March 1, 2023

Soy-Marinated Chicken Thigh Bowls

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Last Updated on March 1, 2023 by Annie

Juicy honey soy-marinated chicken thighs top a bowl of sticky rice, with a side of quick pickled cucumbers and carrots in this irresistible soy-marinated chicken thigh bowl recipe. These filling and flavorful Asian-inspired chicken and rice bowls make a delicious dinner or lunch meal prep recipe.

A close up of the soy-marinated chicken thigh bowl in a black bowl on sticky rice.

Say hello to the weeknight dinner recipe of your dreams! These juicy soy-marinated chicken thigh bowls are one of the top meals we make in our house and with good reason. For starters they were introduced to us around the time our son was born, so there is a little sentimental value there but also because they are crazy delicious.

Right after we had our son, one of our friend brought us all the fix-ins for these savory chicken thigh bowls. Grilled and marinated chicken, fresh rice, quick pickled cucumbers and carrots, and avocados. We quickly put these bowls together and devoured them in a matter of minutes. They were so juicy and filling I couldn’t get enough of them (also could have been the huger that comes with breastfeeding…)

Anyways, once we ran out of the meal, we started making it ourselves and has quickly become our favorite dinner to date.

Why We LOVE This Chicken Rice Bowl Recipe

Honestly I don’t think there is enough time in the world to tell you just how much I love these soy-marinated chicken thigh bowls. Some of the top reasons include:

  • Flavorful. Between the juicy chicken thighs, the salty crunch of the quick pickled veggies, and the creamy topping of spicy mayo there are just so many wonderful flavors in these bowls.
  • Versatile. You can easily swap out toppings to meet everyones needs. If you are looking for more heat add additional sriracha to the spicy mayo.
  • Filling. Packed with rice, chicken, and all the toppings your little heart can handle these bowls will leave you full and happy.
  • Naturally dairy-free. No swaps, substitutions, or additional dairy-free ingredients needed for these delicious bowls.

How To Make Soy-Marinated Chicken Thigh Bowls

We are going to break these bowls down into the main ingredients, soy marinated chicken thighs, sticky long-grain rice, and quick pickled cucumbers and carrots.

Soy-Marinated Chicken Thighs

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Chicken Thighs– Roughly 2-3 pounds trimmed of excess fat.
  • Liquid ingredients– Soy sauce, lemon juice, honey, olive oil, sriracha.
  • Spices and seasoning– Fresh garlic, ground ginger, sea salt, and white pepper.
Chicken thighs and the marinade ingredients on a white counter.

Directions for Soy-Marinated Chicken Thighs

  • Make marinade: In a large shallow storage container mix together soy sauce, lemon juice, honey, garlic, ground ginger, olive oil, sriracha, sea salt, and white pepper.
  • Marinate the chicken thighs: Using tongs place the chicken thighs into the storage container cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, flipping halfway through.
  • Grill the chicken: When you are ready to grill the thighs, grill until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
  • Rest the chicken: Remove the chicken thighs from the grill and allow to rest 5 minutes before slicing and serving in your bowls.
A glass bowl with a small silver whisk and the chicken thigh marinade all mixed together.
A glass dish filled with chicken thighs and the soy marinade.
A shallow glass dish with marinated chicken thighs before grilling.

Sticky Long-Grain Rice

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Rice– Regular long grain rice works perfectly here.
  • Water– To cook the rice.
  • Rice Vinegar- Heated with sugar and salt to make the rice sticky.
  • Sugar– To help sweeten and stick the rice together.
  • Salt– Balances out the sugar.

Directions for Sticky Long-Grain Rice

This is by no means a traditional sticky rice recipe. It’s a quick method for making a sticky rice for this chicken thigh bowl. I start by using my long-grain rice recipe and then add a rice vinegar mixture over the top.

