Greek Chicken Bowls (Printable version)
Grilled herbed chicken with rice, fresh veggies, feta, and homemade tzatziki in a hearty Mediterranean bowl.
# What you need:
→ Chicken & Marinade
01 - 1.1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
04 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
06 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
07 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Rice
10 - 1 cup basmati or long grain rice
11 - 1 3/4 cups water
12 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Fresh Vegetables
14 - 1 small cucumber, diced
15 - 7 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
16 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
17 - 1.75 oz Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
18 - 1.75 oz feta cheese, crumbled
→ Tzatziki Sauce
19 - 4.4 oz Greek yogurt
20 - 1/2 small cucumber, grated and squeezed dry
21 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
22 - 1 garlic clove, minced
23 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
24 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
25 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ Garnishes
26 - Fresh parsley or dill, chopped
27 - Lemon wedges
# How to make it:
01 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, oregano, thyme, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Add the chicken breasts and turn to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, or up to 2 hours for deeper flavor.
02 - Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the rice and stir for 1 minute to toast the grains. Pour in the water and salt, bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.
03 - Combine Greek yogurt, grated and squeezed cucumber, chopped dill, minced garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir until well blended, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
04 - Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from the marinade and grill for 5 to 6 minutes per side, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a cutting board and rest for 5 minutes before slicing against the grain.
05 - Divide the fluffed rice among four bowls. Arrange sliced grilled chicken, diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion, Kalamata olives, and crumbled feta over the rice in each bowl. Spoon tzatziki generously on top and finish with fresh herbs and lemon wedges.
# Expert tips:
01 -
- The tzatziki is so good you will catch yourself eating it with a spoon straight from the fridge at midnight.
- Everything cooks in under thirty minutes, which means this feels like a real meal without the exhaustion.
- It scales effortlessly for a crowd or a solo week, which makes it the most practical thing in my rotation.
02 -
- Skipping the cucumber squeezing step will turn your tzatziki into a sad soup within an hour, and I learned this the hard way at a dinner party.
- Letting the chicken rest before slicing is non negotiable because cutting immediately releases every bit of moisture you worked so hard to seal in.
03 -
- Pound the chicken to an even thickness before marinating so every piece cooks at the same rate and you avoid the classic problem of dry ends and raw centers.
- Make double the tzatziki because it disappears faster than anything else in the bowl and you will be grateful on Thursday when you spread it on a sandwich.