These incredible Mediterranean chicken bowls are loaded with tender pieces of marinated Greek chicken, fluffy rice, fresh vegetables, tzatziki and hummus, plus crumbled feta cheese and tangy Kalamata olives. They’re a delicious all-in-one meal that’s easy to make and great to customize with your favorite add-ins!

Sommer headshot.

Sommer’s Recipe Notes

We love a good chicken bowl… Anytime I’m running errands in town, and need to stop for lunch, I always end up at some sort of build-your-own-bowl restaurant. There’s something so satisfying about placing all sorts of fresh ingredients in one big bowl, making it beautiful, then tearing it up as you devour it. De-lightful!

Already on the site, we’ve got fabulous recipes for teriyaki chicken bowls, chipotle bowls, and protein power bowls, as well as all sorts of other Ramen bowls, poke bowls, and Buddha bowls. However, these simple Greek chicken and rice bowls are really appealing, especially for spring and summer.

Why You’ll Love These Chicken and Rice Bowls

  • Fresh and delicious – Chicken and rice bowls are filled with bright Mediterranean flavors, crisp veggies, and creamy tzatziki and hummus. They’re everything you crave in one, well, bowl!
  • Prep ahead – Marinate and grill the chicken, make the rice, and prep the produce a day or so ahead of time, and assemble whenever you’re ready to enjoy!
  • Super flexible – There are so many great ways to customize this recipe! You can make your own tzatziki sauce and hummus, or use store-bought ingredients for quicker preparation. Then swap out grains, veggies, and add on whatever extra toppings you like to make each chicken bowl your own.

The concept is like what you find at fast casual restaurants like CAVA, which offer great bowl combinations… But, like most great dishes, we find homemade versions to be SO much better!

Greek chicken bowl with pieces of chicken, rice, sliced cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, tzatziki sauce, cucumbers and feta cheese.

Ingredients and Tips

  • Chicken – We are using lean boneless skinless breasts, but chicken thighs will work as well. They’ll just need a minute or two less on the grill.
  • Chicken marinade – A no-fail combination of red wine vinegar, olive oil, oregano, garlic powder, and salt makes the best Mediterranean marinade!
  • Rice – Use long or short grain white rice. Cook it per the instructions with butter for the most flavorful rice.
  • Veggies – Here we’re loading chicken and rice bowls similar to our favorite CAVA bowls, with cherry tomatoes and cucumbers, kalamata olives, and chopped parsley. But you do you – add avocado, bell peppers, pickled peppers, jalapenos, or even corn salsa.
  • Feta cheese – Crumbled feta adds a lovely, salty flavor with just a bit of creaminess.
  • Tzatziki – A big dollop of homemade tzatziki sauce really pulls together all of the Mediterranean-ness!
  • Hummus – Use any hummus flavor you like! Roasted red pepper and garlic hummus are especially good in this recipe.

Recipe Variations

  • Chicken – Make this more of a copycat CAVA bowls recipe by including harissa chicken instead of marinated Greek chicken.
  • Optional greens – Add extra nutrients to your bowls by including chopped romaine lettuce or your favorite super mix of greens. Place them on the opposite side of the rice to keep them crisp!
  • Grain – Swap white rice with brown rice, quinoa, or other whole grains you like. You can even use cauliflower rice.
  • Other add-ins – Throw on some sliced red onions, salty capers, fresh sliced or roasted red peppers, or any Mediterranean-style goodies!
Greek chicken bowl with pieces of chicken, rice, sliced cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, tzatziki sauce, cucumbers and feta cheese. Fork holding a bite of rice and cucumber to camera

How to Make Mediterranean Chicken Rice Bowls

Tip for Success – Step one is to get the chicken marinating first, then take care of prepping all of the veggies and extra goodies. This won’t take long, and when you’re done, the Greek chicken will be ready to grill!

Find the full Chicken Bowl recipe with detailed instructions, storage tips, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.

4 grilled chicken breasts in a blue square baking dish.
Greek chicken bowl with pieces of chicken, rice, sliced cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, tzatziki sauce, cucumbers and feta cheese.

Chicken Rice Bowl

These incredible Mediterranean chicken bowls are loaded with tender pieces of marinated Greek chicken, fluffy rice, fresh veggies, tzatziki and hummus, plus crumbled feta cheese and tangy Kalamata olives. They’re a delicious all-in-one meal that’s easy to make and great to customize with your favorite add-ins!

