Banh Mi Bowls
This Vietnamese-inspired dish features marinated chicken or tofu, pickled veggies, cucumbers, jalapeños, and a spicy mayo drizzle over rice.
Ingredients
For the chicken/tofu marinade:
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (or 1 block firm tofu, pressed)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon grated ginger
For the pickled vegetables:
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 carrot, julienned or grated
- ½ English cucumber, thinly sliced
For the bowls:
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 1 English cucumber, sliced
- ½ cup sliced jalapeños (optional)
- Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
- Sriracha mayo (mix mayonnaise and sriracha to taste)
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine all marinade ingredients. Add chicken or tofu, and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.
- While the chicken/tofu is marinating, prepare the pickled vegetables. In a saucepan, combine rice vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Add the carrots and cucumber to the pickling liquid and let sit for at least 30 minutes.
- Cook the marinated chicken or tofu in a skillet over medium heat until cooked through. Let it rest for a few minutes, then slice or shred it.
- To assemble the bowls, divide cooked rice among four bowls.
- Top with sliced chicken or tofu, pickled vegetables, cucumber, jalapeños (if using), and cilantro leaves.
- Drizzle with sriracha mayo and serve immediately.
Notes
- If using tofu, you can marinate it for less time, about 15 minutes.
- Feel free to adjust the amount of sriracha in the mayo to your preferred level of spiciness.
- You can add other vegetables to your bowls, such as shredded lettuce or bean sprouts.