Mediterranean Chicken Bowl (Printable)

Vibrant, healthy bowl with juicy chicken, quinoa, chickpeas, crisp vegetables, and tangy lemon-oregano dressing. Gluten-free and serves 4.

# 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 & Toppings

13 - 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
14 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
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 feta cheese, crumbled
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

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring 2 cups water and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. 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, dried oregano, ground cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add seasoned chicken and sauté 6 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, dried oregano, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
04 - Divide cooked quinoa among 4 bowls. Top each with sautéed chicken, chickpeas, diced cucumber, Kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, red onion slices, and crumbled feta cheese. Drizzle each bowl with the prepared dressing and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
05 - Serve immediately for a warm bowl, or refrigerate for a refreshing cold presentation.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in under half an hour, so you can have a colorful, filling dinner on the table faster than delivery.
  • The textures keep it interesting with creamy feta, crunchy cucumbers, and tender chicken in every forkful.
  • It tastes just as good cold the next day, which means lunch is already handled.
  • You can swap or skip ingredients based on what you have without wrecking the vibe.
02 -
  • Don't overcrowd the skillet when cooking the chicken or it will steam instead of browning, so work in batches if your pan is small.
  • Rinse the quinoa thoroughly under cold water before cooking or it can taste soapy and bitter from the natural coating called saponin.
  • Let the cooked chicken rest for a minute before adding it to the bowls so the juices redistribute and it stays tender.
  • Whisk the dressing right before serving because the garlic and lemon can separate if it sits too long.
03 -
  • Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes or even overnight if you have time, the flavor gets deeper and the meat stays juicier.
  • Toast the quinoa in the dry saucepan for a minute before adding water to bring out a nutty flavor that makes it taste less bland.
  • Use a mix of red and yellow cherry tomatoes for a prettier bowl that photographs well if you care about that sort of thing.
  • Taste the dressing on a piece of cucumber before drizzling so you can adjust the lemon, salt, or garlic to your preference.
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