The Best Mediterranean Chicken Bowl You’ll Ever Make

A vibrant, feel-good chicken bowl packed with warm spices, crisp veggies, and fluffy grains. This Mediterranean-inspired dish turns simple ingredients into something that tastes fresh, satisfying, and just plain good.

Why You’ll Love This Chicken Bowl

This bowl makes everyday ingredients feel special. You get juicy seasoned chicken over tender quinoa, surrounded by crunchy cucumber, sweet bursts of tomato, salty olives, and tangy feta. A dollop of hummus ties everything together, while fresh herbs and lemon brighten it all up. It’s easy enough for a Tuesday night but looks impressive enough when friends come over.

Ingredients

For the chicken:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

For the bowls:

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 2 cups water or chicken broth
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• ½ cucumber, diced
• ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
• ¼ cup Kalamata olives, chopped
• ¼ cup crumbled feta
• ¼ cup hummus
• Fresh parsley
• Lemon wedges

How to Make It

Get the chicken ready: Mix your olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl. It should smell amazing—bright and a little earthy. Coat your chicken breasts with this mixture and let them hang out for at least 15 minutes. The longer they marinate, the better they’ll taste.

Cook the quinoa: While your chicken’s marinating, get your quinoa going. Bring the water or broth to a boil, toss in the quinoa, then turn the heat down low. Cover it and let it do its thing for 15–20 minutes. When the liquid’s gone, fluff it up with a fork.

Cook the chicken: Heat up your grill to medium-high and cook the chicken for about 6–7 minutes per side until it’s cooked through. No grill? No problem—just bake it at 375°F for 25–30 minutes. Either way, let it rest for 5 minutes before you slice it. This keeps all those good juices inside.

Put it all together: Scoop some quinoa into your bowls. Add the sliced chicken on top, then arrange your tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, and feta around it. Add a good spoonful of hummus, sprinkle on some parsley, and serve with lemon wedges on the side.

Ways to Mix It Up

Make it a mezze platter: Spread everything out on a big board with warm pita, tzatziki, and extra olives. Great for when people are over and everyone can build their own bowl.

Go low-carb: Skip the quinoa and pile everything over crisp romaine or your favorite greens instead.

Warm it up for winter: Swap the fresh tomatoes for roasted red peppers and add warm chickpeas instead of cold cucumber.

Make it vegetarian: Use grilled halloumi or chickpeas instead of chicken.

Add more good stuff: Avocado makes it creamier. Marinated artichokes or roasted veggies add more flavor. Try brown rice, barley, or couscous if you’re not feeling quinoa.

Keeping Leftovers

Store everything separately so it stays fresh for up to 4 days. Keep the hummus in its own little container so it doesn’t dry out. The chicken freezes well for up to 2 months if you want to meal prep. When you reheat leftovers, a quick squeeze of lemon brings everything back to life.

Looking for more easy bowl recipes? Try our Egg Roll in a Bowl for another quick, flavorful weeknight dinner that comes together in minutes.

The Bottom Line

This Mediterranean chicken bowl is one of those recipes you’ll find yourself making again and again. It’s colorful, packed with flavor, and honestly just makes you feel good when you eat it. Whether you’re meal prepping for the week, throwing together a quick dinner, or feeding a crowd, it delivers every time. The best part? Once you get the basic idea down, you can play around with whatever you have on hand. Some nights it might be exactly as written, other nights you’ll swap things out—and it’ll be delicious either way. Give it a try, and don’t forget that squeeze of lemon at the end. It really does make all the difference.

Frequently Asked Questions