Servings: 4 bowls

For the Chicken Marinade –

For the Chicken Bowl Recipe –

  • 1 ½ cups long grain rice + 3 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 6 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes halved
  • 1 cup sliced cucumbers
  • ½ cup pitted kalamata olives
  • 4 ounces feta cheese crumbled
  • 1 cup tzatziki sauce store-bought or homemade
  • 1 cup hummus store-bought or homemade any flavor
  • 4 teaspoons chopped parsley

  • Set out a square baking dish. Place the chicken breasts in the dish. Add the red wine vinegar, olive oil, oregano, garlic powder, salt pepper to the dish. Flip the chicken breast over several times to coat in the marinade. Allow the chicken to rest as you prepare the remaining ingredients.

  • Set a medium pot on the stovetop over high heat. Add the rice, water, and butter to the pot. Add in a large pinch of salt. Stir, then place a lid on the pot. Cook the rice according to the package instructions, about 15 to 20 minutes, until vent holes form on the top of the rice. Remove from the heat and allow the rice to rest. Fluff the rice before serving.

  • Preheat the grill to medium heat. (You can also use a cast-iron skillet over medium heat!)

  • Slice the grape tomatoes in half, slice the cucumbers, crumble the feta cheese, and chop the parsley.

  • Once the grill is hot, grill (or sear) the chicken pieces for 5 minutes per side. Remove from heat and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes.

  • Chop the chicken into bite-size pieces.

  • Assemble the Chicken Bowls – Set out 4 pasta bowls. Scoop ½ – ¾ cup of rice into each bowl. Place a ¼ of the chopped chicken in each bowl. Scoop a ¼ cup of tzatziki sauce and ¼ cup hummus to each bowl. Arrange equal portions of the tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, feta, and parsley in each bowl. Take your time and make them look pretty!

  • Storing Leftovers – This Mediterranean chicken bowl recipe is great for weekly meal preps! The different components will all keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days, but I recommend storing everything in different containers.
  • Freezing – The marinated grilled Greek chicken can be frozen in an airtight plastic freezer-safe ziploc bag for up to 3 months. Then thaw in the fridge overnight and use cold, or reheat the chicken in the microwave, before adding to your bowl.
  • Reheating – Reheat rice and chicken separately in the microwave. I suggest sprinkling a bit of water over the rice before microwaving to help fluff it back up again.

Serving: 1bowl, Calories: 797kcal, Carbohydrates: 74g, Protein: 53g, Fat: 32g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 151mg, Sodium: 1926mg, Potassium: 1034mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 788IU, Vitamin C: 13mg, Calcium: 298mg, Iron: 4mg

Top down view Mediterranean chicken bowl with pieces of chicken, rice, sliced cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, tzatziki sauce, cucumbers and feta cheese.

Storage Notes

  • Storing Leftovers – This Mediterranean chicken bowl recipe is great for weekly meal prep! The different components will all keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days, but I recommend storing everything in different containers.
  • Freezing – The marinated grilled Greek chicken can be frozen in an airtight plastic freezer-safe ziploc bag for up to 3 months. Then thaw in the fridge overnight and use cold, or reheat the chicken in the microwave, before adding to your bowl.
  • Reheating – Reheat rice and chicken separately in the microwave. I suggest sprinkling a bit of water over the rice before microwaving to help fluff it back up again.

Serving Suggestions

Truly, this is an entire meal on its own! But when I’m feeling extra carb-y, we love to serve loaded up Greek chicken and rice bowls with slices of soft warm pita or crunchy pita chips.

For an even bigger meal, I highly recommend our lemony garlic Greek potatoes. They are out of this world delicious and super easy to make!

Fork grabbing a bite from a Greek chicken bowl with pieces of chicken, rice, sliced cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, tzatziki sauce, cucumbers and feta cheese.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Mediterranean bowls healthy?

That really depends on your definition… But we think it is! This chicken rice bowl recipe is gluten-free with lots of protein and veggies. But there is a good bit of fat from the tzatziki and feta, and carbs from the rice. Feel free to mix and match ingredients to find the best combo for your dietary needs!

Do you eat chicken bowls hot or cold?

That’s up to you, but I prefer to enjoy them warm. That being said, chilled leftovers are delicious to enjoy for a fresh and hearty lunch!

How do I cook chicken without a grill?

No grill? No problem! Cook the pieces of marinated chicken on the stovetop on a grill pan, or even in a skillet (just make sure it cooks until pieces reach 165 degrees). Alternatively, you can roast the chicken in the oven by following the cooking guidelines in our chicken shawarma recipe!

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