Greek Chicken Protein Bowls with Garlic Yogurt

A healthy, high protein and fiber Greek chicken protein bowl with garlic yogurt that feels light and refreshing but is actually very filling! This bowl reminds me of a Mediterranean version of a Chipotle bowl with several components that come together for the ultimate bite!

I love protein bowls because they have all the components of a well-balanced meal: protein, complex carbs, healthy fats, and a variety of vegetables. Lately, I have been obsessed with garlic yogurt which inspired me to create this recipe.

This bowl can be as easy or as complex as you want it to be! Summer time? Marinate and grill the chicken. Winter? Air fryer for convenience. Lazy or busy nights? Just use a rotisserie chicken. Easily customize with what you have on hand.

Ingredients

For the Chicken Marinade (optional)

If you’re looking to grill or air fry the chicken, I recommend a simple marinade with 1/4 cup (or even less) of olive oil, 3-4 cloves of minced garlic, a teaspoon of oregano, the juice of half a lemon, and a pinch of salt and pepper.

For the Bowl

• Chicken Breast (about 1-1.25 lbs.): air fry, grill, use rotisserie or leftover chicken.
• Diced English cucumber. I used about one large cucumber.
• Halved cherry tomatoes, about one carton.
• Kalamata olives, pitted- about 1/2 cup.
• Chickpeas, one 15 ounce can – drained and rinsed. Read labels and select a lower sodium option.
• Feta Cheese, about 3/4 cup.
• Red Onion, diced very small. I used half a large red onion.
• Optional additions: shredded lettuce, quinoa, or rice for the base, pita chips, bell peppers, chopped nuts, drizzle of red wine vinegar, or hummus.

For the Garlic Yogurt

• Greek yogurt (1 cup)
• Lemon (the juice of 1/2 a lemon)
• Garlic (2 cloves crushed OR 3 garlic cloves minced)
• Parsley (optional), to taste.

Greek Chicken Protein Bowl Directions

This protein bowl has several components that come together for the ultimate nutritious and flavorful meal. I recommend doing all the vegetable chopping and making the garlic yogurt while the chicken is cooking for maximum efficiency. You could also chop and prep the veggies the night before so this dish comes together easily.

1. Marinate the chicken. In a bowl or freezer gallon bag, add raw chicken, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and seasonings. Coat the chicken breasts in the marinade and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Cook the Chicken
   • Preheat the air fryer. Cook chicken at 380 degrees F for about 25 minutes, flipping halfway. Or, until chicken is cooked to internal temperature of 165°F temperature.
   • If weather permits, try grilling the chicken for about 6 minutes on each side!
3. Dice the Vegetables
   • Dice the cucumber, halve the cherry tomatoes, and finely dice the red onion. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Set aside.
4. Make the Garlic Yogurt
   • In a bowl, add Greek yogurt, the juice of 1/2 a lemon, and minced or crushed garlic.
   • Stir together and taste test. Add a tiny pinch of salt if needed. Let sit for a few minutes and the garlic flavor will become more pronounced.
5. Assemble the Bowls: Add about 4 ounces of diced chicken, 1/2 cup of chickpeas, the fresh vegetables, olives, and crumbled feta cheese to a bowl. Top with a large dollop of yogurt (about 1/4 cup). I like to drizzle each bowl with a little lemon juice and red wine vinegar. Then, crush some pita chips on top for more texture and add some fresh chopped parsley.

For leftovers or meal prep: store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days. Store the chicken and any grains added separately to reheat before assembling the bowl.

Greek Chicken Protein Bowl with Garlic Yogurt

Alex Evink, MS, RD

A filling, high protein and fiber Greek chicken protein bowl topped with garlic yogurt! Full of fresh and healthy ingredients with light flavors. Each serving has an estimated 50g protein and 9g fiber. Easily customizable. (Gluten-Free)

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 28 minutes mins

Total Time 38 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 4 servings

Calories 490 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the marinade (optional)

• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Juice of half a lemon
• 4 garlic cloves, minced

For the bowl

• 1-1.25 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, or more
• 1 English cucumber, diced
• 1 small carton of cherry tomatoes, halved
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 large red onion, finely diced
• 1 15.5 ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

For the garlic yogurt

• 1 cup plain, low-fat Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• Juice of half a lemon
• 3 garlic cloves, minced. Use 2 garlic cloves if crushed in a garlic crusher (or to taste)

Optional Toppings

• Crushed garlic pita chips
• Drizzle of red wine vinegar or Greek dressing
• Quinoa, rice or lettuce as the base

Instructions

 

• In a bowl or freezer gallon bag, add raw chicken, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and seasonings. Coat the chicken breasts in the marinade and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Cook the Chicken: Preheat the air fryer. Cook chicken at 380 degrees F for about 25 minutes, flipping halfway. Or, until chicken is cooked to internal temperature of 165°F temperature. If weather permits, try grilling the chicken for about 6 minutes on each side!
• Dice the Vegetables: Dice the cucumber, halve the cherry tomatoes, and finely dice the red onion. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Set aside.
• Make the Garlic Yogurt: In a bowl, add Greek yogurt, the juice of 1/2 a lemon, and minced or crushed garlic. Stir together and taste test. Add a tiny pinch of salt if needed. Let sit for a few minutes and the garlic flavor will become more pronounced.
• Assemble the Bowls: Add about 4 ounces of diced chicken, 1/2 cup of chickpeas, the fresh vegetables, olives, and crumbled feta cheese to a bowl. Top with a large dollop of yogurt (about 1/4 cup). I like to drizzle each bowl with a little lemon juice and red wine vinegar. Then, crush some pita chips on top for more texture and add some fresh chopped parsley.

Notes

• For leftovers or meal prep: store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days. Store the chicken and any grains added separately to reheat before assembling the bowl.
• To make this bowl feel more substantial, add about 1/4 cup of cooked rice or some shredded lettuce for the base.
• Time saving tips: marinate the chicken and chop the veggies the night before. Or, just use a rotisserie chicken for a quick and easy throw together meal.
• If you prefer Tzatziki sauce, add 1/2 cup of grated cucumber to the garlic yogurt.
• Use only two cloves of garlic if using a garlic crusher! The garlic is more potent when crushed versus minced.
• Pound the chicken in a freezer gallon bag to about 1/2 inch thick for faster cooking time.
• For more flavor: drizzle each bowl with your favorite store-bought Greek dressing. Even Italian dressing would be delicious.

Nutritional information is just an estimation – individual ingredients and preparation may lead to slight discrepancies. Rice not included. 

Calories: 490 , Protein: 51g, Carbohydrates: 32g, Fiber: 9.5g, Fat: 16g, Sodium: 950mg, Sugars: 9.9g

 

Keyword high protein dinner recipe, protein bowl

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