Chicken Satay Rice Bowls

If you are looking for some new quick and easy meal inspiration that still packs a punch in the flavour department, these Chicken Satay Rice Bowls are the recipe for you. Imagine a bowl of fluffy rice topped with tender chicken thighs, the most delicious spiced satay sauce, cooling cucumber, sharp pickled red onions, crunchy peanuts, spicy chilli and fresh coriander. It is super colourful and delicious. Plus, it can be on the table in under 40 minutes - perfect for a weeknight meal.

These Chicken Satay Rice Bowls are one of those dishes that taste so good that you would assume they are rather complicated but, trust me, they are really simple. The marinade doubles up as the sauce (which takes just minutes to put together). Then you let the oven do the hard work while you prep the quick pickled onions and vegetables. I also love the fact this is such a versatile recipe (a bit like  my Teriyaki Salmon Bowls). You can switch up the base and veggies depending on what you fancy… sticky sushi rice is delicious, so are noodles. You can use all sorts of vegetables that need using up (great for reducing food waste)...

Why you will love this Chicken Satay Rice Bowls recipe:

• They are so simple - you can have it on the table in under 40 minutes!
• Packed full of flavour and texture thanks to the incredible combination of nutty, crunchy peanuts, salty soy sauce, spicy chilli, sour lime, fluffy basmati rice, sharp pickled red onions and creamy coconut milk. Yum!
• They are super versatile - I serve with fluffy rice in this recipe, but you can switch it up by serving with your favourite noodles. You can also easily adapt them for vegans and use all sorts of different vegetables.
• They are a delicious fakeaway option that will be on the table quicker than any Deliveroo rider.
• They are budget-friendly thanks to the chicken thighs which are one of the more affordable cuts of meat. Plus it is much cheaper than ordering a takeaway when you crave an Asian-inspired meal.
• They can be cooked in the airfryer or oven.

Ingredients:

Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down!

• Garlic - I find 1 clove is enough for a subtle garlic flavour in the marinade, although you could use more for a stronger garlic flavour. Garlic granules are a good swap if you don’t have fresh garlic (I always keep a pot in my larder for emergencies).
• Curry powder - this adds a wonderfully aromatic, spiced flavour to the marinade. You can choose mild, medium or hot depending on how spicy you like it.
• Salt - a sprinkling of flaky sea salt adds so much flavour. I recommend Maldon Salt Flakes - both their chilli and garlic ones would work really well here too.
• Lime - this adds acidity to the marinade and sauce which helps balance out the other nutty, spicy and salty flavours. 
• Soy sauce - this is full of salty, umami flavour which makes for the most delicious satay marinade and sauce. 
• Peanut butter - smooth works best for the marinade and sauce but you could use chunky at a push.
• Water - a splash of water helps to loosen the satay sauce and chicken marinade so it isn’t too thick and gloopy.
• Chicken thighs - chicken thighs are so tender and succulent - perfect for these Chicken Satay Rice Bowls.
• Coconut milk - this brings a delicious coconut flavour to the sauce. Opt for full-fat for the best results.
• Red onion - this has a milder flavour than white onion and adds a beautiful pop of colour to the finished dish. The acidity of the pickling balances out the other flavours perfectly.
• White wine vinegar - this acts as the acid, bringing sharpness to the pickled onions.
• Rice - a bowl of fluffy rice is a thing of beauty and the perfect base for this dish. You could use the microwavable pouches if you are short on time.
• Cucumber - I love adding cucumber to rice bowls as they taste so refreshing. Using a vegetable peeler to make ribbons looks very pretty but you could also thinly slice or cut into chunks if you prefer. 
• Red chilli - this adds a bit of a chilli kick to the final dish. You can skip it if you don’t like too much spice - or deseed the chilli for a more subtle tingle.
• Peanuts - these add extra texture and complement the peanut in the satay sauce perfectly.
• Coriander - I love garnishing all sorts of dishes with coriander. It adds an extra burst of flavour and a pop of colour. However, you can leave it out if you are a coriander hater (or swap for parsley).

