A teriyaki chicken bowl can be a tasty and satisfying meal, but it’s important to pay attention to the calorie count, especially if you’re watching your weight. The number of calories in a teriyaki chicken bowl can vary widely depending on the restaurant and the specific ingredients used. In general, a large chicken teriyaki bowl contains between 500-1500 calories. The chicken, rice or noodles, vegetables, sauce, and any other ingredients impact the total calorie amount. By making smart choices like avoiding fried options, limiting high-calorie sauces, and filling up on non-starchy vegetables, you can enjoy teriyaki chicken bowls as part of a healthy diet. This article will provide a detailed breakdown of the average calorie count in large teriyaki chicken bowls from various restaurants and offer tips for reducing the calories.
Calories in Teriyaki Chicken Bowl Components
The main components that make up a teriyaki chicken bowl are chicken, rice/noodles, vegetables, and sauce. Here is a look at the calorie count for a typical serving size of each ingredient:
Chicken
– Grilled or roasted chicken breast (6oz portion): 200-300 calories
– Fried or crispy chicken (6oz): 500-600 calories
– Boneless chicken wings (6 pieces): 300-500 calories
Rice/Noodles
– White rice (1 cup cooked): 205 calories
– Brown rice (1 cup cooked): 215 calories
– Lo mein noodles (1 cup): 300 calories
– Soba noodles (1 cup): 175 calories
Vegetables
– Mixed stir-fry veggies (1 cup): 30-60 calories
– Broccoli (1 cup cooked): 50 calories
– Bell peppers (1 cup raw): 25 calories
– Onion (1/2 cup chopped raw): 32 calories
Sauce
– Teriyaki sauce (2 Tbsp): 60 calories
– Sweet chili sauce (2 Tbsp): 70 calories
– Peanut sauce (2 Tbsp): 130 calories
– Sesame dressing (2 Tbsp): 90 calories
As you can see, chicken and noodles/rice contribute a significant amount of calories to teriyaki bowls. Choosing grilled chicken over crispy chicken and loading up on non-starchy veggies are two easy ways to reduce the calories. Sauces can also vary widely, from a reasonable 60 calories for teriyaki sauce up to 130 for peanut sauce.
Calories in Teriyaki Chicken Bowls from Popular Restaurants
Here is a look at the calorie count for a large teriyaki chicken bowl from some popular restaurants:
Panda Express
Chicken Bowl with Steamed Rice and Teriyaki Sauce: 760 calories
This option from Panda Express contains grilled teriyaki chicken, steamed white rice, broccoli, and teriyaki sauce. With a reasonable calorie count, this can be a relatively healthy lunch or dinner option.
Pei Wei
Teriyaki Chicken Bowl: 600 calories
At Pei Wei, you can customize your own teriyaki chicken bowl. This estimate is based on a bowl with grilled chicken, brown rice, mixed veggies, and teriyaki sauce. Choosing brown rice over white rice reduces the calories slightly.
Chipotle
Chicken Bowl with Rice, Vegetables, and Teriyaki Sauce: 925 calories
Chipotle’s chicken bowls pack nearly 1000 calories before any extras like cheese, sour cream, or guacamole. The combination of white rice, beans, salsa, chicken, and teriyaki sauce adds up quickly. Skipping the rice and beans would reduce the calories.
JINYA Ramen Bar
Original Chicken Ramen Bowl: 970 calories
At JINYA Ramen Bar, the chicken teriyaki bowl contains chicken chashu, ramen noodles, egg, green onions, and teriyaki sauce. With almost 1000 calories, this is one of the higher calorie options. Choosing a lighter broth or skipping noodles reduces the calories.
Mad Greens
Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl: 665 calories
Mad Greens offers a build your own rice bowl option with teriyaki chicken. This estimate is for a bowl with chicken, brown rice, vegetables, sesame seeds, and teriyaki sauce. Customizing your ingredients is a good way to cut calories if needed.
As you can see, calories range widely from 600-970 calories among popular restaurants. In general, bowls with fried rice, white rice, noodles and heavy sauces will be higher in calories, while bowls with grilled chicken, brown rice, lots of veggies and lighter sauces will be lower in calories.
Tips for Reducing Calories in Teriyaki Chicken Bowls
Here are some tips for ordering or making teriyaki chicken bowls that cut back on calories:
Choose grilled, roasted or steamed chicken instead of crispy
The coating and frying method for crispy chicken adds a lot of extra calories and fat. Stick to grilled, roasted, or steamed chicken to save calories.
Opt for brown rice or quinoa instead of white rice
Brown rice and quinoa pack more nutrients and have a lower glycemic index than white rice.
Load up on non-starchy vegetables
Fill your bowl with broccoli, bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, cabbage, bok choy and other veggies to add nutrients and bulk without a lot of calories.
Ask for light teriyaki sauce or use sparingly
Thick teriyaki sauces can have a high sugar and calorie count. Ask for light teriyaki or use a drizzle of regular teriyaki to save calories but still add flavor.
Skip the noodles if having rice
Cutting out noodles helps reduce carb and calorie overload from having both noodles and rice together.
Enjoy a broth-based soup instead of heavy sauce
For a lighter option, have your chicken and veggies served in a low-calorie broth soup instead of with high-calorie sauces.
Watch the extras
Ingredients like cheese, sour cream, avocado, and fried wontons or chips can quickly drive up the calories. Skip the extras or use sparingly if needed to manage calories.
Making a few smart substitutions and tweaks when ordering or preparing teriyaki chicken bowls can make a big difference in keeping the calorie count reasonable while still enjoying the delicious flavors. Focus on grilled chicken, lots of vegetables, and lighter sauces and grains for the healthiest options.
Recipe for Lower Calorie Teriyaki Chicken Bowl
Here is a recipe for a homemade teriyaki chicken bowl that comes in around 500 calories:
Ingredients
– 6 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
– 1 cup broccoli florets
– 1/2 cup snap peas
– 1/2 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
– 1/2 cup shredded cabbage
– 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
– 1/4 cup chopped green onions
– 1 cup cooked brown rice
– 2 tbsp reduced sodium teriyaki sauce
Instructions
1. In a skillet sprayed with cooking spray, cook chicken over medium-high heat until browned and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.
2. Steam broccoli and snap peas until tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Combine chicken, broccoli, snap peas, bell pepper, cabbage, cilantro and green onions in a bowl.
4. Add brown rice and drizzle with teriyaki sauce.
5. Mix well and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
– Calories: 510
– Fat: 6g
– Carbs: 59g
– Protein: 44g
This lighter homemade chicken teriyaki bowl maximizes nutrients and fiber from vegetables while minimizing calories by using just a drizzle of teriyaki sauce and skipping refined grains or heavy sauces. Feel free to customize with your favorite veggies and seasonings!
The Bottom Line
A large chicken teriyaki bowl can range from 500-1500 calories depending on the restaurant and ingredients used. On average, most large teriyaki chicken bowls from popular restaurants provide between 600-1000 calories. Grilled chicken, brown rice or noodles, plenty of vegetables and lighter sauces are your best bets for keeping calories in check. By making smart swaps and customized orders, it’s possible to enjoy teriyaki chicken bowls while still eating healthy!
