Mango Coconut Tropical Rice Bowls
If you're craving something that feels like a mini vacation on a plate, this Mango Coconut Tropical Rice Bowl is exactly what you need. Creamy coconut rice is topped with bold, spiced protein, sweet mango, buttery avocado, and hearty black beans — all coming together in just 35 minutes. I make this one on repeat during warmer months, and it never gets old. The best part? You get to choose your protein and customize every single bowl to your liking.
Ingredients
Coconut Rice Ingredients:
- 1½ cups Calrose rice
- 1 13.5 ounce can light coconut milk
- ½ cup water
- ½ teaspoon salt
Protein Ingredients:
- 1 pound protein of your choice (large shrimp peeled and deveined, boneless skinless chicken thighs or breast, salmon fillets, or extra firm tofu cut into cubes)
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon oil of your choice (avocado oil, olive oil, or coconut oil)
Bowl Ingredients:
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 ripe mangoes, diced
- 2 large ripe avocados, sliced
- Lime wedges, for serving
- Optional: Hot honey
Instructions
- Rinse the Calrose rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Add to a medium saucepan with the coconut milk, water, and salt. Let everything soak in the pan for 15 minutes.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 18-20 minutes without stirring until all liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat and let steam, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.
- Season your protein with chili powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, dried cilantro, salt, and pepper. Cook based on whichever protein you choose.
- For Shrimp: Heat a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat and add oil. Cook shrimp 2–3 minutes per side until pink, opaque, and lightly charred. Remove from heat immediately.
- For Chicken: Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium heat and add oil. Cook chicken 6–7 minutes per side, flipping once, until fully cooked and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (75°C). Let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
- For Salmon: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. Cook salmon skin-side down for 4–5 minutes, then flip and cook another 2–3 minutes until the fish flakes easily and reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C).
- For Tofu: Press excess moisture from the tofu and cut into cubes. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add oil. Pan-fry the tofu cubes for 4–5 minutes per side until golden and crispy on the outside.
- Divide the coconut rice among 4 bowls. Top each with your cooked protein, black beans, diced mango, and sliced avocado.
Notes
Distribution Note: You can just eyeball distributing out all the ingredients but if you want to be more exact about it, here's the general breakdown per bowl: ~¾ cup cooked coconut rice ~2 ½ ounces cooked protein ¼ cup black beans ½ cup mango, diced ¼ cup avocado, sliced
Nutrition Note: This is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. Nutrition may vary depending on ingredients used. This calculation is for shrimp and avocado oil. For more nutrition information, seek a professional registered dietitian's advice.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 550kcalCarbohydrates: 78gProtein: 22gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 160mgSodium: 805mgPotassium: 966mgFiber: 14gSugar: 19gCalcium: 149mgIron: 3mg
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