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.
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.