Coconut Rice Peanut Bowl (Printable Version)

Fluffy coconut rice, tender grilled chicken, fresh vegetables, and rich peanut sauce come together in this nourishing bowl.

# 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 black 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 chopped cilantro

→ 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 chopped roasted peanuts
26 - Lime wedges

# Method:

01 - Rinse jasmine rice under cold water until water runs clear. Combine rice, coconut milk, water, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, reduce to low, cover, and simmer 15 to 18 minutes until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork.
02 - Whisk together soy sauce, lime juice, olive oil, honey, minced garlic, ground ginger, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat evenly. Marinate for at least 15 minutes, or up to 1 hour for deeper flavor development.
03 - Preheat grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook marinated chicken 5 to 7 minutes per side until fully cooked and juices run clear. Allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes before slicing against the grain.
04 - Combine peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, and sriracha in a small bowl. Whisk together and gradually add warm water until achieving desired sauce consistency.
05 - Divide coconut rice among four serving bowls. Top each with sliced grilled chicken, red cabbage, carrots, cucumber, edamame, and cilantro. Drizzle generously with peanut sauce. Garnish with chopped roasted peanuts and lime wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The peanut sauce is creamy and tangy without being heavy, and honestly, you'll find yourself wanting to drizzle it on everything else for days.
  • You can prep most of the components ahead of time, which means assembly takes maybe five minutes even on your most chaotic evenings.
  • It tastes restaurant-quality but comes together faster than calling for delivery.
02 -
  • If your coconut milk was sitting in the pantry for a while, the cream separates to the top—shake the can vigorously or stir it together before opening, because that separated cream is flavor you don't want to lose.
  • Don't skip the five-minute rest after the chicken finishes cooking; those minutes let the juices redistribute so every slice stays juicy instead of drying out the moment you cut into it.
  • Your peanut sauce should taste bold and slightly aggressive on its own, because it mellows the second it hits the rice and vegetables.
03 -
  • If your peanut sauce breaks or gets too thick, add warm water one teaspoon at a time rather than all at once—you have more control and you won't end up with something too thin to drizzle.
  • Lime juice is not optional; it's the thing that wakes up all the other flavors and prevents the bowl from tasting flat or heavy, so even if you're cutting corners elsewhere, squeeze fresh lime right before eating.
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