Kimchi Rice Bowl

❤️Why You Will Love it

• This is a great make-ahead meal prep dish. With four full servings, you can prepare lunches ahead of time and enjoy them throughout the week or enjoy a family dinner together.
• The flavor and texture combination is delish. Kimchi and rice make a great combination for their texture and flavor contrast. Kimchi and chicken are also a common pairing.
• Versatility: Both rice and kimchi are versatile ingredients that can be combined with various ingredients. If you don't like one or two of the ingredients on the list, swap them out for something you love and happen to have on hand.
• Filling: Rice makes the dish more filling, providing an extra boost of energy.

🍚Kimchi Rice Bowl Ingredients

• soy sauce - Soy sauce enhances the umami flavors and provides the saltiness.
• sesame oil - For the marinade.
• fresh ginger - Instead of fresh ginger, you can substitute with ground ginger. For each tablespoon of fresh ginger, you can use ¼ teaspoon ground ginger.
• chicken breasts - Boneless and skinless.
• pickled veggies - Pickled vegetables have a sour flavor similar to kimchi but add a touch of sweetness. I include instructions to pickle the veggies in this recipe. You will need white vinegar, white sugar, salt, boiling water, carrots and daikon radishes. You could also pick up a jar of pickled Asian vegetables if you wanted.
• canola oil - Not pictured. For frying the chicken.
• cooked rice - This is a great way to use up leftover rice. But if you have to make more: 1 cup dry uncooked rice = about 3 cups cooked.
• kimchi - Check out how to make kimchi here. You can also pick a jar up from the grocery store or online.
• cucumber - Thinly sliced cucumbers balance the hot ingredients with a light, cooling sensation. I have tips for slicing them thinly below. Asian cucumbers are great for slicing and pickling but you can also use English cucumbers.
• wakame - Never tried wakame before? Visit a global food store to pick up this edible seaweed that offers a salty, savory flavor. It will need to be rehydrated. If you can't find any or just don't like wakame, leave it out.

*Check recipe card for ingredient amounts.

🥘How to Make it

1. Marinate the chicken. 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.
2. Pickle the 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.
3. Fry the chicken. 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.
4. Assemble the kimchi rice bowls. 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!

🔪How to Get Thin Cucumber Slices

Here is a pro tip: When you're slicing cucumbers thinly, a knife won't always cut it. Use a vegetable peeler or mandolin 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.

❓Recipe FAQs

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