Many years ago we experimented and created our reader-favorite recipe – Greek Chicken Meatballs. It reminded us how much we absolutely love those fresh Greek flavors and had us craving more. Enter our warm greek pasta, greek chicken salad, and now this healthy Greek chicken bowl too. Because, in our humble opinion, there is nothing better than a rice bowl for dinner. Just make sure you have a sauce, it is a must!
Looking for More Rice Bowls?
Table of Contents
If you love them as much as we do, you definitely need to try our Chicken Shawarma Bowl!
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
Be sure to see the recipe card below for a full listing of ingredients, instructions, & estimated nutritional information.
- chicken thighs – bone-in chicken thighs tend to have the most flavor, but boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts could also be used. Adjust cook times accordingly.
- Greek vinaigrette – for a store-bought version, we love Primal Kitchen’s Greek Vinaigrette or, if you have the time, make our homemade Greek vinaigrette!
- tzatziki sauce – every rice bowl needs a sauce and this one can be found at your local grocery store or make your own homemade tzatziki sauce.
How To Make Greek Chicken Bowls
Add your chicken thighs to the marinade and let sit for a bit.
Sear in a cast iron skillet and then finish cooking in a preheated oven.
How Long to Marinate Chicken?
Letting the chicken thighs sit in the Greek marinade for as little as 30 minutes for a quick marinade will help keep your chicken tender and flavorful. But, if you have the time, marinating chicken overnight is even better.
Air Fryer Option
Love using an air fryer? Then you can easily marinate the chicken and make air fryer chicken thighs, instead of the stove top and oven!
While the chicken cooks, mix up your greek salad.
And make your tzatziki sauce (but remember you can easily use store-bought to make things go quicker).
Storage & Freezer
- Refrigerator: the chicken, rice, fresh ingredients, and sauce can each be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. We just recommend storing them separately for easier reheating!
- Freezer: place the chicken and marinade in a freezer-safe container or bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before cooking. This will give your chicken even more flavor.
Recipe FAQs and Tips
- red onions: option to keep the red onion raw on top of your bowl or these quick-pickled red onions are amazing too!
- Other options than tzatziki sauce? Try an easy whipped feta or our delicious garlic white sauce. Either one would be delicious!
Other Greek Recipes You Might Like
Made this recipe and loved it?!
We would love it if you would take a minute and leave a star rating and review – it is also helpful if you made any substitutions or changes to the recipe to share that as well. THANK YOU!
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Greek Chicken Bowl Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner/Entree
- Method: Stove Top + Oven
- Cuisine: Greek-Inspired
Description
A light and delicious Greek Chicken Bowl recipe that is perfect for any night of the week! Full of the best fresh flavors!
Ingredients
Greek Chicken Thighs + Marinade:
- 1/3 cup avocado oil (sub extra virgin olive oil)
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 4 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
- 4 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon dried coriander
- 4–6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Bowl Components:
- 1 cup kalamata olives, pitted
- 1 cup english cucumber, diced
- 1/2 red or orange bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
- 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled (regular or dairy-free)
- 1/4 cup red onions, diced (or sliced)
- 2 tablespoons Greek Vinaigrette
- 2–3 cups rice, cooked
- 1 avocado, cubed
- 1/2 cup tzatziki sauce (more, if desired)
- 2–3 pieces pita bread, cut into triangles
- garnish: lemon wedges, cracked black pepper and some fresh parsley
Instructions
- Marinate Chicken: In a small bowl, add the chicken marinade ingredients. Whisk to combine. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels and place in a reusable silicone bag or glass container. Pour the marinade over top and ensure chicken is fully coated. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or overnight.
- Prep: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Cook Chicken: Place a large cast iron skillet on the stove top and bring to medium-high heat. Add a tiny bit of oil to the pan, just enough to lightly coat the bottom. Once the pan is hot (it should sizzle if you flick some water on it) place the chicken thighs skin-side down in the pan and let sear 3-4 minutes or until the skin is nice and golden brown. Flip the chicken thighs over and then move the skillet to the oven (middle rack and uncovered). Let cook 15-20 minutes or until fully cooked (165 degrees F internal temperature – use a meat thermometer). Let rest 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Make Olive Mixture: Combine olives, cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, feta cheese, & red onions in a medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons Greek Vinaigrette and toss to combine.
- Assemble Rice Bowls: Divide chicken, olive mixture, rice and avocado between individual bowls.
- Serve: Add a dollop of tzatziki sauce and some slices of pita bread. Option to garnish with lemon wedges, cracked black pepper, & a bit of fresh parsley. Enjoy!
Notes
- Tzatziki Sauce: feel free to use store-bought or try our homemade tzatziki sauce!
- Grilled Chicken Option: preheat grill to medium high heat (about 400 degrees F) and ensure grill grates are clean. Grill chicken on direct heat (directly over flame) for 3-4 minutes per side (the bigger the thigh, the longer you will need to cook it), flipping once. Remove from grill once the internal temp has reached 165 degrees F. Let rest 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Boneless Chicken Thighs: you can easily use boneless chicken thighs instead of bone-in, just adjust cook time down because they will cook much faster.
- Gluten Free: omit the pita bread or use a dairy-free alternative.
- Dairy Free: omit the feta cheese or use a dairy-free alternative & serve with dairy free tzatziki sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 oz
- Calories: 469
- Sugar: 4.6 g
- Sodium: 1170.6 mg
- Fat: 28.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 42.4 g
- Protein: 13.8 g
- Cholesterol: 30.6 mg
Grayce P says
I ‘stumbled’ upon this recipe a few weeks ago. Stumbled means – I came over looking for something different. I’ve not experimented with Greek food before, and decided to give this a try. I’m so glad I did!
It was a huge hit in my home, and is now on a regular rotation!
Erin says
Thank you so much, Grayce! Glad you enjoyed it – thanks for coming back to leave a review and rating, I really appreciate it!