Description
This Greek Chicken Bowls recipe offers a fresh, flavorful, and healthy meal featuring marinated grilled chicken served atop cauliflower rice or quinoa with vibrant Mediterranean toppings including tomatoes, cucumbers, kalamata olives, red onion, creamy tzatziki sauce, and crumbled feta cheese. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or meal prep, these bowls are bursting with zesty lemon, garlic, and oregano flavors and can be customized with optional pita chips and fresh herbs for garnish.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken Marinade
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (2 large breasts)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Dash crushed red pepper flakes
For the Bowls
- 2 cups cooked cauliflower rice, regular rice, or quinoa
- 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
- 2 cups chopped cucumber
- 1 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
- 1/2 red onion, sliced
- 1 cup tzatziki sauce
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- Lemon wedges for serving
- Pita chips (optional)
- Fresh dill and parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: In a gallon-size Ziploc bag, combine the chicken breasts, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, kosher salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Seal the bag and gently massage the marinade around the chicken. Refrigerate and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour, turning the bag occasionally to ensure even flavor absorption.
- Preheat the Grill: Heat your grill to medium-high heat, preparing it for cooking the chicken breasts. A well-preheated grill ensures nice grill marks and proper cooking temperature for juicy chicken.
- Grill the Chicken: Place the marinated chicken breasts on the grill and cook for approximately 5 minutes per side. Use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C), ensuring the chicken is cooked through and safe to eat. Once done, remove the chicken and let it rest for 5 minutes to allow juices to redistribute.
- Slice the Chicken: After resting, slice the chicken breasts into strips or bite-sized pieces, ready to assemble the bowls.
- Assemble the Bowls: Distribute the cooked cauliflower rice, regular rice, or quinoa evenly among four serving bowls. Top each bowl with sliced grilled chicken, halved grape tomatoes, chopped cucumber, sliced kalamata olives, and red onion. Spoon a generous amount of tzatziki sauce on top and sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese.
- Finish and Serve: Squeeze fresh lemon juice over each bowl to brighten the flavors. Optionally, add pita chips for crunch and garnish with fresh dill and parsley for added freshness. Serve immediately to enjoy the vibrant flavors and textures.
Notes
- Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes but up to 1 hour for maximum flavor infusion.
- You can substitute cauliflower rice with regular rice or quinoa depending on preference or dietary needs.
- Make sure your grill is properly preheated to avoid sticking and ensure perfect grill marks.
- Resting the grilled chicken before slicing helps retain its juiciness.
- Optional pita chips add a delightful crunch but can be omitted for a lighter meal.
- Fresh herbs like dill and parsley enhance the freshness and presentation of the bowl.
