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Liven up your palate with spicy kimchi, pickled vegetables and Asian seasonings over a bowl of fluffy white rice in this kimchi rice bowl. Marinated chicken adds protein to this bowl packed with vitamins and minerals. With four full servings, you can prepare lunches ahead of time and enjoy them throughout the week or enjoy a family dinner together.

Kimchi rice bowl on wooden background, overhead view.

What is a Rice Bowl?

A rice bowl is a combination of components that come together in a bowl including a base of rice, a protein, veggies and a sauce. There is always rice, but you can pick and choose the other ingredients you would like to fill the bowl with. Rice bowls can be vegan, vegetarian or meat-based.

Kimchi Rice Bowl Ingredients

Kimchi rice bowl ingredients prepped on wooden board.

The ingredients in this kimchi rice bowl weren’t selected randomly–they complement the spicy kimchi to create a balanced, well-rounded dish. Pickled vegetables have a sour flavor similar to kimchi but add a touch of sweetness. Soy sauce enhances the umami flavors and provides the saltiness while sesame seeds add a crunchy texture. Finally, thinly sliced cucumbers balance the hot ingredients with a light, cooling sensation.

Kimchi rice bowl on wooden background.

Never tried wakame before? Visit a global food store to pick up this edible seaweed that offers a salty, savory flavor. Ginger, soy sauce and pickled vegetables are additional rice bowl staples.

Like ramen, you can do just about anything with rice bowls: the plain, chewy rice offers a blank palette for your vegetables, spices and protein. Rice makes the dish more filling, providing an extra boost of energy.

Kimchi rice bowl on wooden background, front view.

Tips & Info

When you’re slicing cucumbers thinly, a knife won’t cut it. Use a vegetable peeler or mandoline slicer to create thin, papery slices that are almost transparent. While thick slices are hard and chunky, thin slices are light and refreshing and can be rolled up like ribbon, adding an aesthetic touch to the bowl.

If you enjoyed this packed Asian rice bowl, please share the recipe!

Kimchi rice bowl on wooden background, a bowl of kimchi on the side..

Kimchi Rice Bowl

Joss Dyckson
Liven up your palate with spicy kimchi, pickled vegetables and Asian seasonings over a bowl of fluffy white rice in this kimchi rice bowl.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Marinating Time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Japanese, Korean
Servings 4
Calories 406 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

For the Chicken Marinade:

  • ½ cup soy sauce
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh ginger - grated (or ½ teaspoon ground ginger)
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

For the Pickled Veggies:

  • ½ cup white vinegar
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1 cup carrots - julienned
  • 1 cup Daikon radish - julienned

For the Kimchi Bowl:

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 3 cups cooked rice - 1 cup dry uncooked rice = about 3 cups cooked
  • 2  cups kimchi - chopped
  • 1 cucumber - thinly sliced lengthwise (best results with mandolin or vegetable peeler)
  • 1 cup wakame - rehydrated (optional)

Garnishes:

  • Sesame seeds
  • Fresh cilantro - chopped

Instructions
 

For the Chicken Marinade:

  • Whisk the soy sauce, honey, sesame oil and ginger together in a small bowl. Transfer the marinade to a zip-top bag.
  • Add the chicken breasts and marinate for 30 minutes.

For the Pickled Veggies:

  • In a quart-size mason jar, add the vinegar, sugar and salt.
  • Pour the boiling water into the jar and stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved.
  • Stuff the julienned carrots and daikon into the jar.
  • Allow to cool/marinate at room temperature for at least 20 minutes.

For the Kimchi Bowl:

  • In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the canola oil.
  • Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade and add them to the frying pan. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (about 5 to 7 minutes per side). Remove and slice the chicken.
  • Divide the rice (about ¾ cup each), chicken breast, kimchi, pickled veggies, sliced cucumbers and wakame evenly among 4 bowls.
  • Garnish with sesame seeds and fresh cilantro. Serve!

Equipment

Large skillet
1 Quart jar
1 Large zip-top bag

Notes

  • Nutrition information does not include the garnishes.

Nutrition

Calories: 406kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 29gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 1112mgPotassium: 764mgFiber: 2gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 5438IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 52mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.

Keyword kimchi
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Hungry for more? Try our:

Kimchi Stew

Kimchi Shrimp

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