BBQ Chicken Rice Bowl

A good BBQ Chicken Rice Bowl should do two things: come together fast and still taste like you put in real effort. This one does both. Tender, smoky chicken sits on a bed of rice with crisp cabbage and carrots, cool cucumber, and creamy avocado, all pulled together with a drizzle of homemade barbecue sauce.

I started making this on Tuesdays, back when Tuesday somehow became the night everyone in my house had somewhere to be. My son had baseball, my daughter needed dinner before her homework meltdown hour, and I needed something that didn’t involve standing over the stove for 45 minutes. This bowl came out of one of those nights, when I threw chicken in a skillet, tossed some slaw together, and figured out the sauce could simmer while everything else cooked. My family loves it now, and I usually double the chicken so I have leftovers for lunch the next day. If you’re building out a whole week of bowl dinners, my teriyaki chicken rice bowl is another one that comes together just as fast. Let’s get into what you’ll need.

Ingredients for BBQ Chicken Rice Bowl

Here’s what I use for this bowl, plus a couple of swaps if you’re missing something in the pantry. Nothing here is hard to find, and most of it you probably already have on hand.

BBQ Seasoning (about 3 tablespoons)

• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper (pro tip: I always make a double batch of this seasoning and keep it in a jar, it saves me time on busy weeks)

BBQ Sauce (about 1 cup)

• 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Barbecue Chicken Bowls

• 1 pound chicken breasts, sliced thinly
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 4 cups shredded red cabbage
• 2 cups shredded carrots (or 1 8-ounce bag)
• 1 cup diced cucumber
• 1 avocado
• 2 cups cooked rice, about ⅔ cup dry (my go-to method is jasmine rice made in the rice cooker while everything else is going)

Step-by-Step Instructions

In my experience, the trick to keeping this bowl at 30 minutes is starting your rice, the sauce, and the chicken all around the same time so nothing sits around waiting.

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Combine the seasoning ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.
3. Sprinkle the chicken breasts with the seasoning on both sides, pressing it in so it sticks.
4. In a medium saucepan, combine the sauce ingredients, whisk well, and simmer over low heat while the chicken cooks. It should thicken slightly and smell smoky and a little sweet.
5. In a large cast iron skillet, heat the avocado oil over medium-high heat.
6. Cook the chicken breasts for 4 minutes per side, until golden brown, then set aside. Common mistake here: don’t move the chicken too soon or it won’t get that good caramelized crust.
7. Remove the skillet from the heat, add the cabbage and carrots, and toss to coat in the leftover pan drippings.
8. Place the chicken breasts on top of the cabbage and carrots, and coat the top of each breast with some of the sauce.
9. Put the skillet in the oven and cook for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, broil the chicken for 5 minutes so the edges get a little sticky and charred.
10. Remove the skillet from the oven, move the chicken to a cutting board, and cut into bite sized pieces.
11. Assemble the bowls with rice, cabbage, carrots, and diced chicken, then top with fresh cucumber, sliced avocado, and a drizzle of remaining BBQ sauce.

Rachel Collins

BBQ Chicken Rice Bowl

Tender BBQ seasoned chicken with crisp cabbage, carrots, cucumber, and avocado over rice, finished with a smoky homemade barbecue sauce.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 bowls

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Calories: 489

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika for seasoning
• 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder for seasoning
• 1 teaspoon dried minced onion for seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt for seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper for seasoning
• 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce for BBQ sauce
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika for sauce
• 1 tablespoon dried minced onion for sauce
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder for sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt for sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper for sauce
• 1 lb chicken breasts sliced thinly
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 4 cups shredded red cabbage
• 2 cups shredded carrots or 1 8-ounce bag
• 1 cup diced cucumber
• 1 avocado sliced
• 2 cups cooked rice about 2/3 cup dry

Equipment

• Cast iron skillet
• Saucepan

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Combine the seasoning ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.
3. Sprinkle the chicken breasts with the seasoning on both sides, pressing it in so it sticks.
4. In a medium saucepan, combine the sauce ingredients, whisk well, and simmer over low heat while the chicken cooks.
5. In a large cast iron skillet, heat the avocado oil over medium-high heat.
6. Cook the chicken breasts for 4 minutes per side, until golden brown, then set aside.

   Don’t move the chicken too soon or it won’t develop a good caramelized crust.
7. Remove the skillet from the heat, add the cabbage and carrots, and toss to coat in the leftover pan drippings.
8. Place the chicken breasts on top of the cabbage and carrots, and coat the top of each breast with some of the sauce.
9. Put the skillet in the oven and cook for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, broil the chicken for 5 minutes.
10. Remove the skillet from the oven, move the chicken to a cutting board, and cut into bite sized pieces.
11. Assemble the bowls with rice, cabbage, carrots, and diced chicken, then top with fresh cucumber, sliced avocado, and a drizzle of remaining BBQ sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 489kcalCarbohydrates: 61gProtein: 30gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 1095mgPotassium: 1325mgFiber: 10gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 11755IUVitamin C: 62mgCalcium: 130mgIron: 3mg

Notes

To meal prep: cook the chicken and veggies as directed, cook a big batch of rice, and fill containers with rice, chicken, veggies, and extra sauce. Warm in the microwave and add fresh cucumber and avocado before eating. Store-bought BBQ seasoning or sauce can be used to save time. Keeps in the fridge for 4-5 days.

Don’t Lose This Recipe

Save it to your favorite Pinterest board so it’s always easy to find the next time you’re planning dinner, meal prepping, or craving a fresh homemade bowl.

Pin it For Later

What to Serve With BBQ Chicken Rice Bowl

This bowl is filling on its own, but a light side rounds it out nicely on nights when you want a bit more on the table.

• Grilled corn on the cob: the natural sweetness plays well against the smoky sauce.
• A simple green salad with lime vinaigrette: adds acidity that cuts through the richness of the avocado and sauce.
• Black beans: an easy way to add extra fiber and protein if you’re feeding a hungry crowd.
• Tortilla chips with salsa: great for scooping up any extra sauce left in the bowl.

And if you’re craving something with a bit more char, my street corn chicken rice bowl brings a similar smoky flavor with a Mexican street corn twist.

Storage & Serving Tips

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days. I keep the avocado separate and add it fresh when I’m ready to eat, since it browns quickly once sliced.

To reheat, warm the chicken and rice in the microwave for about a minute and a half, then add the cold toppings like cucumber and avocado afterward so they stay crisp.

This recipe is easy to switch up too. Swap the rice for quinoa or cauliflower rice, use ground turkey instead of chicken breast, or wrap the whole thing in a tortilla for a BBQ chicken burrito.

My Favorite Sauces for BBQ Chicken Rice Bowl

Since this bowl already has a smoky, sweet BBQ sauce built in, I like to add something on the side that brings a little tang or heat to balance it out. Here are a few that work especially well with the chicken, cabbage, and avocado combination in this bowl.

• BBQ aioli: a mix of mayo and BBQ sauce, this adds a creamy, tangy layer that coats the rice and cabbage nicely.
• Buffalo sauce: if you like heat, a small drizzle cuts through the sweetness of the maple based BBQ sauce.
• Honey mustard: the tang and sweetness pair naturally with barbecue flavor and work well with the crunchy cabbage and carrots.
• Chipotle crema: a smoky, spicy, cooling sauce that complements the avocado and cucumber especially well.
• Ranch dressing: a classic pairing with barbecue chicken that also cools down the cabbage slaw.

If you like a little more heat than this smoky-sweet sauce brings, my cajun chicken rice bowl leans into that spice instead.

Conclusion