Substitutions and Variation

• Peanut butter - if you can’t have peanuts, you can still make these Chicken Satay Rice Bowls with almond or cashew butter. Then sprinkle with roasted chopped almonds or cashew nuts instead.
• Chicken thighs - I have used skinless, boneless thigh fillets, but skin-on would work just as well for these Chicken Satay Rice Bowls. I must admit, crispy chicken skin is so good - just keep the marinade off the skin so it can crisp up and focus on coating the bottom. Alternatively, you could use chicken breasts (adjust the cooking time accordingly) or leftover roast chicken or turkey for a super quick option. You could even make these vegan-friendly by using crispy roasted or fried tofu.
• Cucumbers - you could also use baby cucumbers which tend to be slightly crisper and a little sweeter. Alternatively, you could swap for carrot - peeling into curls or cutting into thin matchsticks. Other vegetables work really well too - think thinly sliced mangetout, peppers or radishes, shredded cabbage, edamame beans or cooked sweetcorn. 
• Soy sauce - I tend to use light soy sauce but you can also use dark soy sauce, just add a little less as it’s much more intense. You could swap for tamari, just bear in mind it tends to be thicker and have a stronger flavour.
• Lime juice - you could swap for lemon juice or rice wine vinegar for acidity.
• Rice - I love this with a bowl of steaming fluffy rice but you could opt for egg fried rice if you have the time. Sticky sushi rice is also delicious - or coconut rice if you want a stronger coconut flavour. Remember, there is no shame in using microwavable pouches! You could also serve with noodles instead (any kind will do… egg, udon, rice, vermicelli - the choice is yours!). 
• Nuts - I have used roughly chopped peanuts as a garnish to add texture and complement the peanut butter flavour in the satay sauce. You could also sprinkle these Chicken Satay Rice Bowls with toasted chopped cashew nuts or sesame seeds.
• Crispy onions - a sprinkling of crispy onions would add a delicious onion flavour and extra crunch. You could also use thinly sliced spring onions for a more subtle onion flavour.
• Ginger - if you like the warming flavours of ginger, feel free to add a little ginger paste or grated fresh ginger to the marinade.
• Chilli - I have used fresh chilli for these Chicken Satay Rice Bowls, but you could always use dried chilli flakes. Remember to adjust to your preference too - especially if you don’t like anything too spicy! 

Directions:

Here's a step by step guide for what you need to do. You can find the full recipe below for detailed instructions.

ONE: Preheat air fryer to 180°C or oven to 200°C Fan. Mix garlic, curry powder, salt, lime juice, soy sauce, and peanut butter. Add water to loosen. Divide mixture in half.

TWO: Coat chicken with half the marinade. Roast in air fryer for 20 mins or oven for 25 mins until cooked through.

THREE: Make the satay sauce. Simmer coconut milk with remaining marinade for 5 mins, then thicken off heat for 5 mins.

FOUR: Serve chicken over rice with satay sauce, pickled onions, cucumber, red chilli, peanuts, and coriander.

Cooking Tips:

• The perfect satay sauce: even though peanut butter is the hero flavour in these Chicken Satay Rice Bowls, you don’t actually want to use too much of it as it will make the sauce thick and gloopy. The key is to keep tasting to balance out the other flavours. As well as addding enough water to have the correct consistency (which is important for the marinade too).
• Rainbow of veg: I have included a few suggestions for veggies to add to these Chicken Satay Rice Bowls, but you can use whatever you have to hand and enjoy experimenting with different flavours and textures. Shredded cabbage adds crunch whilst edamame beans are great for extra protein. Thinly sliced radishes, mangetout or peppers work really well. I also love cooked sweetcorn for a hint of sweetness. At Christmas, I make this with leftover turkey and shredded sprouts!

