Mediterranean Chicken Rice Bowls

Mediterranean Chicken Bowls, at a Glance

Why These Chicken Bowls Work

These lovely chicken bowls have been on firm rotation in my house, and I have a feeling they might become a favorite for you, too.

Inspired by two iconic meals – Greek chicken gyros and those insanely flavorful halal cart chicken bowls you’ll find all over New York City – this recipe is basically a mash-up of them both.

They’re incredibly easy to make, with most of the time being hands-off while the rice and the chicken cook.

But what I love most about these bowls is how customizable they are:

• Add hot honey halloumi or marinated feta for extra protein, or swap in juicy Greek-style chicken meatballs.
• Jazz up the fresh salad with red onion, bell peppers, extra herbs, and olives.
• Swap the creamy tzatziki for garlicky tahini yogurt sauce, spicy whipped cottage cheese, green tahini sauce, or even fresh basil pesto.
• Use quinoa, orzo, couscous, or a leafy green mix as the base instead of fluffy, golden rice.

Choose Your Base for These Mediterranean Chicken Bowls

While I love serving these bowls as written in the recipe, over fluffy, fragrant, golden rice, you can absolutely switch this up if you prefer:

• Quinoa. A brilliant, higher-protein option with a satisfying nutty flavor.
• Couscous. Ready in minutes and super fluffy (like rice). An easy, hands-off option.
• Orzo. This gives a more of a pasta feel, while still providing a great
• Brown rice. Nutty, with a satisfying bite, and with more fiber than regular white rice.
• Cauliflower rice. Fabulous if you want a lower-carb or Keto option.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Chicken thighs. Because we’re cooking the chicken at a high heat, thighs are safer than breasts (they stay moist, so are less likely to dry out). But if you prefer chicken breasts, you can use them instead.
• Spices. You’ll need dried oregano (or use dried mint, parsley, marjoram, or mixed herbs), smoked paprika, and ground cumin for the chicken, and ground turmeric provides that GORGEOUS golden color to the buttery rice.
• Yogurt. Plain, natural, or Greek yogurt is best – this helps to tenderize the chicken and keep it nice and juicy.
• Tzatziki. Use a good store-bought tzatziki if you like, but I recommend trying to make it yourself. It’s SO EASY and far superior – you need just a handful of ingredients (that are already used in this recipe!) Try this recipe for the best tzatziki sauce.

How to Make the Chicken Bowls

This is a step-by-step photo overview of how to make the bowls – the full recipe with ingredient quantitites and instructions is at the bottom of the page for you.

1. Mix the chicken marinade, then add the diced chicken. If you have time, pop it into the fridge for a couple of hours (and up to 24 hours) to marinate. But don’t stress if you don’t – it will still be great!

2. Arrange the marinated chicken on a lined sheet pan, trying to keep it on one layer if you can. This will help it cook evenly and give you those lovely charred marks all over. Pop it into the oven.

3. While the chicken cooks, make your buttery, fragrant rice. Melt your butter, then add your spices.

4. Add the rice, then mix it through the butter and spices.

5. Pour in the chicken stock, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cover.

6. Cook until gorgeously fluffy and all the stock is absorbed.

Watch How to Make the Bowls

Mediterranean Chicken Bowl FAQs

Like these bowls? Try these chicken recipes next

Sticky Gochujang Chicken

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

Miso Grilled Chicken

Hot Honey Harissa Grilled Chicken

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! You can leave a recipe rating and a comment below. And remember to tag @DishedByKate on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok if you’ve made one of my recipes. Seeing your recreations really makes my day 😊.

Mediterranean Chicken Rice Bowls

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 6 reviews

• Author: Kate Phillips
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x

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Description

These Mediterranean chicken bowls are one of my go-tos for busy weeknights. You’ve got beautifully fragrant, fluffy rice, charred lemony chicken, creamy tzatziki, a fresh tomato and cucumber salad, and soft, warm flatbreads on the side. Colorful, generous, and genuinely satisfying – there’s not a lot better.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

For the rice –

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice (like Basmati)
• 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Black pepper

For the chicken –

• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 lb (500g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, diced

For the toppings –

• 1/2 cup tzatziki
• 1 large cucumber
• 7oz (200g) cherry tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons sumac
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Black pepper
• A handful of flat-leaf parsley
• Soft, fluffy flatbreads (optional)

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Instructions

1. Marinate the chicken. Heat your oven to 450°F (250°C). Add the crushed garlic, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of dried oregano, 2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, and 1 teaspoon of ground cumin to a bowl, or a container you have a lid for. Mix to combine, then add the diced chicken. Toss the chicken through the marinade, then set it aside. PRO TIP: You can marinate the chicken up to 24 hours in advance if you like, but it’s not essential.
2. Make the buttery rice. Set a large pot you have a lid for over medium heat. Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in the pot, then add 1 teaspoon each of ground turmeric and cumin and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute). Pour in 1 ½ cups of rice, then stir to coat the rice in the butter and spices. Stir for another few minutes to gently toast the rice. Add 2 ½ cups of chicken stock, ½ teaspoon of salt, and a very good grind of black pepper.
3. Simmer the rice. Bring the rice to a boil (increase the heat to help with this). Once it’s boiling, turn the heat to the lowest setting and pop the lid on. Let it cook undisturbed for 15 minutes. After that time, remove the pot from the heat but keep the lid so the rice can finish steaming and cooking before serving (about another 10 minutes).
4. Cook the chicken. While the rice simmers, line a sheet pan with baking paper. Arrange the marinated chicken on the pan, ideally on one layer, for even cooking and charring. Transfer to the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden and charred around the edges.
5. Make the salad. While the chicken and rice cook, dice the cucumber and slice your cherry tomatoes into quarters. Add to a small bowl, then sprinkle over 2 teaspoons of sumac and ½ teaspoon of salt. Toss to combine and set aside.
6. Assemble your bowls. Divide the buttery rice between bowls, then top with the charred chicken. Spoon over the salad and dollop over the tzatziki. Finish by sprinkling the flat-leaf parsley on top. Serve with the flatbreads if you’re using them, and any extra tzatziki on the side.

Notes

INGREDIENT NOTES: I like to use chicken thighs as they stay nice and juicy even when cooked at a high temperature, but you could use chicken breasts if you prefer. You could swap the dried oregano for another dried herb, like parsley, mint, thyme, or marjoram. Skip the yogurt in the marinade for a dairy-free version (or use dairy-free yogurt).

PREP AHEAD: You can marinate the chicken up to 24 hours in advance if you like. You can also make each element in advance, then just assemble the bowls when you’re ready. Everything will keep for at least four days in the fridge.

• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 25
• Category: fakeaways
• Method: oven
• Cuisine: mediterranean

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 bowl
• Calories: 488
• Sugar: 7.9g
• Sodium: 1549.9mg
• Fat: 20.9g
• Saturated Fat: 8g
• Unsaturated Fat: 11.5g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 35.9g
• Fiber: 2.3g
• Protein: 38.6g
• Cholesterol: 147.7mg