Greek Chicken Grain Bowl (Printable)
Mediterranean grain bowl with marinated chicken, fresh veggies, and creamy tzatziki sauce.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken & Marinade
01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
04 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 tsp dried oregano
06 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
07 - 1/2 tsp salt
08 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ Grains
09 - 1 cup uncooked brown rice, farro, or quinoa (use quinoa or rice for gluten-free)
10 - 2 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
11 - 1/2 tsp salt
→ Vegetables & Garnishes
12 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
13 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
14 - 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
15 - 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
16 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
17 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
18 - Lemon wedges, for serving
→ Tzatziki Sauce
19 - 1 cup Greek yogurt
20 - 1/2 cup cucumber, grated and squeezed dry
21 - 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
22 - 1 garlic clove, minced
23 - 1 tbsp olive oil
24 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
25 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Add the chicken and toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes, or up to 2 hours for deeper flavor penetration.
02 - Rinse the grains under cold water. Combine with water or low-sodium chicken broth and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until tender — approximately 20 minutes for brown rice or farro, 15 minutes for quinoa. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
03 - In a small bowl, combine Greek yogurt, grated and thoroughly drained cucumber, fresh dill, minced garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
04 - Heat a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a cutting board and rest for 5 minutes before slicing against the grain.
05 - Divide the cooked grains among four bowls. Arrange cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, sliced red onion, Kalamata olives, and crumbled feta over the grains. Top each bowl with sliced chicken and drizzle generously with tzatziki sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges on the side.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The marinade works in just fifteen minutes, which means you can decide to make this at six oclock and still eat at a reasonable hour.
- Every component can be prepped ahead, so leftovers taste even better the next day for lunch.
02 -
- Patting the chicken completely dry before marinating helps it develop a real crust instead of steaming in the pan.
- Grating the cucumber on the large holes of a box grater and then squeezing it in a dish towel was the single thing that stopped my tzatziki from turning into soup.
03 -
- If you have time to marinate the chicken for two hours in the fridge, the flavor penetrates all the way through and the texture becomes noticeably more tender.
- Warming the grains slightly before assembling makes the feta soften just enough to get creamy without fully melting.