Frequently Asked Questions

Other recipes you might enjoy:

If you like the sound of these Chicken Satay Rice Bowls, I have plenty of other delicious Asian-inspired recipes for you to try… My Wagamama Pad Thai is ideal when you are craving a takeaway or want to use up a load of veggies lurking in the fridge, whilst my Spicy Tuna with Crispy Rice is my go-to when I want something super simple that still feels luxurious (due to the sashimi-grade tuna). Speaking of Asian-style fish recipes, my Teriyaki Salmon Bowl is another winner and so quick and easy to put together. Talking of fast, fuss-free dishes, my Quick Curry Udon with Tofu is the most wonderfully warming bowl of comfort food that is on the table in under 30 minutes (you can easily adapt it for vegans too!) - my Korean Spicy Ramen Noodles with Cheese is even quicker and literally takes just 5 minutes!

Made this recipe and loved it?

I would love love LOVE if you could leave a review in the comments…  I love hearing what you thought, any changes you made, the stories behind what made you try my recipes. Also, if you share a photo on Instagram, please tag me @desertislanddishes, it makes my day to see you making my creations!

Chicken Satay Rice Bowls

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Fluffy rice topped with tender chicken thighs, spiced satay sauce, cooling cucumber, sharp pickled red onions, crunchy peanuts, spicy chilli and fresh coriander - yes please! These delicious Chicken Satay Rice Bowls are about to become your new favourite midweek meal…

• Author: Margie
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 2 Servings 1x
• Category: Chicken
• Method: Oven Bake
• Cuisine: Indonesian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the marinade:

• 1 garlic clove, crushed 
• 1 tsp curry powder 
• ½ tsp salt 
• Juice of ½ lime
• 1 tbsp soy sauce 
• 3 tbsp smooth peanut butter
• About 1-2 tablespoon water

For the chicken:

• 4 boneless chicken thigh fillets 
• 100ml full-fat coconut milk
• ¼ red onion, finely sliced
• white wine vinegar, to cover
• Pinch of salt

To serve:

• 2 portions of cooked basmati rice
• ½ cucumber, shaved into thin strips using a vegetable peeler
• ½ red chilli (deseeded, if wished), finely diced
• 50g salted peanuts, crushed
• Freshly chopped coriander

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Instructions

1. Preheat the airfryer to 180C or the oven to 200C Fan.
2. In a small bowl mix together the crushed garlic, curry powder, salt, lime juice, soy sauce and peanut butter until combined. Add enough water to loosen. Divide into two - half to marinade the chicken, half for the satay sauce.
3. Place the chicken in a roasting tin or oven-proof dish and coat with half the marinade. Roast in the air fryer for 20 minutes or the oven for 25 minutes - or until cooked through and no pink remains inside (the exact time will depend on the size and shape of your chicken thigh fillets).
4. Meanwhile, for the satay sauce: pour the coconut milk into a small saucepan and add the remaining half of the marinade. Bring to a simmer and cook over a gentle heat for 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat and leave to thicken for 5 minutes.
5. Next, make the pickled onions: pop the sliced onions into a small jar and pour enough white wine vinegar to come half-way up the sides. Top up with water until completely covered. Add a pinch of salt, then leave to sit for 20 minutes.
6. When ready to serve: place a portion of hot rice into 2 serving bowls, top with 2 chicken thigh fillets and drizzle with a little of the satay sauce. Arrange the pickled red onion and shaved cucumber on the side. Garnish with the red chilli, crushed peanuts and coriander. Serve with the remaining satay sauce in small bowls.

Notes

• Rice - don’t worry about cooking your own rice from scratch if you are short on time - those microwavable pouches are super handy (I always have a couple of packets in my larder). You could swap for sticky rice if you prefer the texture.
• Make this vegan-friendly - these Chicken Satay Rice Bowls can easily be made vegan. Simply use crispy fried or roasted tofu, then drizzle the delicious satay sauce on top.