These Hibachi Bowls bring the Japanese steakhouse experience home! Juicy bites of seasoned chicken, sautéed veggies, and full-of-flavor fried rice are all topped with creamy yum-yum sauce for a chicken hibachi bowl that is super tasty – yet surprisingly easy to make.
I’m a huge fan of hibachi food! While it’s fun to go to a Japanese steakhouse once in awhile, I love making hibachi at home. I’ve shared hibachi chicken, yum yum sauce, and vegetable fried rice, and now we bring them all together in this delicious hibachi chicken bowl recipe.
This is one of those recipes that appears to have a lot of complicated elements, but it’s actually really easy to make! All you need is one skillet and, with a little prep, the process goes really quickly. In fact, you’ll have everything you need for this hibachi bowl ready to go inside of 30 minutes!
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- One-pan preparation – These hibachi bowls are made in a single skillet for super easy prep and clean-up.
- Perfect for meal-prep – With protein, carb, and veggies all in one, they’re an excellent meal-prep recipe.
- Saves money – Skip the steakhouse prices when you make your hibachi bowl in the comfort of your own home.
- A complete meal in one – You’ve got veggies, carbs, and protein in one dish.
What is a Hibachi Bowl?
The word “hibachi” means “fire bowl,” and in the U.S., it’s come to mean the style of food made in Japanese steakhouses like Benihana or Kyoto.
Hibachi bowls are made with a combo of many of the dishes found in Japanese steakhouses, like hibachi-style chicken, which is seared at a high heat and flavored with sauce and seasonings. Sautéed veggies are often served alongside.
Recipe Notes
This Hibachi Bowl recipe is as simple as promised! Just one skillet needed for a family friendly meal.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make Hibachi Bowls to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
For the hibachi chicken:
- Chicken – Boneless and skinless chicken breast, cut into one-inch pieces.
- Salt & pepper – For enhancing and deepening the flavors.
- Sesame oil – For cooking the chicken. Be sure to use sesame oil, not toasted sesame oil (which has very strong flavor that will overpower all the others).
- Soy sauce – This salty sauce adds umami flavor and deep caramel color.
- Hoisin sauce – This flavor bomb of a sauce adds both sweet and savory flavors.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic, minced. To easily peel the garlic, place the clove on your cutting board, place the side of your knife over it, and carefully whack it. This will loosen the skin and make it easy to remove.
- Ginger – Fresh ginger adds unmistakable Asian flavor. To easily peel your ginger before mincing it, use a spoon to scrape off the skin.
For the hibachi vegetables:
- Oil – Use your favorite cooking oil like vegetable oil or olive oil.
- Onion – Yellow or white onion both work well here.
- Zucchini – To choose the best zucchini, make sure your squash are smooth and firm with no squishy, wrinkled spots.
- Mushrooms – I like to use white button mushrooms in my hibachi bowls. To clean them, give them a quick swish in a bowl of water to loosen the sediment, then finish cleaning them with a wet paper towel.
- Salt & pepper
For the fried rice:
- Butter – For cooking the onion.
- Onion – Use yellow or white onion, diced.
- Garlic – For more garlicky flavor!
- Rice – You’ll want cooked white rice, preferably prepared a day or two ahead and refrigerated.
- Mixed frozen vegetables – I like a mix of peas, green beans, carrots, and corn.
- Sesame oil
- Eggs – A traditional fried rice ingredient, eggs add flavor and protein.
- Soy sauce
- Pepper – No need for any extra salt because the soy sauce is plenty salty enough. Black pepper gives a bit of a welcome kick.
Toppings:
- Sesame seeds – Toasted or raw; either will work.
- Yum yum sauce – With sweet and tangy flavors, creamy yum yum sauce seals the deal.
- Green onions – Also known as scallions, thinly sliced green onions make a nice garnish.
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Hibachi Steak Bowl– Swap pieces of beef tenderloin tips or another tender cut of steak for the chicken. .
- Pineapple Hibachi Bowl– Add a cup of drained canned pineapple tidbits to the fried rice along with the frozen vegetables.
- Spicy Hibachi Bowl– Add a couple of pinches of crushed red pepper flakes to the chicken when cooking it, and drizzle sriracha sauce over the top of the assembled bowl.
Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make Hibachi Chicken.
Heat the cooking oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. When hot, add the veggies, salt, and pepper and cook until tender. Remove and set aside.
To the same skillet, add the sesame oil. Once hot, add the chicken pieces. Cook without stirring on one side, until browned, then stir.
