Healthy Recipe: Korean Rice Bowls with Chicken & Veggies

Bibimbap with Chicken, Veggies & Kimchi

Recipe by Ivy Manning | Photo by Erin Kunkel

Kimchi is a gut-friendly fermented food, and this big rice bowl is the ultimate vehicle for it. Pile on the pickled cabbage, marinated chicken breast, carrot salad, sautéed spinach, and slide a fried egg on top. It’s a cinch to pull together from things you probably already have in your fridge. You can substitute grilled steak or shrimp for the chicken, if you like.

Shopping note: You can find Korean staples like gochujang and kimchi on the international aisle of your grocery store, along with other Asian ingredients. Gochujang is a red chile paste with deep spicy, sweet, and fermented flavor. But if you can’t find it, you can substitute chili-garlic sauce or Sriracha. Kimchi, the classic pickled vegetables, offer the most health benefits if you can find it fresh in the fridge case, but it’s also available in shelf-stable jars.

Ingredients

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (12 oz/375 g total)
2 tablespoons gochujang red chile paste (see note), chili-garlic sauce, or Sriracha
1½ cups (10½ oz/330 g) short-grain brown rice, rinsed
2 large carrots, peeled and shredded
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
Salt
6 cups (6 oz/185 g) baby spinach (loosely packed)
1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
1½ teaspoons dark sesame oil
4 large eggs
Red chile flakes
¾ cup (6 oz/185 g) Napa cabbage kimchi, chopped (see note)
4 green onions, thinly sliced

Instructions

In a 1-quart zippered plastic bag, combine the chicken with the gouchujang and turn to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Spray a small baking dish with cooking spray. Place the chicken breast and marinade in the pan and bake until an instant-read thermometer registers 165°F (74°C) when inserted into the thickest part of the meat, about 25 minutes. Let the chicken rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes. Slice thinly against the grain.

Meanwhile, cook the rice according to package directions.  

In a small bowl, combine the carrots, vinegar, and a pinch of salt. Toss and set aside.

Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and warm over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and sauté until wilted, about 3 minutes. Place the spinach in a small bowl and toss with the soy sauce and sesame oil. Set aside.

Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Crack the eggs into the pan, sprinkle with the chile flakes and a pinch of salt, and fry until the whites are set, about 3 minutes.

Divide the rice between bowls. Arrange the sliced chicken, carrots, spinach, and kimchi on top. Top each bowl with a fried egg, sprinkle with the green onions, and serve warm.

Makes 4 servings
Serving size: ¾ cup (5 oz/155 g) rice, 3 oz (90 g) chicken, ½ cup vegetables, 1 large egg, 3 tablespoons kimchi

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories 490
Protein 34 g
Carbs 62 g
Fiber 7 g
Sugar 4 g
Total fat 11 g
Saturated fat 3 g
Sodium 412 mg