Make this delicious Greek chicken bowl for a beautiful, high protein lunch or dinner! It’s the perfect blend of flavors with 50 grams of protein!

a close up photo of the greek chicken bowl recipe on a napkin

A Note from Teri on Greek Chicken Bowl Recipe

This high protein Greek chicken bowl recipe is a total crowd pleaser that just so happens to be packed with protein. It’s so light and delicious and perfect for the summertime. If you know me, you know I love to gild the lily, but we kept this recipe a little simpler for a protein packed lunch or dinner. Marinate the chicken just long enough to prep the other ingredients, cook the chicken, and assemble!

As someone who is trying to hit protein goals every day, I love finding ways to incorporate more protein without really noticing. In this recipe, by using bone broth to cook the quinoa, we are adding an extra 10 grams of protein per serving! Quinoa adds both protein and fiber to the meal. The sauce is made with cottage cheese, which is my new favorite addition to sauces and dressings. When blended, it has this slightly sweet velvety flavor that is so perfect for sauce.

Fresh raw chicken in a glass baking dish with lemon, garlic, herbs, and spices on a rustic wooden table.

Ingredients & Variations

For the chicken:

  • Boneless skinless chicken thighs 
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Garlic cloves, pressed or grated
  • Lemon zest and juice
  • Dried oregano
  • Greek seasonings
  • Freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce:

  • Cottage cheese
  • Chopped chives
  • Lemon juice
  • Red wine vinegar
  • Garlic cloves
  • Kosher salt
a photo of the ingredients for cucumber tomato salad

Cucumber-tomato salad:

  • Cucumber
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Extra virgin olive oil 
  • Red wine vinegar 
  • Chopped chives
  • Chopped dill
  • Chopped parsley
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Bowls:

  • Uncooked quinoa 
  • Chicken bone broth
  • Iceberg or romaine lettuce
  • Marinated red onions
  • Finely chopped chives
  • Finely chopped dill
  • Finely chopped parsley
  • Chili crisp

I highly recommend making extra chicken! It’s so delicious so absolutely make a double batch you can enjoy all week long. You can also cook the chicken in the oven rather than on the stove to avoid any splatter. We’ve included those notes below.

You can use chicken broth to cook your quinoa, but note that it will decrease the protein a bit in your final dish.

a photo of greek seasoning going into a bowl of olive oil
Marinated chicken in olive oil and herbs in glass baking dish with green herb sauce on side.

How to Make This Greek Chicken Bowl Recipe

Step One: Marinate the Chicken and Make Sauce

In a small bowl or container with a lid, combine olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, Greek seasonings, and black pepper and stir to combine. Add the chicken thighs to a large container and season with the salt, if using, and evenly pour the marinade over the chicken and toss, making sure the thighs are well-coated. Cover and place aside to marinate while you make the sauce and salad.  

Add the cottage cheese, chives, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, and salt to a glass jar or bowl (if using an immersion blender) or a blender. Blend well until combined. Add 3-4 tablespoons of water to the sauce to loosen and continue blending until well-combined. Set the sauce aside in the refrigerator.

Add the sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, olive oil, red wine vinegar, chives, dill, and parsley to a bowl. Toss well to combine. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and black pepper and taste. Add more salt and pepper if needed. Set aside. 

a photo of chicken thighs cooking in a pan
a photo of quinoa in a bowl with bone broth in jars next to it

Step Two: Make the Quinoa and Chicken

Rinse the quinoa very well and place in a medium pot with the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cover the pot, lower the heat to low, and continue cooking for 15-20 minutes or according to package directions. (Because I like my quinoa a little drier, I cook the quinoa for an additional 10 minutes.) Turn the heat off when the quinoa has finished cooking and let sit, covered, until ready to serve. 

Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large saute pan. Heat over medium-high heat. Scrape some of the marinade off of the chicken thighs before placing in the hot pan. Cook for 5 minutes, until brown. Flip and cook for another 5 minutes until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F and is brown on brown sides.  Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside. If you are cooking the chicken in batches, wipe the pan, add a little extra olive oil, and repeat with the remaining chicken. Watch your chicken closely in case it cooks faster! Often times the second batch will cook even faster than the first.

a photo of cucumber tomato salad in a bowl with a spoon
a photo of a greek chicken bowl recipe spooning sauce into the bowl

Step Two: Assemble the bowl

Cut the chicken into bite-size chunks or slices. Scoop ½ cup quinoa and a handful of lettuce into each bowl. Sprinkle a little salt over the lettuce. Divide the chicken among the four bowls and top with cucumber-tomato salad, some marinated red onions, and sauce. Finish with a chives and/or dill and serve extra dressing at the table. 

Enjoy! 

Grilled chicken with fresh cucumber tomato salad, quinoa, red onions, and creamy herb sauce on rustic table.

How to Store Your Greek Chicken Bowl Recipe

You can prepare your Greek chicken bowls in advance and keep your ingredients in separate airtight containers. When you are ready to serve, you can assemble all of your prepared ingredients and enjoy!