  • Boil water: In a medium-sized pot, bring 2 cups of water to boil over high heat.
  • Add rice: Once boiling, stir in 1 cup of rice. Bring the water back to a boil. 
  • Cover and cook: When the rice and water are boiling, stir the rice TWICE, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes.
  • Steam in saucepan: When the 15 minutes are up, remove from heat and leave the pot covered for 5 minutes. 
  • Make the quick sticky mixture: While the rice fluffs heat together rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Stir together with a spatula or wooden spoon. 
  • Pour sticky mixture over the rice: After the 5 minutes are up, pour the rice vinegar mixture over the rice and stir to combine. If you cooked the rice in a stainless steel pot, transfer it to a glass or plastic bowl and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon. Set aside.
Ingredients for sticky rice on a white counter with a blue and white striped towel.
A glass bowl with the rice vinegar mixture mixed together.
A white bowl with long grain sticky rice and a wooden spatula.

Quick Pickled Cucumbers and Carrots

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Carrots– I used pre-shredded carrots but you are more than welcome to shred them yourself.
  • Cucumber– A medium sized basic green cucumber found at the grocery store.
  • Rice Vinegar– To pickle the vegetables.
  • Sugar– For a little sweetness.
  • Salt– Helps remove some of the moisture from the cucumbers and carrots.

Directions for Quick Pickled Cucumbers and Carrots

  • Shred cucumber: Shred 1 cucumber using a cheese grater and set aside.
  • Mix quick pickle ingredients: In a tall mason jar, at least 24 ounces large, mix together rice vinegar, salt, and sugar.
  • Add vegetables: Add shredded cucumber and shredded carrots to the mason jar.
  • Mix + chill: Shake to mix and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
A close up of shredded carrots and cucumbers on a black plate.
A tall mason jar with the pickling ingredients before the vegetables are added.
A tall mason jar with quick pickled cucumbers and carrots on a white counter.

Assemble the Soy-Marinated Chicken Thigh Bowls

When you are ready to assemble the bowls I recommend layering the warm ingredients first, followed by the refrigerated ingredients, then finally the sauces and garnishes.

  • Place a layer of sticky long-grain rice down at the bottom of the bowl.
  • Top with chopped soy-marinated chicken thigh.
  • Add a side of quick pickled cucumbers and carrots.
  • Top with additional toppings listed below.

Additional Toppings for Chicken Thigh Bowls

  • Sriracha Mayo– A mixture or mayo, soy sauce, and sriracha adds a nice kick to the bowl.
  • Fresh Avocado– For a creamy and cooling addition.
  • Diced cilantro- To garnish.
  • Green onion– More garnish.
A black bowl with soy-marinated chicken topping sticky rice with avocado and pickled cucumbers and carrots on top.

Helpful Kitchen Tools

Some tools you might find helpful as you whip up these juicy chicken thigh bowls include:

  • Shallow tupperware– Great for marinating meat and tossing into the dishwasher for an easy and clean finish.
  • Tall mason jars– For pickling the cucumbers and shredded carrots.
  • Meat thermometer– To help you know if the chicken thighs have cooked through without having to slice into them too early.

How to Prep in Advance

The important thing to keep in mind when making and prepping for these chicken thigh bowls is that most of the work can be done in advance or when you are meal-prepping for the week. While it might seem overwhelming to do all of the steps at one time, I give you strategies for parts you can make in advance to save you time when you are getting ready to make your meal.

  • Cook the rice up to 5 days in advance.
  • Prep the pickled cucumbers and carrots up to 3 days in advance.
  • Make the marinade and soak the chicken overnight.
A rice bowl with soy marinated chicken thighs in a black bowl with a gold fork on a white counter.

Storing and Reheating

These flavorful soy-marinated chicken thigh bowls are the perfect meal prep recipe for quick lunches or simple dinners all week long. To store the parts of these bowls:

  • Keep grilled chicken in an air-tight container for up to 4 days.
  • Store long grain sticky rice in an air-tight container for up to 5 days.
  • The pickled cucumbers and carrots will keep in their pickling jar for up to 2 weeks.
  • Spicy mayo will keep in an air-tight container for up to 4 weeks.

To reheat these chicken thigh bowls, chop a chicken thigh and heat with long-grain sticky rice in a bowl. Microwave on 30-second intervals until the desired level of heat.

Top with cold toppings and then drizzle with sauces.

