These Greek chicken bowls are a 30-minute weeknight dinner packed with turmeric rice, seasoned chicken, crunchy veggies, and creamy tzatziki. Fresh, healthy, and totally satisfying!
As a cookbook author who’s written hundreds of easy dinner recipes, here’s a new meal I truly make on repeat: these Greek chicken bowls! I designed this recipe to be easy enough to make on a weeknight: no marinading time or advanced prep needed. It’s ready in 30 minutes, so it’s great for those busy evenings when you just need an easy healthy dinner idea.
Over the past decade I’ve become well-versed in Mediterranean diet recipes, so this one is right up my alley. It’s got tender Greek-marinated chicken, bright yellow turmeric rice, crisp vegetables, and a creamy tzatziki sauce that will have you licking the bowl clean. Plus, there’s an easy vegetarian swap for the protein to keep things versatile!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
As a busy working parent, I’m a sucker for fast recipes that don’t require a lot of thinking in advance. Many Greek chicken bowl recipes require waiting for a chicken marinade or preheating the oven. As a shortcut, I created this recipe using a spin on my pan seared chicken breast. Here’s why I think you’ll love it:
- Quick and easy: This dinner is on the table in about 30 minutes, which is nice for busy weeknights.
- Healthy and flavorful: Packed with lean protein and vibrant vegetables (great for the Mediterranean diet).
- Customizable: You can easily swap out veggies, proteins, or add your favorite toppings.
- Meal prep friendly: Prepare the components ahead of time for easy lunches or dinners.
5 Star Reader Reviews
“This has become a family favorite in our house. There’s something magical about the turmeric rice that brings it all together. I like that I can have the onions and tzatziki ready ahead and then it’s more doable on a weeknight. So yummy!” -Wendy
“Excellent excellent meal! Everything came together super quickly. This was wonderful and filling. The rice made for a great base, and the chicken with the veggies, feta and tzatziki added lots of different textures and bursts of flavors.” -Tanvee
Tips for Perfect Greek Chicken Bowls
This Greek chicken bowls recipe is quick to put together. Here are a few things to note for prep:
- A food thermometer is helpful for pan searing chicken. This makes sure it’s perfectly cooked.
- Use red onion for quickest option. Or if you’d like, make Pickled Red Onions: we love to have them on hand in the fridge and they add a great pop of tangy flavor to the recipe. You can also whip them up and let them pickle while making the recipe, which doesn’t add much more time.
- Be careful with turmeric. This spice makes for a beautiful bright yellow color in the rice, but it does stain clothes! Take care when using it.
- The tzatziki is a must. The homemade tzatziki recipe is so delicious and adds a pop of flavor to every bite. If you’d like you can use purchased tzatziki. Each yogurt brand has a different consistency, so if your tzatziki comes out too thick, add a little water to thin it out.
Variations to Try
We know many people are cooking for families with multiple diets, so we love creating dinner ideas that work for many diets at once. Here’s how to make some easy swaps to customize these Greek rice bowls:
- Chickpeas instead of chicken: We’ve added a variation in the recipe below that uses the same spices with chickpeas.
- Dairy free sauce: Try this vegan tzatziki recipe or make it with tahini sauce (just as tasty!).
- Air fryer chicken: If you have an air fryer, cook the chicken in the air fryer instead with the same seasonings.
- Mix up the grain: For a heartier bowl, try serving with farro or quinoa.
Serving Suggestions
This Greek chicken bowl is a complete meal on its own, but it also pairs well with a few simple additions:
- Warm pita bread or pita chips for scooping up extra tzatziki
- A scoop of classic hummus alongside the bowl
- Sliced avocado for extra creaminess
- A sprinkle of quinoa tabbouleh stirred into the rice for an herby twist
- A drizzle of Greek salad dressing over the vegetables for extra brightness
Storing Leftovers & Meal Prep
Store leftovers of these Greek chicken bowls in separate containers for up to 3 days. This recipe is easy to meal prep: prepare the chicken and tzatziki up to 3 days in advance. Slice the veggies and assemble the bowls directly before serving.
Dietary Notes
This recipe is gluten-free and a Mediterranean diet recipe. For vegetarian and vegan, see the notes above.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course! Feel free to customize your bowls with your favorite veggies. Some other great options include roasted sweet potatoes, zucchini, bell peppers, or even some leafy greens like spinach or lettuce.
