Coconut Rice Peanut Bowl (Printable)

Fluffy coconut rice topped with grilled chicken, fresh vegetables, and rich peanut sauce for a nourishing Asian-inspired meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Coconut Rice

01 - 1.5 cups jasmine rice
02 - 1 can (14 oz) full-fat coconut milk
03 - 1 cup water
04 - 0.5 teaspoon salt

→ Grilled Chicken

05 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
06 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
08 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
09 - 1 teaspoon honey
10 - 1 clove garlic, minced
11 - 0.5 teaspoon ground ginger
12 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Fresh Vegetables

13 - 1 cup shredded red cabbage
14 - 1 cup julienned carrots
15 - 1 cup thinly sliced cucumber
16 - 0.5 cup cooked shelled edamame
17 - 0.25 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Peanut Sauce

18 - 0.33 cup creamy peanut butter
19 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
20 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
21 - 1 tablespoon honey
22 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
23 - 2 to 3 tablespoons warm water
24 - 0.5 teaspoon sriracha sauce, optional

→ Garnish

25 - 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, chopped
26 - Lime wedges

# How To Make It:

01 - Rinse jasmine rice under cold water until water runs clear. Combine rice, coconut milk, water, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat, let stand covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
02 - In a shallow bowl, whisk together soy sauce, lime juice, olive oil, honey, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper. Add chicken and toss to coat evenly. Marinate for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour for enhanced flavor development.
03 - Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook marinated chicken for 5 to 7 minutes per side until fully cooked and juices run clear. Rest for 5 minutes, then slice into bite-sized pieces.
04 - In a small bowl, combine peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, and sriracha if using. Whisk in warm water gradually until desired consistency is achieved.
05 - Divide coconut rice evenly among four serving bowls. Top each with sliced grilled chicken, red cabbage, carrots, cucumber, edamame, and cilantro. Drizzle generously with peanut sauce and garnish with chopped peanuts and lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour and tastes like you spent all day on it.
  • Each bowl is customizable, so picky eaters and adventurous ones sit happily at the same table.
  • The peanut sauce is genuinely addictive and works on almost anything else you make later.
02 -
  • Overcooking the chicken by even two minutes changes the entire bowl—it becomes dry and no amount of sauce fixes it, so watch that timer closely.
  • The peanut sauce consistency matters more than you think; it should coat a spoon but still flow, and this takes practice to judge by eye.
03 -
  • Make the peanut sauce first and let it sit while you cook—the flavors settle and meld in a way that tastes more sophisticated than fresh sauce.
  • If you're grilling for a crowd, marinate the chicken in the morning and cook just before serving so you're not stressed at dinnertime.
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