Poke bowls are one of my favorite weeknight dinners. My boyfriend always gets excited when he realises a poke bowl is on the menu, and it’s easy to see why.

And these lovely miso chicken poke bowls feature juicy miso-marinated chicken that can be broiled in the oven or cooked in the air fryer for crispy, caramelized perfection. While that’s cooking, make your rice, prep the veg and whisk up that gorgeous dressing. It all comes together fast, with minimal hands-on time.

If you like the sound of these bowls, you might want to try my spicy tuna poke bowls or baked salmon poke bowls too, for a slightly different variation.

“Made third day in a row! It’s delicious! We can’t stop eating, and I even make your chili jam! My family love your recipes! Thank you for amazingly beautiful food!” – Em ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Why You’ll Love This Chicken Poke Bowl Recipe

• Quick and easy. The poke bowls come together in just 30 minutes and most of the work overlaps.
• Easily customizable. You can load your bowls up exactly how you like – more sauce, extra crunchy toppings, super spicy or mild – you’re in control.
• Brilliant for meal prep. Every element can be made ahead of time and will keep for up to five days in the fridge. They’re wonderful for veggie-packed lunches.
• Perfect for parties. I LOVE to serve these bowls buffet style, with the toppings all laid out for people to pick and choose what they’d like. It’s fabulous for summer entertaining.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Miso paste. Use white miso paste – it’s milder than saltier red miso paste. You should be able to find this in the International or Asian food aisle at the grocery store.
• Chicken thighs. I prefer using chicken thighs because they’re juicier than chicken breasts, so they won’t dry out in the oven, but you can use chicken breasts if you like.
• Short-grain rice. Short-grain, or sushi rice, is traditional for poke bowls because it’s sticky and holds together (like sushi). Another type of rice, like jasmine or basmati, will work if that’s all you have, just make sure to follow the packet instructions when you cook it.
• The toppings. I’ve used cucumber, carrot, scallions, cilantro, and a little red chili. Feel free to mix it up with whatever crunchy veggies you have – shredded cabbage, edamame beans or broccoli work well.
• The dressing. This zingy dressing pulls everything together. You’ll need rice vinegar, light soy sauce, sesame oil, lime juice, garlic, ginger and sweet chili jam (or swap in sweet chili sauce or hot honey sauce).

How to Make Miso Chicken Poke Bowls

This is a step-by-step photo overview of how to make the miso chicken poke bowls – the full instructions and ingredient quantities are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page for you.

1. Mix your chicken marinade, then add the chicken. Toss to coat and (if you have time), pop it into the fridge for at least 30 minutes to marinate. Don’t stress if you don’t have time – you can cook it right away.

2. Cook the chicken either under the broiler or in the air fryer until it’s nicely caramelized and charred around the edges.

Optional Add-Ons and Toppings

Miso Chicken Poke Bowl FAQs

Like this recipe? Try these easy rice bowls next

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! You can leave a recipe rating and a comment below. And remember to tag @DishedByKate on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok if you’ve made one of my recipes. Seeing your recreations really makes my day 😊.

Juicy Miso Chicken Poke Bowls

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 6 reviews

• Author: Kate Phillips
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Diet: Low Calorie

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Description

Fresh, flavorful, and protein-packed – these miso chicken poke bowls are everything you want in a quick, satisfying meal. Charred, juicy miso chicken thighs (broiled or air-fried) sit on fluffy sushi rice, topped with crunchy veg and a zingy dressing.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

For the chicken – 

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (or use 1 teaspoon ginger paste or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger)
• 2 tablespoons white miso paste
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lb (500g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs (ideally free-range)

For the rice – 

• 1 1/2 cups sushi rice
• 1 2/3 cups water
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the dressing – 

• 1 tablespoon sweet chilli jam (or use sweet chilli sauce or honey)
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (or bottled if that’s all you have)
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (or use 1/2 teaspoon ginger paste or 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger)

