Greek Chicken Bowl

The Origin

Where ancient nutrition wisdom meets modern performance eating.

Greece

The Mediterranean Basin

The Mediterranean diet is consistently ranked as the healthiest eating pattern in the world. Lean proteins, olive oil, vegetables, and herbs — it's how humans were meant to eat.

Philosophy Whole Foods First

Key Fats Olive Oil, Feta

Protein Focus Chicken, Fish, Lamb

Why This Bowl Works

The Greek bowl has become the meal prep staple of the fitness world for good reason. It's modular — swap components based on what you have. It's satisfying — the combination of protein, healthy fats, and fiber keeps you full for hours. And it tastes like you're on vacation.

The tzatziki sauce adds protein without adding junk. The cucumber and tomatoes add volume without calories. The feta adds fat and flavor in controlled amounts. Every component serves a purpose.

This isn't diet food. This is how athletes eat when they want to feel good AND perform.

"Eat like the Spartans trained: simple, clean, powerful."

Did You Know?

Greek yogurt has roughly twice the protein of regular yogurt because it's strained to remove liquid whey. The straining process concentrates the protein while reducing sugar. That's why tzatziki is basically a protein sauce in disguise.

The Craft

Understanding what makes this bowl work.

The Marinade

Lemon, garlic, oregano, olive oil. These aren't just flavors — the acid tenderizes, the oil keeps it juicy, the herbs add antioxidants. Every element serves a purpose.

Component Cooking

Each element cooks separately so nothing is overdone or underdone. The rice can cool while the chicken cooks. Assembly happens at the end.

Temperature Control

Hot chicken, room temp rice, cold tzatziki and vegetables. The temperature contrast makes it more interesting to eat and helps with meal prep storage.

The Ingredients

Mediterranean simplicity.

The Chicken

The Foundation

1.5 lbs Boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breast Thighs stay juicier; breast is leaner
3 tbsp Olive oil
2 Lemons, juiced
4 cloves Garlic, minced
2 tsp Dried oregano
To taste Salt and pepper

The Tzatziki

1 cup Plain Greek yogurt (2% or full fat)
1/2 Cucumber, grated and drained
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 tbsp Fresh dill or 1 tsp dried
1 tbsp Lemon juice

The Bowl

2 cups Cooked rice or quinoa
1 cup Cherry tomatoes, halved
1 Cucumber, diced
1/2 cup Red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup Kalamata olives
1/2 cup Feta cheese, crumbled

The Method

Meal prep this on Sunday. Eat like a king all week.

Marinate

Flavor builds with time.

Combine olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper in a bowl or zip-lock bag.

Add chicken and ensure it's fully coated. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours.

Why This Works

The lemon acid begins breaking down proteins, tenderizing the meat. Longer marination = more tender chicken. Overnight is ideal.

Make Tzatziki

The protein sauce.

Grate cucumber on a box grater. Squeeze out excess water — this is crucial or your tzatziki will be watery.

Combine Greek yogurt, drained cucumber, garlic, dill, lemon juice, and salt. Mix well. Refrigerate until serving.

Cook the Chicken

High heat, good sear.

Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade, let excess drip off.

Grill 5-7 minutes per side until internal temp reaches 165F. Let rest 5 minutes, then slice.

Quality Check

Look for good char marks from the marinade sugars caramelizing. The rest period is critical — don't skip it.

Assembly

Build your bowl.

Start with rice as the base. Arrange sliced chicken on top.

Add tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, and feta in sections. Top with a generous dollop of tzatziki.

Meal Prep Tip

Keep tzatziki in a separate container until ready to eat. Assemble bowls without sauce for 4-5 day fridge life. Add sauce when serving.

Variations

Same bowl, different gains.

Shrimp Bowl

Replace chicken with 1 lb large shrimp. Marinate same way, grill 2-3 minutes per side. 42g protein, 380 calories.

Lamb Bowl

Use ground lamb formed into small patties or kebabs. Higher fat, incredible flavor. Earned meal territory.

Falafel Bowl (Vegetarian)

Air-fried falafel + double feta + hummus instead of tzatziki. Different macros but solid protein from legumes.

Meal Prep Protocol

Sunday ritual for weekday gains.

Batch Sizes

This recipe makes 4 bowls. Double it for a full week. Triple if you're feeding a household of lifters.

Storage

Components separated: chicken 4 days, rice 5 days, vegetables 5 days, tzatziki 5 days. Assemble fresh each day.

Reheating

Microwave chicken and rice 90 seconds. Add cold vegetables and tzatziki after. Temperature contrast is the move.

Freezer Option

Cooked chicken freezes 3 months. Thaw overnight in fridge. Don't freeze the vegetables or tzatziki.

Terminology

Know your Greek.

Tzatziki

Greek sauce made from yogurt, cucumber, and garlic; protein-rich and refreshing

Souvlaki

Greek word for skewered and grilled meat; the technique used for the chicken

Horiatiki

Traditional Greek salad; the vegetable components of this bowl