Try These Other Mediterranean Bowls

If you make this Greek Chicken Bowl Recipe, be sure to review it below and let me know what you think! If you’re looking for more inspiration, subscribe to my Substack, and follow along on Pinterest,  Instagram, and TikTok to join in all the fun!

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a photo of a greek chicken bowl with a fork in it

High Protein Greek Chicken Bowl Recipe

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  • Author: Teri Turner
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Greek
  • Diet: Gluten Free
Print Recipe

Description

A delicious high-protein lunch or dinner that you will love!

Ingredients

For the chicken: 

  •   2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs 
  •   4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for cooking 
  •   3 garlic cloves, pressed or grated
  •   Zest and juice of 1 lemon
  •   1 tablespoons dried oregano
  •   1 tablespoons Greek seasonings*
  •   1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  •   Plus, 2 teaspoons kosher salt only if the Greek seasonings does already not include salt

*If you don’t have/can’t find Greek seasoning, use a blend of dried parsley, basil, and/or additional oregano

For the sauce: 

  •   1 cup cottage cheese 
  •   ¼ cup (a large handful) chopped chives
  •   2 tablespoons lemon juice
  •   2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  •   3 garlic cloves, pressed or grated
  •   2 teaspoons kosher salt 

For the cucumber-tomato salad: 

  •   1 cup peeled and sliced cucumber
  •   ½ cup halved cherry tomatoes
  •   2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
  •   2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 
  •   1 tablespoon finely chopped chives* 
  •   1 tablespoon finely chopped dill*
  •   1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley*
  •   Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 

*We did a tablespoon of each herb but feel free to do more of one or less of another. You can customize the herbs here to your personal taste

For the bowls: 

  •   1 cup uncooked quinoa 
  •   2 cups chicken bone broth
  •   Iceberg or romaine lettuce, finely shredded 
  •   Marinated red onions
  •   Finely chopped chives, optional
  •   Finely chopped dill, optional
  •   Finely chopped parsley, optional
  •   2 tablespoons chili crisp, optional

Instructions

Marinate the chicken. In a small bowl or container with a lid, combine olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, Greek seasonings, and black pepper and stir to combine. Add the chicken thighs to a large container and season with the salt, if using, and evenly pour the marinade over the chicken and toss, making sure the thighs are well-coated. Cover and set aside to marinate while you make the sauce and salad.  

Make the sauce. Add the cottage cheese, chives, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, and salt to a glass jar or bowl (if using an immersion blender) or a blender. Blend well until combined. Add 3-4 tablespoons of water to the sauce to loosen and continue blending until well-combined. Set the sauce aside in the refrigerator. 

Make the cucumber-tomato salad. Add the sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, olive oil, red wine vinegar, chives, dill, and parsley to a bowl. Toss well to combine. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and black pepper and taste. Add more salt and pepper if needed. Set aside. 

Make the quinoa. Rinse the quinoa very well and place in a medium pot with the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cover the pot, lower the heat to low, and continue cooking for 15-20 minutes or according to package directions. (Because I like my quinoa a little drier, I cook the quinoa for an additional 10 minutes.) Turn the heat off when the quinoa has finished cooking and let sit, covered, until ready to serve. 

While the quinoa cooks, cook the chicken. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large saute pan. Heat over medium-high heat. Scrape some of the marinade off of the chicken thighs before placing in the hot pan. Cook for 5 minutes, until brown. Flip and cook for another 5 minutes until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F and is brown on brown sides. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside. If you are cooking the chicken in batches, wipe the pan, add a little extra olive oil, and repeat with the remaining chicken

Note: Keep an eye on the chicken as it cooks! Depending on your chicken or your range or cookware, the chicken thighs might be ready in 3 or 4 minutes so it’s important for you to watch over the chicken as it’s cooking and always be ready to adjust as you go. You might need to cook for less time or if the chicken is browning too fast, you might need to turn the heat down to medium. 

*If you’d like to oven-roast the chicken thighs instead, look in Notes on how to do so. 

Assemble the bowls. Cut the chicken into bite-size chunks or slices. Scoop ½ cup quinoa and a handful of lettuce into each bowl. Sprinkle a little salt over the lettuce. Divide the chicken among the four bowls and top with cucumber-tomato salad, some marinated red onions, and sauce. Finish with a chives and/or dill and serve extra dressing at the table. 

Enjoy! 

Notes

TO OVEN-ROAST THE CHICKEN: Preheat the oven to 425F degrees. While the oven is heating, lay chicken on a parchment-lined baking sheet. When oven gets to temperature, place in the oven and cook 30-40 minutes until brown and crispy at the edges.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 621
  • Sugar: 7.5 g
  • Sodium: 1089.2 mg
  • Fat: 26.7 g
  • Carbohydrates: 48.1 g
  • Protein: 50.7 g
  • Cholesterol: 166.6 mg