For the poke bowl toppings – 

• 2 carrots, sliced into thin matchsticks
• 1 cucumber, halved, seeds scooped out, diced
• 2 scallions (spring onions), thinly sliced
• A handful of fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves

To serve – 

• 2 tablespoons aioli (I love using this egg-free garlic aioli)
• 1 tablespoon toasted black or white sesame seeds

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Instructions

1. Make the chicken marinade. In a medium bowl, mix the crushed garlic, grated ginger, 2 tablespoons miso paste, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon honey and 1 tablespoon olive oil until smooth. Add the chicken thighs and toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate while you make the rice. (If you’re short on time, you can cook it right away).
2. Cook the rice. Rinse 1 ½ cups of sushi rice in a fine-mesh sieve under cold running water, or place it in a bowl and swirl it with your hands, changing the water a few times until it runs mostly clear. Add the rinsed rice, 1 ⅔ cups water and ½ teaspoon of salt to a small pot and bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Once you see foamy bubbles, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid (or plate), and cook for 18 minutes without lifting the lid. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for another 10 minutes. Then, pour in the rice vinegar and gently mix with a spatula or rice paddle. Set aside.
3. Cook the chicken (oven method). Preheat your oven to 390°F (200°C) convection/fan. Arrange the marinated chicken in a baking dish or on a sheet pan and roast for 15 minutes. Then move the dish to the top rack and switch to broil on high (about 480°F/250°C) for 5 minutes, until the chicken is golden and charred in spots.
4. Cook the chicken (air fryer method). Place the chicken in your air fryer basket and cook at 390°F (200°C) for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until caramelized and cooked through – a probe thermometer should read at least 165°F (74°C).
5. Make the dressing. In a small bowl, use a fork to whisk 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sweet chilli jam, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon lime juice, crushed garlic and grated ginger. Mix well and set aside.
6. Assemble the poke bowls. Slice the charred chicken. Divide the seasoned rice between bowls, then top with the prepared carrots, cucumber, and sliced chicken. Drizzle generously with the dressing, then scatter over scallions, cilantro leaves and sesame seeds. Finish with a dollop of aioli on each bowl.

Notes

TIMING TIPS: Don’t be put off by the number of steps – a lot of it is hands-off! You can prep other elements while the chicken and rice are cooking. Cook the rice and chicken at the same time, and use that window to whip up the dressing and prep your toppings. It’s all about layering steps to cut the total time in half.

SUBSTITUTIONS: Switch up your protein and toppings – poke bowls are great with leftover meat or roasted vegetables and they’re a great way to use up bits and pieces in your fridge. I love them with sweet potatoes (try these miso roasted sweet potatoes for a fun vegetarian idea), miso salmon, lamb koftas, or pick up a rotisserie chicken from the store and use that. Looking for a seafood version? Try these baked honey miso salmon poke bowls or spicy tuna poke bowls.

MAKE AHEAD: Poke bowls are meal prep gold. Make everything in advance – the chicken, rice, dressing and veggies, storing each component in airtight containers in the fridge. Assemble when you’re ready to eat! The rice, chicken and veggies are best used within five days, while the dressing keeps for weeks in the fridge and is tossed through salads or drizzled over grilled meat.

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS AND ADD-ONS: Want to mix it up? These bowls are super versatile. Try topping them with edamame, mango or pineapple, shredded cabbage, bean sprouts, creamy avocado or crispy fried onions. You can also swap half the rice for greens like spinach or arugula for a lower-carb version. They’re also brilliant for a mix-and-match station if you’re entertaining! Set up a DIY poke bowl station with a variety of toppings so everyone can help themselves.

• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 20
• Category: fakeaway
• Method: stove top
• Cuisine: asian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 350g
• Calories: 588
• Sugar: 8.8g
• Sodium: 947.7mg
• Fat: 18.9g
• Saturated Fat: 3.1g
• Unsaturated Fat: 8.1g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 78.2g
• Fiber: 3.4g
• Protein: 27.7g
• Cholesterol: 89.6mg