Asian Ground Chicken Rice Bowl
Ginger-soy ground chicken and chopped mushrooms sit over white rice, with long-stemmed greens and a halved jammy egg arranged alongside. Scallions and a light coating of sauce finish the chicken without turning the bowl into a stir-fry.
Cook the mushrooms until their moisture evaporates before adding the chicken. That gives the crumbles a chance to brown and keeps the sauce from becoming watery. Start the rice first, then use the egg pot to blanch the greens while the skillet topping cooks.
Ingredients for Asian Ground Chicken Rice Bowls
Yield: 4 bowls
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: About 25 minutes, with components cooking concurrently
Total time: About 40 minutes
- 1 cup uncooked white rice (185g)
- 1 1/2 cups water for the rice, or the amount directed on the package
- 4 large eggs
- 12 oz Chinese broccoli (gai lan), tough stem ends trimmed (340g)
- 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil
- 8 oz mushrooms, finely chopped (225g)
- 1 lb ground chicken (450g)
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced, white and light-green parts separated from the dark-green tops
For the Sauce and Eggs
- 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce for the chicken, plus 1 tablespoon for the eggs
- 1/3 cup water for the sauce, plus 2 tablespoons for the eggs
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Optional for serving: Chili crisp, to taste.
How to Make Asian Ground Chicken Rice Bowls
- Start the rice: Rinse the rice if desired. Combine it with 1 1/2 cups water in a lidded saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to a gentle simmer, and cook according to the package directions, about 15 to 20 minutes, until tender with no standing water. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff.
- Cook and cool the eggs: While the rice cooks, bring a separate pot of water to a gentle boil. Carefully lower in the eggs and cook for about 7 minutes as a starting point for soft yolks; egg size and starting temperature affect the result. Transfer immediately to ice water for about 5 minutes. Peel, then turn the whole eggs in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 2 tablespoons water. Let stand for about 10 to 15 minutes while you finish the other components. Halve just before serving.
- Blanch the greens: Return the egg pot to a boil. Keeping the stems and leaves together, cook the Chinese broccoli for about 2 to 3 minutes, or a little longer for thick stems. Drain well when the leaves are vibrant and the stems are just tender with a slight bite.
- Mix the sauce: Whisk together 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/3 cup water, the vinegar, brown sugar, cornstarch, and sesame oil until no dry cornstarch remains.
- Cook the mushrooms and chicken: Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of their released liquid evaporates and they begin to brown. Add the ground chicken, breaking it into small crumbles. Let it sit briefly between stirs so it can brown. Start checking after about 6 minutes of chicken cooking; continue until no pink remains and the chicken reaches 165°F (75°C). When practical, check a sufficiently large clump with an instant-read thermometer, and make sure the smaller crumbles are cooked through. Stir in the ginger, garlic, and white and light-green scallion parts near the end; cook until fragrant, lowering the heat if they begin to scorch.
- Coat and assemble: Whisk the sauce again, pour it into the skillet, and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer uncovered for about 2 to 3 minutes, just until the sauce lightly coats the crumbles without pooling. Divide the rice among four bowls and spoon the chicken and mushrooms over it, leaving some rice visible. Group the greens along one side and place one egg, cut into two halves, cut-side up on each bowl. Scatter the scallion tops over the chicken. Offer chili crisp at the table, if desired.
How to Keep the Chicken Moist and the Sauce Glossy
A wide skillet gives mushroom moisture room to evaporate before the chicken goes in. A smaller or crowded pan may take longer; wait until the mushrooms stop releasing much liquid rather than adding the sauce to a watery skillet.
Give the chicken brief contact with the hot pan for browning, but add the sauce once it is cooked through instead of continuing to fry it. Whisking cornstarch into the cool sauce prevents lumps. Stop simmering as soon as the sauce coats the crumbles so it does not become pasty or dry out the chicken.
Greens and Bowl Variations
If Chinese broccoli is unavailable, use a similarly long-stemmed green such as baby bok choy. Halve larger heads lengthwise, keep the stems intact, and adjust the blanching time to their thickness.
