Greek Chicken Tzatziki Bowl Recipe | Healthy Mediterranean Dinner

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With summertime creeping in, my kitchen has officially entered its “fresh dinners only” era—and this Greek Chicken Tzatziki Bowl is hitting all the right notes. It’s light, vibrant, and loaded with all my favorite Mediterranean flavors: juicy marinated chicken, cool cucumbers, ripe tomatoes, briny olives, and the creamiest homemade tzatziki sauce. I serve it over a bed of fluffy rice with crisp red onions on top, and honestly, it’s one of those meals that feels both effortless and impressive. Perfect for weeknights when I want something quick, but still crave that just-got-back-from-a-vacation vibe.

Why I Love This Meal

This meal is everything I want in a dinner—fresh, filling, and full of flavor without feeling heavy. The combination of warm, spiced greek chicken with the cool, creamy tzatziki is just chef’s kiss, and I can easily prep the components ahead of time to throw it all together on a busy night. It’s one of those meals that feels nourishing and cozy, but still gives off that laid-back, sunny patio energy I’m always chasing this time of year.

Start by tenderizing two chicken breasts—

Place them between two sheets of plastic wrap and use a meat mallet to pound them until they’re an even thickness. This step helps the chicken cook more evenly and gives it that perfectly tender, juicy texture we all love.

Next, marinate the chicken–

In a bowl, mix together olive oil, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, pepper, a dollop of Greek yogurt, chopped parsley, and a sprinkle of paprika. The Greek yogurt helps tenderize the meat even further while adding a subtle tang that pairs beautifully with the spices. Let the chicken marinate in the fridge for at least 20 minutes (or up to a few hours if you’ve got the time).

While the chicken marinates, whip up the tzatziki–

In a bowl, combine Greek yogurt, a splash of olive oil, fresh lemon juice, finely chopped dill, and a clove of minced garlic. Add in cucumber that’s been finely diced or grated—squeeze out as much water as possible so the sauce stays thick and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then stir it all together until smooth. Put in fridge to cool.

While the chicken is soaking up all that flavor and the tzatziki has time to chill, go ahead and chop your veggies–

You’ll need cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and a handful of Kalamata olives—everything should be bite-sized and bowl-ready.

And let’s be real: I always use Ben’s premade rice for this kind of meal because cooking rice is one of my least favorite tasks (zero shame). But if you’re making your own, now’s the time to get it going so everything’s ready to come together when the chicken is done.

Once everything’s prepped, it’s time to cook the chicken–

I like to pan sear mine in a bit of olive oil over medium-high heat—just enough to get a nice golden brown crust on both sides. Cook the chicken until it reaches an internal temp of 165°F (I always use a meat thermometer to be sure), then let it rest for a few minutes before slicing. That little rest helps keep it super juicy and flavorful.

Now for the fun part—assembling the bowls!

Start with a scoop of rice as your base, then layer on the sliced greek chicken, chopped veggies, and a generous dollop of that creamy tzatziki. Finish it off with a sprinkle of crumbled feta for that salty, tangy kick that ties everything together. I like to serve mine with an extra wedge of lemon or a drizzle of olive oil if I’m feeling fancy. It’s colorful, fresh, and seriously satisfying every single time.

Greek Chicken Tzatziki Bowls

A fresh and flavorful Greek-inspired bowl with tender marinated chicken, crisp veggies, creamy homemade tzatziki, and fluffy rice—perfect for easy dinners or meal prep.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Marinate time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 4 bowls

Equipment

• 1 meat mallet

Ingredients

  

For the Chicken

• 2 chicken breasts boneless, skinless
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• juice of one lemon
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 cup greek yogurt plain, unsweetened
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
• 1 tsp paprika
• salt and pepper to taste

For the Tzatziki

• 1 cup greek yogurt plain, unsweetened
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 tbsp fresh dill chopped
• 1/2 cucumber, grated or finely diced water squeezed out
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• salt and pepper to taste

For the Bowls

• 2 cups cooked rice I use Ben's pre-made jasmine rice
• 1/2 cucumber halved and sliced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
• 1/4 red onion finely chopped
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives pitted and halved
• crumbled feta for topping

Instructions

 

Tenderize the Chicken:

• Place chicken breasts between plastic wrap and use a meat mallet to pound until even and fairly thin. This helps them cook evenly and stay tender.

Marinate:

• In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, Greek yogurt, parsley, paprika, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken and coat well. Let it marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (longer if you have the time).

Make the Tzatziki:

• In a small bowl, mix Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, dill, grated/squeezed cucumber, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir well and refrigerate while the chicken marinates.

Prep the Veggies:

• Chop cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, and olives. If cooking rice from scratch, start that now. Otherwise, heat up premade rice (I use Ben’s—it’s a time-saver!).

Cook the Chicken:

• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken on both sides until golden brown and cooked through (internal temp should be 165°F). Let rest for a few minutes, then slice.

Assemble the Bowls:

• Start with rice as your base, then add chicken, chopped veggies, and a generous dollop of tzatziki. Finish with crumbled feta, and garnish with lemon wedges or a drizzle of olive oil if desired.

Notes

• Rice shortcut: I always use Ben’s ready rice to keep things simple—feel free to use whatever kind you love or have on hand. Lemon or garlic rice would be especially great here.
• Meal prep tip: You can prep all the components in advance and store them separately in the fridge. Assemble when you’re ready to eat, or build the bowls ahead for easy grab-and-go lunches.
• Make it low-carb: Swap the rice for cauliflower rice, or serve everything over a bed of greens for a lighter option.
• Tzatziki tip: The sauce gets even better after it sits for a bit, so feel free to make it a day ahead. Just give it a good stir before serving.
• Chicken options: Grilled chicken works great too if you want to fire up the grill instead of pan-searing.

Keyword cozy dinner, cucumber, greek, healthy, rice bowl, summer