Over the past few years, BA editors have tested just about every meal delivery service out there, and HelloFresh keeps standing out for its bold flavors. So we teamed up with the brand on a 12-week collaboration. The BA Picks collection features recipes hand-selected by our staff, and HelloFresh customers also get an exclusive three-month digital subscription to Bon Appétit. To choose them, we cooked many, many kits in our home kitchens and in the BA Test Kitchen, following the recipe cards exactly. We judged each one on flavor, portion size, cook time, cuisine variety, and the recipe's step-by-step clarity. This Ginger Chicken and Rice Bowl is one of those picks. Here’s what it’s like to make it at home.
Ginger Chicken and Rice Bowl
As a product tester, I'm very methodical, so I was excited to help build the BA Picks collection. I got to cook a bunch of meals and decide which ones were the best—the same process I take when testing the best pizza ovens or juicers. Despite being Italian, I'm constantly drawn to Asian flavors when I cook at home on weeknights. The balance of salty, sweet, spicy, and acidic is highly addictive. It hits the spot after a long day of reviewing appliances in the Test Kitchen.
That's why the Ginger Chicken & Rice Bowls caught my eye. Made with soy, Thai chili sauce, gochujang, ponzu, and Korean chili flakes, it has all the flavors I crave. It reminded me of some of my favorite BA recipes, like our Gochujang Chicken Stir-Fry, a mainstay in my weeknight rotation. Can a meal kit recipe stand up to a Bon Appétit recipe that's tested over weeks of development? It was my job to find out. (Spoiler alert: It did.)
What it is
HelloFresh's Ginger Chicken & Rice Bowls pair saucy ginger chicken with rice, a spicy cucumber side, and toasted peanuts on top. The recipe card rates it easy and lists a total time of 20 minutes. You can order it in two-, three-, four-, or six-serving sizes.
What's in the box
I have an entire container in my fridge dedicated to Asian condiments. If I were cooking this recipe from scratch, I'd have to lug the whole thing out, and the bottles would cover my counter. HelloFresh measures everything out for you, so all you have to do is open the bags and follow the step-by-step instructions.
This kit came with a "mini" cucumber that was more like a normal-size one (perfect for me, since I love cucumber salad). It also had all the seasonings, rice, toppings like peanuts, and chopped chicken breast.
The pre-chopped chicken was the underrated MVP. I rarely cook chicken at home because I hate handling it raw, plus the cleanup that comes after. (Always sanitize your cutting board and prep station after working with raw meat!) So HelloFresh came in clutch here. The only ingredients I had to pull from my own pantry were oil, salt, pepper, and a small dash of sugar.
How it came together
HelloFresh instructions include photos of each step, so they're easy to follow. I started by putting a pot of rice on. Then I chopped and salted the cucumbers so they could season while I cooked the chicken. After a quick sauté in a pan, I tossed the chicken in the sauce, and it was ready. Once I drained the cucumbers, all I had to do was add the chili flakes, gochujang, sesame oil, ponzu, and sugar. From start to finish, the whole process took me all of 20 minutes. That was great, because the smells coming from each component were making my mouth water.
How it tastes
This dish exceeded my expectations for a meal kit. The cucumbers got a ton of umami from the fermented gochujang dressing, and the chicken was saucy, with a punch of ponzu. The ginger sauce has it all: a sweet, mild ginger flavor, a trace of salty soy, and a hint of heat. Thai chili sauce and ponzu turn it into a sticky glaze for the chicken. The cucumbers add a cooling side and a pop of color, and the peanuts on top are the finishing touch. These are flavors I'd never expect in a delivery box, and I'm super impressed.
Who it's for
Anyone looking to explore Asian ingredients would learn a lot from this dish. It uses gochujang, ponzu, Thai chili sauce, and Korean chili flakes. I'd never cooked with Korean chili flakes (also known as gochugaru), so I was excited to taste it. If you want a quick dinner, this recipe comes together in just 20 minutes. It's a flavorful dish without project-level effort.
The bottom line
The Ginger Chicken & Rice Bowls hit the salty, sweet, spicy, and acidic balance I crave after a long day. The pre-chopped chicken and photo-guided steps make it easy, and there's no counter full of condiments to put away afterward. Find it in the BA Picks collection on HelloFresh, along with an exclusive three-month digital subscription to Bon Appétit.