Chicken teriyaki bowls are a popular meal choice, offering protein, vegetables, and rice or noodles in one convenient bowl. But with all those ingredients layered together, how many calories are you really consuming in a typical chicken teriyaki bowl? In this article, we’ll break down the typical calorie count and nutrition information for each component of a chicken teriyaki bowl. We’ll also look at ways you can modify your bowl to make it lower or higher in calories, depending on your nutrition needs. Whether you’re looking to count calories or just want to know what you’re eating, read on for the full nutritional breakdown of chicken teriyaki bowls.
Calories in Chicken Teriyaki
The star ingredient of a chicken teriyaki bowl is, of course, the chicken teriyaki itself. This is a combination of chicken, teriyaki sauce, and often vegetables like onions, carrots, and bell peppers sauteed together. The calories in chicken teriyaki vary depending on the exact ingredients and cooking method, but a 6 oz portion typically provides:
| Chicken Teriyaki (6 oz portion) | Calories |
|---|---|
| Chicken (3 oz cooked) | 165 |
| Teriyaki sauce (3 Tbsp) | 60 |
| Vegetables like onions, carrots (1/2 cup cooked) | 30 |
| Total | 255 calories |
So in a typical 6 oz chicken teriyaki portion without rice or other grains, you’re looking at around 255 calories. Of course, the precise calorie count can vary a lot based on the chicken cut used, how much teriyaki sauce is included, whether the dish uses extra oil or butter during cooking, and what vegetables are added. But for an average homemade or restaurant style chicken teriyaki, 255 calories per 6 oz portion is a good benchmark.
Calories in Rice
After chicken teriyaki, grain is the next key component of a chicken teriyaki bowl. White or brown rice are common choices, but other grains like quinoa or farro could also be used. A 1/2 cup cooked serving of rice adds:
| Rice (1/2 cup cooked) | Calories |
|---|---|
| White rice | 100 |
| Brown rice | 108 |
| Quinoa | 111 |
| Farro | 120 |
White rice tends to be the lowest in calories, with just 100 calories per 1/2 cup. Brown rice, quinoa, and farro are a bit higher in calories thanks to their extra fiber and nutrients. But all four choices range from 100-120 calories per typical 1/2 cup serving. So if your chicken teriyaki bowl contains a serving of grains, plan on adding at least 100 additional calories from this component.
Calories in Vegetables
Chicken teriyaki bowls also usually contain a variety of fresh, stir fried, or sauteed vegetables. Options like broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, cabbage, bok choy, and snap peas are all popular choices. The calorie count of vegetables is very low, providing around 30 calories or less per 1/2 cup serving. For example:
| Vegetable | Calories (1/2 cup) |
|---|---|
| Broccoli | 15 |
| Carrots | 25 |
| Bell Pepper | 20 |
| Cabbage | 18 |
| Bok Choy | 10 |
| Snap Peas | 30 |
So while vegetables add important vitamins, minerals, and fiber to a chicken teriyaki bowl, they provide very minimal calories – typically 25 calories or less per 1/2 cup serving. Load up on the veggies to help fill up your bowl!
Calories in Sauce and Seasonings
Beyond the main ingredients, additional sauces and seasonings can also boost the calorie content of a chicken teriyaki bowl. For example:
| Sauce/Seasoning | Calories (Typical Serving) |
|---|---|
| Teriyaki Sauce (1 Tbsp) | 20 |
| Soy Sauce (1 Tbsp) | 8 |
| Sriracha Sauce (1 tsp) | 5 |
| Sesame Oil (1 tsp) | 40 |
| Sesame Seeds (1 Tbsp) | 50 |
A little bit of extra sauce and seasoning like teriyaki, soy sauce, sriracha, sesame oil, or sesame seeds can add nice flavor. But these sauces and seasonings can also tack on additional calories that add up fast. To keep your chicken teriyaki bowl light, stick with small amounts of these higher calorie extras.
Putting It All Together
Now that we’ve looked at the calorie counts for each component, let’s put it all together to estimate the total calories in a full chicken teriyaki bowl.
For a typical bowl with:
– 6 oz chicken teriyaki (255 calories)
– 1/2 cup rice (100 calories)
– 1 cup mixed stir fried vegetables (50 calories)
– 2 Tbsp teriyaki sauce (40 calories)
The total calorie count comes out to approximately 445 calories.
This is for a moderately sized bowl, but you could potentially pack in a lot more food and calories if you wanted to. For example, a very large bowl might contain:
– 8 oz chicken teriyaki (340 calories)
– 1 cup rice (200 calories)
– 2 cups vegetables (100 calories)
– 3 Tbsp teriyaki sauce (60 calories)
– 1 Tbsp sesame seeds (50 calories)
In this case, your total calories would be around 750 – nearly double the moderate size bowl!
The takeaway is that chicken teriyaki bowl calories can range anywhere from 400 to over 700+ calories depending on the exact portion sizes. In general, aiming for around 500 calories is a good target if you’re looking for a lighter, moderately sized bowl.
Lower Calorie Options
If you’re looking to lighten up your chicken teriyaki bowl, here are some easy ways to cut back on calories:
– Use cauliflower rice instead of regular rice to save about 200 calories.
– Skip the teriyaki sauce and use lower calorie seasonings like soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger or chili sauce instead.
– Load up on non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, bell peppers, bok choy, etc.
– Go easy on oils, butter, and nuts/seeds used in cooking.
– Choose leaner cuts of chicken like breast instead of thighs. Remove the skin to further reduce calories.
– Opt for a smaller 6 oz chicken portion vs. 8-12 oz.
– Get a bowl without avocado orswap for lower calorie toppings like mango, pineapple, or cucumber.
With some simple substitutions and smaller portions, it’s easy to make chicken teriyaki bowls 500 calories or less.
Higher Calorie Options
On the flip side, if you’re looking to add more calories and nutrition, consider bulking up your bowl with extras like:
– Larger 12 oz portion of chicken.
– 1.5 cups of rice or grain instead of 1/2 cup.
– Full avocado slices.
– Extra teriyaki sauce.
– Handful of cashews or sesame seeds.
– Swap vegetable oil for sesame oil in cooking.
– Add a fried egg on top.
– Drizzle with mayo or creamy coconut aminos dressing.
With these higher calorie additions, it’s easy to turn a chicken teriyaki bowl into a 1000+ calorie meal. This can be perfect if you need more calories and nutrients, like athletes, growing teenagers, or those aiming to gain weight.
Nutrition Benefits
Beyond just calories, chicken teriyaki bowls also provide many important nutrients:
– High quality lean protein from chicken to support muscle growth and recovery.
– Fiber, vitamins, minerals from vegetables and grains.
– Phytonutrients and antioxidants from ingredients like carrots, bell peppers, broccoli, ginger and garlic.
– Probiotics from fermented sauces like teriyaki.
– Healthy fats from avocado, nuts, seeds, or sesame oil.
So while they can be higher in calories, chicken teriyaki bowls deliver ample nutritional value. All the more reason to customize your bowl with nutrient-dense add-ins!
Conclusion
Chicken teriyaki bowls pack a lot of flavor and nutrition into one satisfying meal. Calorie counts can range from around 400-700 calories for a moderately sized bowl, but can go even higher if you load it up with extras. To lighten up your bowl, opt for cauliflower rice, extra veggies, and lighter sauces and seasonings. Or feel free to go big and add higher calorie toppings if you’re looking to get more calories and nutrients. However you customize it, a chicken teriyaki bowl makes for a tasty, balanced meal!
