Ground Chicken Teriyaki Bowls

Dig into my ground chicken teriyaki bowls, made with sticky teriyaki chicken, bell peppers, and a fresh cucumber topping. These bowls are easy to prep, full of nutritious ingredients, and absolutely delicious – what more could you want?

Chicken teriyaki bowls

Craving takeout? My homemade chicken teriyaki is the answer to your woes!

This recipe layers sweet chicken teriyaki and crunchy veggies on a bed of rice. Cucumbers and green onions add fresh flavor, with nutty sesame seeds tying everything together. 

Nutritious, good protein, great for meal prepping

Chicken teriyaki bowls are one of my meal prep go-tos because they’re super easy to make, perfect for leftovers, and nutritionally complete. Protein, veggies, and a filling grain come together to make a nurturing and craveable meal. 

In short, you’re going to love this one. 

Craving more teriyaki-goodness? Check out my recipes for Teriyaki Beef Bowls and Healthy Teriyaki Salmon. But first – my chicken teriyaki bowls!

Ingredients needed

Here’s a little bit about everything that goes into my ground chicken teriyaki bowls.

Chicken bowls

• Olive oil: A bit of olive oil makes the world go round! This recipe calls for 3 tbsp to cook our chicken, bell peppers, and onion. 
• Ground chicken: 1lb of ground chicken gives these bowls a great protein content. Veggie ground or ground turkey would also do the trick. 
• Bell peppers: 3 bell peppers give these bowls extra nutrition and a sweet crunch. I use one red, one orange, and one yellow; they all taste similar, but the variety looks great!
• Yellow onion: 1 small yellow onion adds flavor and aromatics to this recipe.
• Rice: I like to use rice as the base for my bowls because it soaks up all of that delicious teriyaki marinade. You’ll need 1 ½ cups of dry rice (will triple when cooked). Jasmine would suit this recipe well, but use whichever grain you prefer!
• Cucumbers: Fresh mini cucumbers add a satisfying crunch to these bowls. You’ll need 2 mini cucumbers for serving. 
• Green onion: For added brightness, this recipe calls for ½ bunch green onion (just the light green parts!). 
• Sesame seeds: Sesame seeds add a nutty topping to chicken teriyaki bowls. 

Homemade teriyaki sauce

• Sesame oil: 2 tsp of sesame oil gives our marinade a lovely nutty flavor and a welcome fat source. 
• Low-sodium soy sauce: For salt and umami flavor, this marinade requires ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce. 
• Rice vinegar: I use ¼ cup rice vinegar for acidity. 
• Honey: Teriyaki is famously sweet! My version is naturally sweetened with ¼ cup of honey. 
• Garlic powder: For seasoning, ½ tsp garlic powder really amps up this sauce. 
• Ground ginger: ½ tsp ground ginger adds a warm and subtly spicy note. 
• Red pepper flakes: ¼ tsp red pepper flakes give this sauce just a touch of spice – feel free to adjust based on your heat preference. 
• Cornstarch: Finally, 1 tsp of cornstarch helps this teriyaki thicken for a sweet and sticky masterpiece!

Kitchen tools required

To make these chicken teriyaki bowls, you’ll need a few kitchen essentials. 

• Glass measuring cup
• Whisk
• Large skillet
• Two mixing bowls
• Cooking spatula 
• Cutting board 
• Kitchen knife 

You’ll also need measuring cups, including 1 cup, ½ cup, ¼ cup, 1 tbsp, 1 tsp, ½ tsp, and ¼ tsp. 

How to make ground chicken teriyaki bowls 

First up, we’ll mix your teriyaki marinade. To a glass measuring cup, add 2 tsp sesame oil, ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce, ¼ cup rice vinegar, ¼ cup honey, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp red pepper flake, and 1 tsp of cornstarch. Whisk well until combined. 

Next, cook 1 ½ cups of rice according to the package; set aside. 

Now, on to the chicken! Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, adding 2 tbsp of olive oil to the pan. Once it’s hot, add 1lb of ground chicken. Break it up and cook until there’s no pink left. Pour half of your prepared teriyaki sauce over top and bring it to a simmer. 

Cook the teriyaki chicken until the sauce begins to thicken; this should take about 7-8 minutes. Turn off your heat and transfer the cooked chicken to a bowl. 

In the same skillet, add another tbsp of oil along with 3 thinly-sliced bell peppers and 1 small yellow onion, also thinly sliced. Cook for about 3-4 minutes until the veggies begin to soften. 

Set aside 2 tbsp of your marinade, then add the remainder to the skillet. Toss the vegetables in the teriyaki sauce, letting it thicken for another 7-8 minutes. Turn off the heat. 

Finally, in a small mixing bowl, add two sliced mini cucumbers and ½ bunch of chopped green onion (we want the light green parts!). Pour your reserved marinade on top and mix. 

Step-by-step instructions for how to make Ground Chicken Teriyaki Bowls

Recipe tips

Below are some common ground chicken teriyaki bowl questions. Don’t see the answer you’re looking for? Leave a comment at the bottom of this post!

How to serve ground chicken teriyaki bowls

To build your bowl, begin with a bed of rice, then layer teriyaki chicken, peppers, and onions. Top with your mixed cucumbers and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Bon apetit!

Can I substitute the rice in these chicken teriyaki bowls?

This recipe is super versatile, depending on your nutrient goals, cravings, or simply what you have on hand. Try swapping your bed of rice for:

• Roasted vegetables
• Rice or soba noodles
• Quinoa
• Cauliflower rice

Storing leftovers

To store leftovers, allow your chicken mixture to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. For the best results, I recommend keeping your components separate, i.e., individual containers for your teriyaki with ground chicken, rice, and cucumber topping. 

Your chicken and rice containers should keep well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Your cucumber mixture has a shorter lifespan of 1-2 days before it gets soggy. 

If you liked this recipe, you’ll want to try these!

Want more nutritious meal ideas? Start with some of these favorites:

• Chili and Cornbread Skillet 
• Healthy Chicken Lettuce Wraps
• Pistachio Crusted Salmon
• Honey Mustard Crispy Chicken Salad
• Spicy Roasted Veggie Date Salad

Recipe by Erin Antoniak and Photos by Bake and Bacon