While Greek yogurt is the traditional base for tzatziki, you could substitute with plain yogurt (regular or low-fat), but the texture might be slightly thinner. Make sure to strain the yogurt if it’s not Greek yogurt to remove excess liquid.
Rinsing the rice before cooking helps remove excess starch, which can contribute to stickiness. Also, avoid lifting the lid too often while the rice is cooking, as this can release steam and affect the cooking process.
Yes, you can freeze the cooked chicken. Let it cool completely before placing it in a freezer-safe bag or container. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. The other components are not recommended for freezing.
Greek Chicken Bowls
Pin RecipeThese Greek chicken bowls are a 30-minute weeknight dinner packed with turmeric rice, seasoned chicken, crunchy veggies, and creamy tzatziki. Fresh, healthy, and totally satisfying!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean Diet
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
For the chicken (see Notes for vegan)
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 4 cutlets (about 1 pound, organic if possible) OR 15-ounce can chickpeas
- 1 to 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon each garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon each cumin and dried dill
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the bowl
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 English cucumber
- 1 handful cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- Pickled Red Onions (made in advance) or ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 handful olives, pitted and sliced
- 1 handful feta cheese
- 1 ½ cups full-fat Greek yogurt*
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ½ tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Make the rice: Using a strainer, rinse the rice under cold water, then drain it completely. In a saucepan over high heat, bring 1 ¾ cups water to a boil. Add the rice, turmeric, garlic powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Stir once, and simmer 10 to 15 minutes. Once all the liquid has cooked out and the rice is tender, remove the heat. Cover the pot and allow the rice to steam for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff the rice with a fork. Taste and add a little more salt and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.
- Make the tzatziki: Meanwhile, grate ½ the cucumber using the small holes on a box grater (if using a standard cucumber, peel and seed it first). Place the grated cucumber in a fine mesh strainer and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Sprinkle it with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, then place over a liquid measuring cup and allow to stand for at least 10 minutes. In a medium bowl, mix the yogurt, garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt, dill, and freshly ground black pepper. Squeeze out more water from the cucumber before adding it to the dip. Stir in the grated cucumber. Depending on your yogurt consistency, you can stir back in the cucumber water (or regular water) until it comes to the desired consistency (some Greek yogurts are very thick!). Stores up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
- Cook the chicken*: If you buy the chicken as breasts that are not already butterflied or in cutlets, butterfly the chicken by placing your hand over the top of each chicken breast and using a sharp knife to carefully slice the breast horizontally, leaving the edge intact so it can open up like a book. Unfold the breast like a book, then cut along the fold to separate the two halves. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and sprinkle on both sides with the kosher salt (use 1 ¼ teaspoons if the chicken is closer to 1 ½ pounds). In a small bowl, mix the garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cumin, dill, and a few grinds of black pepper, then sprinkle over the chicken.
- Add the olive oil to a large stainless steel or cast iron skillet and heat over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 to 5 minutes per side, until browned on both sides. When the internal temperature is 165°F or the center is no longer pink, remove to a plate. Rest 5 minutes before slicing.
- Assemble the bowls: Slice the remaining half of the cucumber and slice the tomatoes in half. If using red onion instead of pickled onions, slice the onion. Add the rice to a bowl and top with the vegetables and chicken (or chickpeas), then sprinkle with olives and feta crumbles and add a dollop of tzatziki. Leftovers last up to 3 days refrigerated.
Notes
For the chickpeas variation (vegetarian and vegan): Drain and rinse the chickpeas. In a medium bowl, mix them with ½ teaspoon each garlic powder, onion powder, and dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon each cumin and dried dill, and ¾ teaspoon kosher salt. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet. Add the chickpeas (carefully to avoid spitting) and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until warmed through.
For a dairy free sauce, use this Tahini Sauce instead!
Meal prep tips: This recipe is easy to meal prep: prepare the chicken and tzatziki up to 3 days in advance. Slice the veggies and assemble the bowls directly before serving.
Air fryer: If you have an air fryer, you can air fry the chicken instead of pan searing.
More Mediterranean Bowl Recipes to Try
If these Greek chicken bowls hit the spot, here are five more recipes you’ll want to make next:
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