Cooked brown rice or separately cooked riced cauliflower can replace the white rice as a base, though either changes the bowl’s appearance. Ground turkey can replace the chicken; its moisture and skillet timing may differ, so cook it to 165°F.
For another chicken bowl with an egg, try these teriyaki chicken and broccoli bowls.
Storing and Reheating the Components
Refrigerate the cooked chicken, rice, and greens promptly in covered containers and use within 3 to 4 days. Refrigerate the cooked eggs separately and use within 1 week. Keep them whole until serving, or cook fresh eggs for the best soft-yolk texture.
Reheat the chicken and rice until steaming hot throughout; leftovers should reach 165°F. Warm the greens briefly if desired, and serve the jammy eggs chilled rather than microwaving them.
The chicken-mushroom topping can be frozen separately for about 2 to 3 months for best quality. Thaw it in the refrigerator and reheat thoroughly. Do not freeze the jammy eggs or blanched greens for this presentation.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per bowl (1 of 4): 545 calories, 33g protein, 22g fat, and 50g carbohydrates. Approximate nutrition per 100g: 125 calories, 8g protein, 5g fat, and 12g carbohydrates. Estimates exclude optional chili crisp; values vary with the ground chicken, rice, and moisture lost during cooking.
Equipment
- Lidded saucepan
- Small pot
- Ice bath
- 12-inch skillet
- Whisk
- Instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
For the Bowls
- 1 cup uncooked white rice (185 g)
- 1 1/2 cups water for the rice, or the amount directed on the package
- 4 large eggs
- 12 oz Chinese broccoli (gai lan), tough stem ends trimmed (340 g)
- 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil
- 8 oz mushrooms, finely chopped (225 g)
- 1 lb ground chicken (450 g)
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced, white and light-green parts separated from dark-green tops
For the Sauce and Eggs
- 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce for the chicken, plus 1 tablespoon for the eggs
- 1/3 cup water for the sauce, plus 2 tablespoons for the eggs
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Optional for Serving
- Chili crisp, to taste
Instructions
- Combine the rice and 1 1/2 cups water in a lidded saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to a gentle simmer, and cook according to package directions, about 15 to 20 minutes, until tender and no water remains. Let stand covered for 5 minutes, then fluff.
- While the rice cooks, bring a separate pot of water to a gentle boil. Carefully add the eggs and cook for about 7 minutes. Transfer them immediately to ice water for about 5 minutes, then peel.
- Turn the peeled eggs in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 2 tablespoons water. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes, then halve just before serving.
- Bring the egg pot back to a boil. Add the Chinese broccoli and blanch for 2 to 3 minutes, or longer for thick stems, until the leaves are vibrant and the stems are just tender. Drain well.
- Whisk together 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/3 cup water, rice vinegar, brown sugar, cornstarch, and sesame oil until the cornstarch dissolves.
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of their liquid evaporates and they begin to brown.
- Add the ground chicken, breaking it into small crumbles. Let it sit briefly between stirs to brown. Cook until no pink remains and it reaches 165°F (75°C). Stir in the ginger, garlic, and white and light-green scallion parts near the end, cooking until fragrant.
- Whisk the sauce again and pour it into the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes, until the sauce lightly coats the chicken.
- Divide the rice among four bowls and top with the chicken and mushrooms. Add the greens and one halved egg to each bowl, scatter the scallion tops over the chicken, and serve with chili crisp if desired.
Tips
- Cook the mushrooms until most of their released liquid evaporates before adding the chicken.
- Use a wide skillet to help the mushrooms brown without crowding.
- Let the chicken sit briefly between stirs so it can brown.
- Whisk the cornstarch into the cool sauce before adding it to the skillet to prevent lumps.
- Stop simmering once the sauce coats the chicken to keep it glossy and avoid drying out the topping.
Variations
- Baby Bok Choy: Replace the Chinese broccoli with baby bok choy; halve larger heads lengthwise and adjust blanching time to the stem thickness.
- Brown Rice or Riced Cauliflower: Use cooked brown rice or separately cooked riced cauliflower in place of the white rice.
- Ground Turkey: Replace the ground chicken with ground turkey and cook it to 165°F.
