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!