Introducing this Greek-style chicken gyro bowl with rice, a mouthwatering and satisfying dish inspired by Mediterranean cuisine. Filled with bold flavors and aromatic ingredients, this bowl will tantalize your taste buds while providing a healthy and fulfilling meal. Perfect for a weeknight quick dinner or meal prep, this one-bowl-meal is full of flavor without any fuss
The well-seasoned chicken is juicy and tender, having been marinated in Greek yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, red wine vinegar, and seasonings such as oregano, salt, and pepper. These flavors work together in perfect harmony with the fresh vegetables, including sweet and tangy cherry tomatoes, crisp and English cucumbers,and sharp shallots. The kalamata olives offer a briny bite that is both salty and savory, while the crumbled feta cheese provides a creamy, slightly tangy element that pairs well with the other flavors in this healthy dinner.
The dish's texture is also diverse, with the soft, fluffy rice bowl providing a great counterpoint to the crunchy vegetables and the chicken's succulent, tender meat. The tzatziki sauce further complements the dish with its cooling, creamy texture and a refreshing tang that ties all of the elements together.
If you love Mediterranean cuisine make sure to check out this The best Mediterranean Couscous Salad
Ingredients
- plain Greek yogurt
- fresh lemon juice
- cloves of garlic, grated
- olive oil
- red wine vinegar
- dried oregano
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes or 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- tzatziki sauce, storebought or homemade tzatziki sauce
- cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- fresh cucumber, diced
- shallot or red onions
- kalamata olives, cut in half
- crumble feta
- white rice or brown rice
- Fresh parsley
Optional:
Garnish with fresh dill
See recipe card for quantities.
How to prepare the chicken gyro bowl
In a bowl made the chicken marinade, combine Greek yogurt, lemon juice, grated garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
Add the cubed chicken breasts into the bowl and toss them around to ensure they're well-coated in the marinade. Refrigerate for an hour to let the flavors meld together.
Preheat your oven to 400°F .
Remove the marinated chicken from the refrigerator and place it on a baking sheet
Cook for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway, until cooked through and slightly charred on the edges
While the chicken is cooking, prepare a vegetables; cherry tomatoes, cucumber, shallots, and kalamata olives. Set aside.
To assemble the Chicken Gyro Bowl, place rice at the bottom on each plate. Layer the cooked chicken, vegetables and feta, followed by the tzatziki sauce.
Serve with pita bread if desired
Variations
If you want to add some extra ingredients to your chicken gyro bowl, there are several options you can consider. One common addition is hummus, which provides a creamy, flavor that pairs well with the other ingredients in the bowl.
Roasted red peppers are another great addition that can add a touch of sweetness and smokiness to the bowl.
If you want to add some additional crunch to your bowl, you can try adding some toasted pita chips or even chopped nuts like almonds or walnuts. These ingredients can provide a satisfying texture contrast to the other softer and creamier ingredients in the bowl.
Other vegetables like roasted eggplant or zucchini can also be a delicious addition to the chicken gyro bowl. These vegetables are also commonly used in Mediterranean cuisine.
Storage
Once cooled, transfer the leftovers to an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days.
When you are ready to reheat the leftovers, avoid using the microwave as it can dry out the chicken and make it tough. Instead, heat the chicken in a skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until it is heated through.
FAQ
It's important to note that the flavor profile will be slightly different for each meat. Pork has a slightly sweeter taste and can be slightly fattier than chicken, while beef has a richer, beefier flavor.
When using pork, it's recommended to use a lean cut such as pork tenderloin or pork.
For beef, you can use a variety of cuts such as flank steak or sirloin. When marinating beef, it's important to note that it can become tough if marinated for too long, so it's recommended to only marinate for a few hours at most.
A traditional gyro typically consists of the following ingredients:
Meat: Thin slices of seasoned meat, usually lamb, chicken, pork, or a combination of these, cooked on a vertical rotisserie.
Pita bread: Soft and fluffy flatbread that is used to wrap the meat and other fillings.
Tzatziki sauce: A tangy, garlicky yogurt sauce that is drizzled over the meat.
Vegetables: Thinly sliced tomatoes, onions, and sometimes lettuce or cucumbers are added for flavor and texture.
Feta cheese: Crumbled feta cheese is a common topping that adds a salty, tangy flavor.
Some variations of gyro may also include other ingredients, such as hummus, olives, hot peppers, or roasted peppers. The ingredients can vary based on personal preference or regional variations, but these are the traditional components that are commonly found in a gyro.
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Chicken Gyro Bowl
Ingredients
Marinade
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 cloves of garlic grated
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Bowl
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes or 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ½ cup tzatziki sauce storebought or homemade tzatziki sauce
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 1 fresh cucumber diced
- 1 shallot or red onions
- ½ cup kalamata olives cut in half
- 1 4 cup crumble feta
- 2 cups white rice or brown rice
- Fresh parsley
Instructions
- In a bowl made the chicken marinade, combine Greek yogurt, lemon juice, grated garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
- Add the cubed chicken breasts into the bowl and toss them around to ensure they're well-coated in the marinade. Refrigerate for an hour to let the flavors meld together.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F .
- Remove the marinated chicken from the refrigerator and place it on a baking sheet. Cook for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway, until cooked through and slightly charred on the edges.
- While the chicken is cooking, prepare a vegetables; cherry tomatoes, cucumber, shallots, and kalamata olives. Set aside.
- To assemble the Chicken Gyro Bowl, place rice at the bottom on each plate. Layer the cooked chicken, vegetables and feta, followed by the tzatziki sauce.
- Serve with pita bread if desired
Sean
I love recipes like this since I can cut out a lot of the carbs but still get my gryo fix. This was so tasty.
Sophie
So happy you enjoyed this, Sean!
Sharon
This is a great easy lunch idea that comes together in no time. The baked chicken comes out tender and goes great with all the other flavors in this bowl.
Sophie
Glad you enjoyed it, Sharon!
Amanda Dixon
I just made this for dinner tonight, and it was delicious! The marinade gave the chicken so much flavor, and it was perfectly filling without being too heavy. Putting this on the dinner rotation.
Sophie
Thank you Amanda so glad you love the recipe!
Christy
Incredible!! It's been hard to find a dinner recipe that my whole family (including my little kids) will love. BUT the young ones love rice and chicken and cucumber so I'm able to easily customize everyone's bowls once we're at the table based on what ingredients they love. Delicious recipe!
Sophie
So happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe Christy, many thanks for the positive feedback!
Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer
Such a great lunch that comes together in no time and honestly I could eat every day! That seasoning is amazing!
Lauren Michael Harris
We made this chicken gyro bowl with cauliflower rice to lower the carbs a bit for our own needs, but it was SO GOOD! I'm planning to use this as a lunchtime meal prep recipe soon!
Claire
This looks SO good! And I love that you included kalamata olives in this recipe. They're certainly one of our favorites!
Jenny
Such a nice GREEK-STYLE CHICKEN GYRO BOWL WITH RICE recipe. Our family loves chicken and rice. There are some lovely Mediterranean flavors here. We will enjoy for sure!
Jamie
This is such an amazing dish, a complete meal that everyone will definitely love and enjoy eating! Absolutely looks so delicious and very yummy! I just love Mediterranean cuisine!
Amy Liu Dong
Wow! This recipe looks so delicious and looks so easy to make. A perfect meal to make for our tonight's dinner.
Lalaine Manalo
Wow! This recipe is very easy to make and a great option for meal prep or for entertaining guests. Thank you for sharing you recipe. I love this.
Sophie
Hi Lalaine !
I'm thrilled to hear that you found the recipe easy to make and versatile for different occasions!