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Greek Chicken Bowl

Lemon Herb Greek Chicken Bowl

Greek chicken bowl with lemon oregano marinated chicken over buttery lemon rice, topped with tzatziki, feta, and fresh vegetables.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean
Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 4 tbsp olive oil divided
  • 6 tbsp fresh lemon juice divided, about 2 lemons
  • 5 cloves garlic minced, divided
  • 2 1/2 tsp dried oregano divided
  • 1 tsp dried dill
  • 1 3/4 tsp salt divided
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
  • 1 English cucumber divided
  • 2 tbsp fresh dill chopped
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1/2 red onion thinly sliced
  • 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives halved
  • 1 lemon cut into wedges, for serving

Instructions

  • Marinate the chicken: In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice, 4 cloves of the minced garlic, 2 teaspoons of the oregano, the dried dill, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the black pepper. Add the chicken and toss until every piece is coated. Let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes while you get everything else going, or cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours.
  • Toast and cook the lemon rice: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the rice, and stir for 3-4 minutes until the grains smell nutty and turn lightly golden. Pour in the chicken broth, 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 18 minutes. Pull it off the heat and let it sit, still covered, for 5 minutes.
  • Make the tzatziki: Grate half the cucumber on the large holes of a box grater, then squeeze it dry in a clean kitchen towel. Stir it into the Greek yogurt along with the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, the remaining garlic clove, the fresh dill, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Refrigerate until you're ready to build the bowls.
  • Prep the toppings: Dice the remaining cucumber half, halve the cherry tomatoes, thinly slice the red onion, and halve the olives. Set everything out so the bowls come together fast.
  • Sear the chicken: Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Lift the chicken out of the marinade with tongs and let the excess drip off, then add it to the pan in a single layer and discard what's left in the bowl. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until the pieces are browned at the edges and a thermometer reads 165°F in the thickest piece. Cook in two batches if your skillet is crowded.
  • Fluff the rice and build the bowls: Fluff the lemon rice with a fork and divide it among four bowls. Top each with the seared chicken, the diced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, olives, and crumbled feta.
  • Finish with tzatziki: Spoon a generous dollop of tzatziki over each Greek chicken bowl and serve with a lemon wedge to squeeze over the top.

Notes

Use an oil-and-lemon marinade rather than a yogurt one so the chicken browns instead of steaming, and toast the rice in butter before adding the broth so the grains stay fluffy and separate. Cook the chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F.