Name: Mediterranean Chicken and Rice Bowls with Tzatziki
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1½ lb chicken thighs, boneless, skinless; ¼ cup olive oil, divided; 3 tbsp lemon juice, divided; 4 cloves garlic, minced, divided; 1 tbsp dried oregano; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp paprika; 1½ tsp kosher salt, divided; 1½ cups long-grain rice; 2¼ cups chicken broth; 1 cup plain Greek yogurt; ½ cucumber, grated and squeezed dry, divided; 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved; ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced; ½ cup crumbled feta; A handful parsley, chopped, to finish

Mediterranean Chicken and Rice Bowls with Tzatziki

Marinated chicken thighs, lemon rice, and a garlic-yogurt sauce, built to split across containers and eat all week.

Serves

Prep

20 min

Cook

25 min

Written

August 1, 2026

Ingredients

1½ lb chicken thighs, boneless, skinless

¼ cup olive oil, divided

3 tbsp lemon juice, divided

4 cloves garlic, minced, divided

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp paprika

1½ tsp kosher salt, divided

1½ cups long-grain rice

2¼ cups chicken broth

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

½ cucumber, grated and squeezed dry, divided

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced

½ cup crumbled feta

A handful parsley, chopped, to finish

Method

Whisk 3 tbsp of the olive oil, 2 tbsp of the lemon juice, 3 cloves of the garlic, the oregano, cumin, paprika, and 1 tsp of the salt. Add the chicken and turn to coat, then marinate at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.

Combine the rice, broth, and remaining salt in a pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer over low heat until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 18 minutes. Let it sit covered off the heat for 5 minutes, then fluff.

While the rice cooks, stir the yogurt, remaining garlic, remaining lemon juice, remaining olive oil, and half the grated cucumber together. Season with salt to taste.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Sear the chicken until deeply browned and the thickest part reads 165°F, 6 to 7 minutes a side, then rest 5 minutes and slice.

Divide the rice among bowls and top with the sliced chicken, tomatoes, red onion, remaining cucumber, and feta. Finish with a spoonful of tzatziki and the parsley.

Notes

The marinade is short on time but long on acid and salt, which is what actually penetrates in half an hour — don’t stretch it into a rub-and-sear, or the chicken cooks up seasoned only on the surface. Thighs also forgive a few extra minutes in the skillet better than breast would if you’re timing it against the rice.

This is built to portion into containers: rice on the bottom, chicken and raw vegetables on top, tzatziki packed separately so nothing turns the rice soggy by day three. Swap in warm pita and skip the rice entirely if you’d rather eat it as a wrap.