any remaining ice before serving to keep rice moist.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Two proteins cooked together mean dinner is ready in under 40 minutes, making weeknight cooking feel less like a chore and more like something you actually want to do.
  • The ice cube reheating hack is genuinely genius—it keeps rice tender instead of turning it into a hockey puck, which alone makes leftovers worth planning for.
  • You get to customize everything; swap proteins, skip ingredients you don't love, or add extras without breaking the balance of the dish.
02 -
  • Overcooked salmon gets dry and loses that buttery texture you're after—timing matters here, so err on the side of slightly underdone and let carryover cooking finish the job.
  • Don't assemble the bowls too far in advance if you're not using the ice cube hack; avocado oxidizes and turns brown, and rice gets cold and stiff before you've even sat down to eat.
  • The sauce is where personality happens—taste it before drizzling and adjust until it feels balanced to your palate, because every bottle of soy sauce is slightly different.
03 -
  • Pat your salmon and chicken dry before cooking so they sear instead of steam, creating that golden crust that means flavor.
  • If you can't find mirin, a teaspoon of honey mixed with a bit of water works in a pinch, though the flavor won't be quite as delicate.
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