Greek Chicken Bowls (Printable)
Greek-style bowl with marinated chicken, herbed rice, fresh veggies, olives and tzatziki for a balanced, protein-rich meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken & Marinade
01 - 1.1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
02 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
06 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
07 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
08 - ½ teaspoon salt
09 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
→ Herbed Rice
10 - 1 cup long-grain rice
11 - 1 ⅔ cups water
12 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
13 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
14 - ½ teaspoon salt
→ Tzatziki Sauce
15 - 7 oz plain Greek yogurt
16 - ½ cucumber, finely grated and squeezed dry
17 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
18 - 1 clove garlic, minced
19 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
20 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
21 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ Bowl Toppings
22 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
23 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
24 - ½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
25 - 1 small cucumber, diced
26 - 3.5 oz feta cheese, crumbled
27 - Lemon wedges for serving
28 - Pita bread, grilled (optional)
# How To Make:
01 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken strips and toss to coat evenly. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes at room temperature or refrigerate for up to 2 hours for deeper flavor.
02 - Bring the water and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in the rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer according to package directions until tender and liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork, then fold in the chopped parsley and olive oil. Cover and set aside.
03 - Grate the cucumber half and squeeze out excess moisture using a clean towel or fine mesh strainer. Combine the drained cucumber with the Greek yogurt, fresh dill, minced garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Stir until smooth and refrigerate until ready to serve.
04 - Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat and lightly oil the surface. Remove chicken from the marinade, discarding any excess, and arrange in a single layer. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, turning once, until golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer to a plate and rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
05 - Divide the herbed rice among four bowls. Arrange the sliced grilled chicken alongside the cherry tomatoes, red onion, olives, diced cucumber, and crumbled feta. Add a generous dollop of tzatziki over each bowl and garnish with lemon wedges. Serve immediately with warm pita bread on the side if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The marinade does all the heavy lifting so you get deeply flavored chicken with almost zero effort.
- Everything components can be prepped ahead which means a stunning dinner comes together in minutes on busy nights.
- The tzatziki is so good you will want to put it on everything from sandwiches to roasted vegetables.
- It is one of those rare meals that feels indulgent but is genuinely nourishing.
02 -
- Do not rush the cucumber squeezing step because watery tzatziki will pool at the bottom of your bowl and dilute every flavor.
- Letting the chicken rest after grilling keeps the juices inside the meat instead of running out across your cutting board.
- The marinade needs at least fifteen minutes but thirty in the refrigerator makes a noticeable difference in depth of flavor.
- Salty feta and olives mean you should go easy on added salt in the bowl components and adjust at the end.
03 -
- Use a grill pan with ridges if you have one because those char marks add flavor that a flat skillet simply cannot replicate.
- Taste your feta before adding salt to anything else because some feta is aggressively salty and some is mild.