Greek Quinoa Bowls With Chicken
These Greek quinoa bowls give you everything you want from Greek food: crisp vegetables, salty feta, briny olives, a good hit of lemon, and chicken that's seasoned well and finished in the oven after a quick sear so it actually stays juicy! All of it over quinoa, which holds up to this kind of bowl better than you'd expect.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 4 TBSP avocado oil, plus more for the grill
- 2 TBSP dried oregano
- 1 TBSP dried basil
- 2 tsp dried dill
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
- 1.5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup chopped cucumbers
- 1 cup sliced olives (I use a mix of Kalamata and Castelvetrano, but you can pick one or the other)
- 1 cup sliced grape or cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 lemon, quartered
- Tzatziki, to top
Instructions
Chicken Prep
- Pat the chicken breasts with paper towels to absorb moisture, then transfer them to a food storage bag and pound them with a meat mallet to tenderize; set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk the oil with 2 tablespoons of dried oregano, 1 tablespoon of dried basil, 2 teaspoons of dried dill, 2 teaspoons of onion powder, 2 teaspoons of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of sea salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of cracked black pepper until well combined.
- Transfer the chicken breasts to a large bowl, drizzle with the seasoned oil, toss to coat, then set aside.
Quinoa
- Rinse the quinoa well, then cook it according to the package directions, using chicken or vegetable broth instead of water. You can use water, but broth will give the quinoa more flavor.
If you're grilling the chicken first
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
- Heat grill or grill pan over medium-high heat for 3–5 minutes (you'll know it’s ready when a drop of water hits the surface and evaporates immediately).
- Brush the grates or grill pan with a high-smoke-point oil (like avocado or canola) so it's slick. Place the seasoned chicken on it and grill for 2-3 minutes per side, until you’ve got nice grill marks.
- Transfer the chicken to an oven-safe pan, then bake for 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160-165ºF with a meat thermometer. Pull it out and let it rest for 5 minutes before cutting.
If you're just baking the chicken
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
- Place the chicken breasts on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 160ºF.
To build the bowls
- While the chicken cooks, chop the cucumbers, slice the tomatoes and olives, and cut the red onion into thin slices. Mix all of these in a bowl together to create a medley. (I recommend using a mandoline slicer to shave the red onion. Prep any toppings and sauces you plan to use.
- Place the cooked quinoa down as a base, then add your veggies, sliced chicken, crumbled feta, and any other toppings and sauces you’d like. Serve with lemon wedges for a spritz of fresh lemon juice.
Notes
Meal Prep Tips for Lunches: Store everything separately—the textures hold up better that way. The chicken keeps for up to 5 days in an airtight container. Reheat the chicken and quinoa, then add the vegetables and toppings cold. For lunch boxes, keep the vegetables separate from everything else so nothing gets soggy.
Nutrition
Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 623kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 56g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 2g