Add sauces, garlic, and ginger. Stir to coat all of the pieces of chicken.
Cook, stirring, until the sauce reduces to coat the chicken and the chicken is cooked through.
Remove the chicken from the skillet, and make the vegetable fried rice.
Assemble the bowls by creating a base of fried rice in the bowl, then topping with chicken, veggies, yum yum sauce, and garnishes.
Recipe Tips
- Day-old rice is best – For the fried rice, it’s best to use leftover, refrigerated rice that’s at least a day old. The rice is firmer and less soggy when it’s had a chance to sit for a while – and that makes better fried rice!
- Chop and prep before starting – Once you get started cooking, the process goes pretty fast. So make sure all of your ingredients are ready to go!
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Buy pre-chopped veggies – Grab already-chopped onion and pre-minced garlic from the produce section in your grocery store to save on some chopping.
- Make ahead – Hibachi chicken bowls are perfect for meal prep! You can make it all ahead of time and separate your hibachi bowls into meal size-portions and store in the fridge, or you can store the chicken, veggies, and fried rice separately then quickly warm them and assemble the bowls for lunch or dinner. Either way, it’s so worth a little thinking ahead!
What to Serve with Hibachi Bowls
Since this protein-based dinner has the delicious flavors of Japanese steakhouse cuisine, it will pair well with many of your favorite Asian-inspired side dishes.
Choose one or several of these side dishes to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.
Side Dish Ideas
- Spicy Sriracha Asian Slaw
- Asian Cucumber Salad with Ginger Soy Dressing
- Classic Cucumber Tomato Salad
Hibachi Bowl Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this recipe, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.
To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
- in the freezer up to a month
Leftover Recipes
Here are a few ways to repurpose those leftovers and give them a delicious makeover!
- Hibachi Lettuce Wraps– Warm leftovers and pile the rice, veggies, and chicken into iceberg lettuce leaves for an easy handheld way to enjoy leftover hibachi bowls.
- Hibachi Baked Potatoes– Bake potatoes then warm leftover hibachi bowl ingredients. Open and fluff up your baked potatoes, top with hibachi chicken, veggies, and rice, then drizzle liberally with yum-yum sauce.
- Hibachi Burrito– Add leftovers to a tortilla and roll up burrito-style. Grill both sides of the burrito in a skillet until warmed through.
Recipe FAQ’s
Is a hibachi bowl healthy?
Hibachi bowls are a great source of fiber and nutrients (from the veggies) and lean protein (from the chicken).
What makes a dish hibachi?
Hibachi dishes are typically made in Japanese steakhouses across the U.S. While making hibachi at home doesn’t involve throwing knives or large fires, the flavors can be replicated at home, and taste just like eating hibachi at a restaurant.
More EASY Chicken Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy chicken recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
Hibachi Bowls
Ingredients
For the Hibachi Chicken
- 2 pounds chicken breast
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
For the Hibachi Vegetables
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 pound zucchini
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
- Salt and pepper
For the Fried Rice
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 3 cups white rice, prepared, leftover is better
- 12 ounces mixed vegetables, frozen
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Toppings
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- ½ cup yum yum sauce
- chopped green onions
Instructions
To prep:
- Cut the chicken breast in 1 inch pieces and season with salt and pepper.
- Cut zucchini in half moons. Dice the onion.
To make the hibachi chicken
- Heat cooking oil over medium high heat in a large skillet.
- Once hot, add the vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring regularly until the vegetables are tender. Then remove the vegetables and set aside.
- Add the sesame oil to the pan to heat. Once hot add the chicken pieces to the pan. Let sit on one side 2-3 minutes to sear, then stir.
- Add the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, garlic, and ginger to the chicken and mix to coat the chicken.Continue to cook, stirring regularly, until the sauce reduces to coat the chicken, and the chicken is done (165˚F internal temp,) about 4-6 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet.
To make the fried rice
- Add butter and onion to the skillet. Cook 3-5 minutes or until onion becomes translucent. Add the garlic and mix to combine.
- Add the rice and vegetables them pour the soy sauce into the skillet and stir to combine. Let cook 2-3 minutes, then push to one side and add the sesame oil and egg and cook until done.Stir the egg into the mixture and cook 1-2 more minutes, then remove from heat.
To assemble Hibachi Bowls
- Create a base of fried rice in the bowl. Top with hibachi chicken and vegetables.
- Garnish with your choice of yum yum sauce, sesame seeds and chopped green onion.
Recipe Notes
- Chicken: You can substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
Leave a Reply