Greek Chicken Bowls (Printable)
Herbed grilled chicken with rice, fresh veggies, feta, and tzatziki in a Mediterranean bowl.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Chicken & Marinade
01 - 1.1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
04 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 tsp dried oregano
06 - 1 tsp dried thyme
07 - 1/2 tsp paprika
08 - 1/2 tsp salt
09 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ Rice
10 - 1 cup basmati or long grain rice
11 - 1 3/4 cups water
12 - 1 tbsp olive oil
13 - 1/2 tsp 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 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
22 - 1 garlic clove, minced
23 - 1 tbsp olive oil
24 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
25 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ Garnishes
26 - Fresh parsley or dill, chopped
27 - Lemon wedges
# Directions:
01 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried thyme, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Add the chicken breasts and coat thoroughly. 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 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, fresh dill, minced garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
04 - Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill for 5 to 6 minutes per side, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the juices run clear. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
05 - Divide the fluffed rice among four bowls. Arrange sliced grilled chicken, diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, red onion slices, Kalamata olives, and crumbled feta over the rice in each bowl. Spoon tzatziki generously on top and finish with fresh parsley or dill and lemon wedges.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The marinade does all the heavy lifting, so you get restaurant quality flavor with almost zero technique required.
- Every component can be prepped ahead, meaning dinner on busy nights takes about five minutes of actual effort.
02 -
- Do not skip squeezing the cucumber dry for the tzatziki, because wet cucumber will turn your sauce into soup overnight and there is no coming back from that.
- Letting the chicken rest after grilling is not optional and cutting into it immediately will let all the juices run out onto your cutting board instead of staying inside where they belong.
03 -
- Use full fat Greek yogurt for the tzatziki because the low fat versions break and get watery when they sit, and the richness is what makes the sauce feel indulgent.
- A cast iron grill pan gives you better char marks than any nonstick skillet ever will, and those smoky bits are carrying most of the flavor.