Mediterranean Chicken Bowl (Printable)

Vibrant bowl with juicy chicken, quinoa, chickpeas, crisp veggies, olives, feta, and lemon-oregano dressing. Gluten-free and easy.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.1 lbs), cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
05 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
09 - Juice of 1/2 lemon

→ Grains

10 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
11 - 2 cups water
12 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Vegetables and Toppings

13 - 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
14 - 1 cup diced cucumber
15 - 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
16 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
17 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
18 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
19 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

→ Dressing

20 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
21 - Juice of 1 lemon
22 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
23 - 1 clove garlic, minced
24 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
25 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# Directions:

01 - In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups water and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a boil. Stir in rinsed quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
02 - Toss chicken pieces with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and juice of 1/2 lemon. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté 6 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, juice of 1 lemon, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 minced garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper until emulsified.
04 - Divide cooked quinoa among 4 serving bowls. Top each bowl with seared chicken, drained chickpeas, diced cucumber, halved Kalamata olives, halved cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, and crumbled feta cheese. Drizzle with prepared dressing and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
05 - Serve immediately while warm, or refrigerate for a refreshing chilled version.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in under 40 minutes, so you can have a fresh, vibrant dinner on the table without the stress.
  • It tastes even better the next day, making it perfect for meal prep or quick lunches straight from the fridge.
  • The combination of textures and flavors keeps every bite interesting without any complicated techniques.
02 -
  • Rinse your quinoa thoroughly before cooking or it can taste bitter and soapy, a mistake I made exactly once.
  • Don't skip letting the quinoa rest after cooking, those five minutes off the heat let the grains finish steaming and fluff up perfectly.
  • Cut the chicken into even pieces so they cook at the same rate, nothing worse than some pieces overcooked and others underdone.
03 -
  • Toast the quinoa in a dry pan for a minute before cooking it to bring out a deeper, nuttier flavor.
  • Use a meat thermometer to check that the chicken reaches 165°F internally so you never have to guess if it's done.
  • Make extra dressing and keep it in a jar in the fridge, it's great on salads, roasted vegetables, or grilled fish all week long.
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