Lunch Meal Prep

  • Place chopped chicken thigh and sticky long grain rice in a shallow meal prep container.
  • Store quick pickled cucumbers and carrots in a small tupperware with additional toppings such as cilantro, green onion, and avocado.
  • Place sauces in their own, small storage container.
  • Heat the chicken and sticky rice together. Then top with cold toppings and enjoy.

More Delicious Dinner Recipes

If you tried these delicious soy-marinated chicken thigh bowls feel free to leave a comment below! I would love to hear how it went! Or, snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @mylifeafterdairy to share all your life after dairy adventures!

You can also get delicious dairy-free recipes and tips by signing up for my newsletter!

A close up of a gold fork in a soy marinated chicken thigh bowl with chicken and rice on the fork.
A close up of a soy marinated chicken thigh bowl in a black bowl on a white counter.
Print

Soy-Marinated Chicken Thigh Bowls

Juicy marinated chicken thighs top sticky rice with a side of quick pickled cucumbers and carrots in this filling asian-inspired chicken and rice bowl recipe.

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword Chicken, Chicken Bowl, Chicken Thighs, Meal Prep, Rice Bowl
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Marinating Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours
Servings 6 bowls

Ingredients

Soy-Marinated Chicken Thighs

  • 2-3 pounds Chicken Thighs boneless, skinless
  • 3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
  • 3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
  • 4 Tablespoons Honey
  • 5 cloves Garlic minced or microplaned
  • ½ teaspoon Ground Ginger
  • 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon Sriracha
  • 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
  • ¼ teaspoon White Pepper

Long Grain Sticky Rice

  • 1 cup Long Grain Rice
  • 2 cups Water
  • ¼ cup Rice Vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Salt

Quick Pickled Cucumbers and Carrots

  • 1 cup Carrots shredded
  • 1 Cucumber shredded
  • ½ cup Rice Vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Salt

Toppings

  • Sriracha Mayo
  • Soy Sauce
  • Green Onion
  • Cilantro
  • Avocado

Instructions

Soy Marinated Chicken Thighs

  1. In a large shallow storage container mix together 3 Tablespoons soy sauce, 3 Tablespoons lemon juice, 4 Tablespoons honey, 5 minced pods of garlic, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1 Tablespoon sriracha, 1 teaspoon sea salt, and ¼ teaspoon white pepper.

  2. Using tongs place 2-3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs into the storage container cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours (or overnight), flipping halfway through.

  3. When you are ready to grill the thighs, grill until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F.

  4. Remove the chicken thighs from the grill and allow to rest 5 minutes before slicing and serving in your bowls.

Long Grain Sticky Rice

  1. In a medium-sized pot, bring 2 cups of water to boil over high heat. Once boiling, stir in 1 cup of rice. Bring the water back to a boil. 

  2. When the rice and water are boiling, stir the rice TWICE, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes.

  3. When the 15 minutes are up, remove from heat and leave the pot covered for 5 minutes. 

  4. While the rice fluffs heat together ¼ cup rice vinegar, 2 Tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir together with a spatula or wooden spoon. 

  5. After the 5 minutes are up, pour the rice vinegar mixture over the rice and stir to combine.

  6. If you cooked the rice in a stainless steel pot, transfer it to a glass or plastic bowl and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon. Set aside.

Quick Pickled Cucumbers and Carrots

  1. Shred 1 cucumber using a cheese grater and set aside.

  2. In a tall mason jar, at least 24 ounces large, mix together ½ cup rice vinegar, 2 Tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt.

  3. Add shredded cucumber and 1 cup shredded carrots to the mason jar.

  4. Shake to mix and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Assemble the Chicken Thigh Bowls

  1. Make the sriracha mayo: In a small bowl mix together ¼ cup mayo, 1 Tablespoon sriracha, and ½ Tablespoon soy sauce until smooth.

  2. Place a layer of sticky long-grain rice down at the bottom of the bowl.

  3. Top with chopped soy-marinated chicken thigh.

  4. Add a side of quick pickled cucumbers and carrots.

  5. Top with additional toppings such as cilantro, green onion, avocado, jalapeño, spicy mayo, and soy sauce.

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Filed Under: Dinner, Lunch
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