Smoky yogurt-marinated grilled chicken thighs served over quinoa and Mediterranean-inspired tomatoes, cucumbers, and olives with tzatziki and Feta.
Chicken Tzatziki Bowls
This yogurt-marinated chicken has become one of my favorites and always on rotation. We crave Greek and Mediterranean food, and eat it at least once a week! I make it all year long on the grill or grill pan and serve it over quinoa or rice, depending on my mood. Some other recipes in my rotation are this Chicken Kebab Salad, Grilled Chicken Shawarma, Greek Turkey Meatballs, just to name a few!
This chicken recipe is slightly adapted From What’s Gaby Cooking: Everyday California Food by Gaby Dalkin. Her book is gorgeous and filled with so many great recipes it was hard to pick which recipe I should try! I am glad I chose this dish, it will now be part of our rotation!! The seasoning and marinade are wonderful, and because it uses chicken thighs, the meat is tender and juicy. Tommy said it’s better than any Greek take-out in my neighborhood, and I agree! I had mine in a bowl as pictured here. Tommy skipped the quinoa and had it with a grilled pita instead.
Cooks Notes:
You’ll need eight wooden or metal skewers for this recipe. (If you are using wooden skewers, make sure to soak them in water for about 30 minutes before using).
Chicken Tzatziki Bowl
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1/4 cup 1% plain Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- Freshly cracked black pepper
For the salad:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 3 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 1 cup 145 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
For the bowls:
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 cup Skinny Tzatziki, from my blog
- 1/4 cup authentic feta, the kind that comes in brine, crumbled
- 12 smashed castelvetrano olives
Instructions
To make the chicken:
- Cut the chicken thighs into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, turmeric, salt, and red pepper flakes.
- Add the chicken and stir to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.
- Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium-low heat.
- Thread the chicken pieces among 4 wooden or metal skewers, discarding the marinade in the bowl.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Grill the chicken, turning the skewers occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through in the center, about 15 minutes.
To make the salad:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil and vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
- Add the cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and red onion and toss to combine.
To make the bowls:
- Divide the quinoa among 4 bowls, 1/2 cup each.
- Top with the cucumber salad, followed by a spoonful of tzatziki, 1 tablespoon crumbled feta, and 3 olives.
- Top with 1 chicken skewer and serve immediately.
