This BBQ chicken bowl is colourful, versatile and packed with flavour, making it perfect for an easy lunch or dinner. It starts with rich and tender slow cooked BBQ chicken, layered over rice and topped with black beans, corn, avocado and crunchy slaw. It is fresh, filling and so simple to put together with minimal prep required.
Love bowl food? Me too! Try my air fryer salmon bowls, beef taco bowls or my favourite burger bowls next!
Rice bowls are the meals I keep coming back to when I don’t know what to cook or I need something quick and satisfying.
This BBQ chicken bowl recipe is one of my favourite types to share because it is what I like to call a guidelines recipe. I have a bunch of suggestions here to help you build a delicious and healthy meal, but you can easily swap and change the ingredients to suit your taste or whatever you have on hand.
Starting with a base of rice, you simply layer on your toppings and protein of choice. This version uses my slow cooker BBQ chicken, which you can prep ahead of time, and the rest of the ingredients require barely any work meaning you can have this meal on the table in 10 minutes.
Key Ingredients
There are a few base ingredients you will need to build your BBQ chicken bowl, and then it is really up to you how you customise it from there.
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- BBQ chicken – This is the star of the bowl and is made using my slow cooker BBQ chicken recipe. If you are short on time, you can also use shredded leftover chicken and stir it through your favourite BBQ sauce.
- BBQ sauce – I always serve with a little extra BBQ sauce drizzled on top. Sweet Baby Ray’s Original is my go-to as it is gluten free and tastes delicious, but use any brand you love.
- Rice – I usually use cooked long grain rice, but brown rice or even quinoa would work well. For a low carb version, you could use cauliflower rice or salad greens.
- Corn – I keep small cans of sweet corn kernels in the pantry which makes them easy to throw into bowls like this. You can also use fresh cooked corn cut from the cob if you prefer.
- Black beans – canned black beans add extra fibre and protein and help make the bowl more filling.
- Avocado – creamy avocado works so well with the smokiness of the BBQ chicken. It also adds healthy fats and that soft texture contrast.
- Shredded cabbage and carrot – I like to use a store-bought coleslaw mix for ease here, but any shredded cabbage works well to add that essential crunch to the bowl.
Equipment and Tools
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Rice Cooker – I eat a lot of rice bowls and meals with a side of rice, so a rice cooker is an essential appliance in my mind for making cooking rice so easy and fuss free.
Step-By-Step Instructions
To make this BBQ chicken bowl, you will first need to prepare the slow cooker BBQ chicken. I have a full post with all the details, but here is the short version. Coat your chicken breasts in a simple spice rub with brown sugar, then add BBQ sauce and a splash of apple cider vinegar. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours until tender, then shred the meat with two forks and stir through the sauce.
This chicken is perfect to make ahead as part of your weekly meal prep and will keep in the fridge for a few days.
While the chicken is cooking, you can also make your rice. Once both are ready, you can quickly assemble your bowls whenever you are ready to eat.
Start by reheating the rice and chicken if needed, then layer the rice into a bowl followed by the corn, black beans, avocado and coleslaw mix. Add the BBQ chicken on top and finish with a drizzle of BBQ sauce.
Serve with a handful of corn chips on the side and a squeeze of lime for extra flavour.
BBQ chicken bowl variations
This BBQ chicken bowl is completely customisable so feel free to mix it up with different bases, proteins or toppings. Here are a few ideas.
- Swap the chicken for my air fryer BBQ chicken thighs instead.
- Swap the rice for cauliflower rice or salad leaves for a low carb option.
- Use roasted sweet potatoes as the base of the bowl instead of rice.
- Use any combination of salad ingredients you like for toppings such as diced cucumber, cherry tomatoes or capsicum.
- Drizzle some dairy free ranch dressing on top to finish.
Recipe FAQs
Yes this is a great recipe for meal prep. You can prep the chicken and other components in advance and store everything in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. I recommend keeping the avocado separate and slicing it just before serving to keep it fresh.
Absolutely. If you are short on time, grab a pre-cooked roast chicken from the supermarket, shred the meat and mix it with your favourite BBQ sauce before adding to the bowl.
Store all components of your BBQ chicken bowl separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat the chicken and rice before serving and add fresh toppings like avocado at the last minute.
If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with @eightforestlane as I would love to see.
More easy bowl recipes:
Teriyaki Salmon and Avocado Rice Bowls
Pulled Beef Burrito Bowl
Roasted Vegetable Bowls with Green Goddess Sauce
Teriyaki Buddha Bowls
BBQ Chicken Bowl
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups slow cooker BBQ chicken
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 2 cups shredded cabbage and carrot or coleslaw mix
- 1 cup canned sweet corn kernels
- 1 cup canned black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 avocado sliced
- 4 tablespoons BBQ Sauce
- Lime wedges and corn chips optional to serve
Instructions
- Divide the cooked rice, BBQ chicken, and shredded cabbage and carrot evenly between four bowls.
- Top each bowl with corn, black beans, and sliced avocado.
- Drizzle with extra BBQ sauce and serve with lime wedges and corn chips on the side, if using.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
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