Grilled Greek Chicken Bowl

We love this delicious meal full of nutrients and flavor.  Grilled chicken, rice, arugula, spinach, tzatziki, cucumber tomato salsa and pita bread meld together for a healthy meal that tastes just as delicious the next day.

(pic from https://thewoodenskillet.com/greek-chicken-bowl/)

Yellow Rice

Start by making the rice first.  

Ingredients

2 cups Jasmin White rice, rinsed and drained

1 Tbs butter

1 medium onion diced

3 cloves garlic minced, or 3 tsp already minced garlic (I buy the big jar at Costco)

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp turmeric powder

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 3/4 cups bone broth

2 Tbs dried parsley

1/2 cinnamon stick or 1 tsp cinnamon

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Instructions:

Sauté onion in butter.  I do this in my rice cooker.  When it is translucent, add the garlic and sauté until fragrant.  Add the bone broth, rice and spices.   Bury the cinnamon stick into the center of the rice.  Turn rice cooker on and then start to prepare you chicken.  

Grilled Greek Chicken

Next prepare the grilled chicken. 

The highlight of this dish is the grilled chicken.  I love this recipe from https://lillieeatsandtells.com/greek-marinated-chicken-skewers/.  I don't skewer the chicken, I just trim the fat and tendons from each chicken breast and then cut the breast in half so each chicken breast is the size of the palm of my hand.  Is trimming the chicken necessary?  Yes!  No one likes to bite into a tendon or chunk of fat.  The meat will be tender and every piece of it will taste delicious.  

Once the chicken is trimmed, put it in a big Ziplock bag.  Whisk the marinade in a small bowl and then pour it over the chicken.  Close the Ziplock bag and spread the marinade onto all of the chicken and set aside.

Marinade Ingredients

2-2.5 lbs. of chicken breast (trimmed and cut in half)

2 Tbs dried oregano

2 Tbs dried parsley

7 cloves garlic or 7 tsps.

2 lemons (squeeze juice into bowl)

1 tbs olive oil

1 tsp cumin

1.5 kosher salt

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

Let the chicken marinate while you make the Cucumber and tomato salsa.  I just leave it on the countertop.  

Cucumber Tomato Salsa

2 cups of diced cucumber

2 cups diced Roma tomatoes *remove seeds and slimy stuff

1 small red onion diced

1 cup diced bell pepper (I use red or orange)

1 Tbs olive oil

1/4 cup fresh mint (can be left out, but delicious with it in!)

1 tsp Kosher salt and some fresh ground pepper to taste.

Juice from 1 lemon

Stir all ingredients together. 

Place the salsa in the refrigerator.

Grill chicken

Place chicken on a cleaned, oiled and heated grill.  I like to heat it to 400 degrees. Once chicken is on the grill sprinkle the chicken with kosher salt.  Close the lid and grill for 7 minutes.  Flip the chicken and sprinkle kosher salt on the top.  Grill until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.  periodically check.  Smaller or flatter pieces will finish first. By checking the internal temperature you will ensure the chicken will not be overcooked and dry.  

Set up the bowl making station! 

Once all food is done, set up a bar so people can make either a bowl or pita.

Food to set out:

Rice

Chicken (I slice some of the chicken breasts to make the line go faster or to help children)

Cucumber Salsa

Tzatziki (I just buy mine, but it's not hard to make)

Hummus

Feta

Kalamata olives

Arugula

Spinach

I like to make a bowl.  I start by adding the lettuce, I like both arugula and spinach, then the rice, then meat and then the toppings.  You can also build it on a pita.  I like Joseph's whole wheat pitas.  We love having this as leftovers as well, so make extra!