Easy Pan-Fried Crispy Turmeric Chicken Rice Bowl
This crispy and juicy Pan-Fried Turmeric Chicken Rice Bowl has been my go-to easy chicken dinner for the past week, and you seriously need to give it a try. I always make a ton of turmeric rice so I can throw together quick, healthy rice bowls anytime during the week—perfect for meal prep or weeknight dinners. This bowl has crispy, yet tender turmeric chicken thighs bites, plus chopped lettuce to make it a super balanced meal. If you’re looking for a new chicken thigh recipe to add to your rotation, this one’s it!
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Crispy Chicken Rice Bowl Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on (about 1.5 to 2 lbs total)
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tbsp turmeric
- 1/2 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp Red Chili Powder adjust to taste
- 1 tsp ground Sichuan peppercorn or crushed if whole
- 1 tsp Five Spice
- 1/2 tbsp salt adjust to taste
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp oil
- 3 cups Turmeric Rice or cooked white rice
- 2 cups Chopped lettuce or your favorite salad base
Crispy Turmeric Chicken Thigh
This chicken rice bowl recipe uses bone-in, skin-on chicken thigh for juicy chicken bites with a ton of flavor. Seasoned with turmeric, cumin, paprika, Sichuan peppercorn, black pepper and red chili, this chicken thigh is slightly spicy and numbing, but also a little smoky. Its crispy skin has absorbed the marinade as well, giving that crunchy fattiness even more earthy, smoky flavor. To keep the chicken thigh bites juicy, make sure to let it rest for a little before cutting into chunks.
Turmeric Cumin Rice
These crispy chicken bites pair so well with my turmeric rice! To match it better with the chicken, I cooked the turmeric rice today with a little cumin. The turmeric adds a beautiful yellow color, and an extra boost for your immune, brain, and digestive health.
I like to make a big batch of this turmeric rice so when I am in a rush, I can have rice on hand to make an easy rice bowl like this one. If you’re making this completely from scratch, you can make this turmeric rice recipe while waiting for the chicken to marinade. You can use cooked white rice, or my purple multigrain rice mix as well!
Add Your Favorite Salad Base or Toppings
For today’s rice bowl, I kept it simple with some chopped lettuce to get my veggies in—but feel free to use any salad base you like. Spring mix, baby spinach, or chopped kale all work great here, depending on what you have in your fridge.
If you’re in the mood to dress it up, this bowl is super tasty with extra toppings. Some of my favorites include spicy smashed cucumber and Korean spinach salad
How To Make Crispy Chicken Rice Bowl
- In a bowl, season the chicken thighs with paprika, turmeric, cumin, red chili powder, ground Sichuan pepper, five spice powder, salt, black pepper, and oil. Mix well to coat evenly.
- Cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Pan-try the chicken thighs skin-side down for 7 minutes, or until the skin is golden and crisp.
- Flip and cook the other side for another 7–8 minutes, or until fully cooked through and juices run clear.
- Remove from the pan and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing
- To serve, spoon the turmeric rice into bowls, top with sliced chicken, and add your choice of salad or fresh vegetables on the side.
There’s so many ways to have rice bowls for dinner!
Easy Pan-Fried Crispy Turmeric Chicken Rice Bowl
By Tiffy Cooks
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on (about 1.5 to 2 lbs total)
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tbsp turmeric
- 1/2 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp Red Chili Powder adjust to taste
- 1 tsp ground Sichuan peppercorn or crushed if whole
- 1 tsp Five Spice
- 1/2 tbsp salt adjust to taste
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp oil
- 3 cups Turmeric Rice or cooked white rice
- 2 cups Chopped lettuce or your favorite salad base
Instructions
- In a bowl, season the chicken thighs with paprika, turmeric, cumin, red chili powder, ground Sichuan pepper, five spice powder, salt, black pepper, and oil. Mix well to coat evenly.
- Cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Pan-try the chicken thighs skin-side down for 7 minutes, or until the skin is golden and crisp.
- Flip and cook the other side for another 7–8 minutes, or until fully cooked through and juices run clear.
- Remove from the pan and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- To serve, spoon the turmeric rice into bowls, top with sliced chicken, and add your choice of salad or fresh vegetables on the side.
Hey Tiffy, big fan of yours 🙂
Do you think I can switch out the thighs for chicken breast instead?
Hi Rachel, thank you so much for the support! Yes, you can switch out the thighs. You’ll have to adjust the cooking time depending on the size of your chicken breast, and make sure to let it rest before cutting so you don’t lose all the juices.
Tiffy
Hi Tiffy, what was the sauce you added on the chicken at the end?
Helen
Hi Helen! I drizzled the leftover oil from the pan on top of the chicken before plating to preserve all that yummy flavor!
Tiffy