Light Greek Chicken Souvlaki Bowls (Printable)

A fresh Mediterranean bowl featuring grilled chicken, crisp veggies, and creamy tzatziki with rice base.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken Marinade

01 - 1.1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes
02 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
03 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
04 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
07 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Tzatziki Sauce

10 - 7 oz Greek yogurt
11 - 1/2 medium cucumber, grated and excess liquid squeezed out
12 - 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
13 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
14 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
15 - 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
16 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
17 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Bowl Assembly

18 - 1 cup cooked brown or white rice
19 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
20 - 1 large tomato, diced
21 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
22 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced
23 - 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
24 - 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled (optional)

# Directions:

01 - In a mixing bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, oregano, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Add chicken cubes and toss thoroughly to coat evenly. Cover and marinate for at least 20 minutes or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator.
02 - While chicken marinates, combine Greek yogurt, grated cucumber with excess liquid removed, minced garlic, fresh dill, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Mix until smooth and refrigerate until ready to serve.
03 - Thread marinated chicken onto skewers if grilling, or prepare for stovetop cooking in a grill pan or skillet.
04 - Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Cook chicken skewers for 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning once, until golden and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F.
05 - Divide cooked rice evenly among 4 bowls. Top each portion with grilled chicken, diced cucumber, diced tomato, sliced red onion, diced bell pepper, halved Kalamata olives, and crumbled feta cheese.
06 - Spoon tzatziki sauce generously over each bowl or serve alongside. Garnish with additional fresh dill if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means weeknight dinners suddenly feel restaurant-quality without the stress.
  • The tzatziki is so creamy and cooling that it balances the warm spices perfectly, and honestly, you'll want to put it on everything.
  • You can prep most of it ahead, so assembly becomes the fun part rather than the overwhelming part.
02 -
  • Don't skip squeezing the moisture out of your grated cucumber—I learned this the hard way when my tzatziki turned into tzatziki soup within hours of making it.
  • Chicken pieces will cook at different rates if they're different sizes, so take an extra minute to cut them as uniformly as possible; this simple step changes everything.
03 -
  • Use a meat thermometer—it removes all the guesswork about whether your chicken is cooked through, and it prevents the dry, overcooked chicken that makes people hesitant to cook breast meat at home.
  • If you don't have a grill, a cast iron skillet works just as well and sometimes even better because you get better heat distribution and a more consistent sear on the chicken.
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