Mediterranean Chicken and Rice
Tender, juicy chicken seasoned with mediterranean spices, paired with fluffy turmeric rice and a creamy tzatziki sauce – this Mediterranean chicken and rice will instantly be a family favorite. All you need is one pan and a handful of ingredients for the perfect quick and easy meal. Plus it’s naturally gluten free and dairy free.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This Mediterranean chicken and rice is incredibly easy to make.
- All you need is one pan.
- Packed with flavor.
- The whole family will love it.
- The chicken, turmeric rice, and tzatziki compliment each other so well.
- The creamy tzatziki sauce is to die for.
- It is gluten and dairy free.
- It is the perfect weeknight dinner.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Extra virgin olive oil. You will use this for the chicken marinade and to cook the chicken.
- Chicken breasts. You will need 1.5 lbs of chicken breasts, cut into tenders. You can sub with chicken thighs.
- Spices. Turmeric, cumin, cayenne, smoked paprika, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper are needed.
- Long grain white rice. Organic long grain white rice is the only rice I’ve used in this recipe. If you sub for another rice it will impact the cooking time and liquids needed.
- Zucchini. 1 large zucchini, finely grated. This is the perfect way to sneak in some easy veggies to the dish.
- Lemon juice. Juice from half a lemon is used.
- Fresh parsley. Fresh parsley is used to garnish the mediterranean chicken and rice.
- Broth. This is used to cook the rice. I used Kettle & Fire turmeric and ginger bone broth for this recipe and the flavor was to die for. You can sub normal chicken broth but I would add 2 tsp of turmeric and some minced ginger.
- Minced garlic. 1 clove of garlic, minced.
- Homemade tzatziki. For homemade tzatziki add ½ cup finely grated cucumber, 1 cup thick whole milk Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 garlic clove grated, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint, to a bowl and mix until combined.
How to Make Mediterranean Chicken and Rice
Step 1
Marinate the chicken & preheat oven. Add chicken tenders to a gallon size bag with 2 tbsp olive oil, turmeric, cumin, cayenne, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper Squeeze in juice from 1/2 of the lemon. Set aside for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 F.
Step 2
Cook the chicken. Preheat cast iron skillet and add a little bit of olive oil if needed. Place chicken tenders on hot cast iron. Cook chicken until browned and crispy, about 5-7 minutes each side. The chicken will continue to cook in the oven. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
Step 3
Add rice, zucchini, and broth to skillet. Pour in the broth, zucchini, and rice. Mix to incorporate. Make sure the rice is covered, if not add a little bit more broth or water.
Step 4
Return chicken to skillet and bake. Place the chicken on top of the rice then transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees, and the rice is cooked. Once finished, remove from oven and fluff the rice.
Step 5
Serve & enjoy! For best results, serve hot. Top this mediterranean chicken and rice with fresh parsley, lemon juice and tzatziki.
Expert Tips
- This Mediterranean chicken and rice is best served hot, with a splash of lemon juice, fresh parsley and tzatziki.
- Serve with this delicious greek salad.
- Make sure to pat the chicken chicken dry with a paper towel before placing in the marinade. When frying the chicken in the skillet, cook until crispy and brown on the outside but not until fully cooked. It will continue to cook in the oven.
- If you don’t have an oven safe skillet you can follow the directions up until step 2. Pour the broth, zucchini, and rice into an oven safe dish. Mix to incorporate. If the rice is not covered in liquid, add water to cover it. Place chicken on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
- For the best flavored rice, use Kettle & Fire turmeric ginger bone broth. This will also add some protein.
- For homemade tzatziki add ½ cup finely grated cucumber, 1 cup thick whole milk Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 garlic clove grated, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint, to a bowl and mix until combined.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this Mediterranean chicken and rice made in one pan?
Yes! Everything comes together in an oven safe pan.
What if I don’t have an oven safe pan?
If you don’t have an oven safe skillet you can follow the directions up until step 2. Pour the broth, zucchini, and rice into an oven safe dish. Mix to incorporate. If the rice is not covered in liquid, add water to cover it. Place chicken on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
What’s the best way to serve it?
Serve this Mediterranean chicken and rice hot with fresh parsley, lemon juice, and tzatziki.
How do I store it?
While it is best served right away, you can store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
You May Also Like
- Greek Lamb Meatballs Bowl
- Dairy Free Chicken and Rice
- Greek Lamb Salad
- Mediterranean Bowls
- Greek Quinoa Salad
- Mediterranean Salmon
Mediterranean Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1½ lb chicken breasts, cut into tenders
- 1½ tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp cumin
- 1 tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ ground black pepper
- 1 tsp sea salt
- dash cayenne
- 1 cup organic long grain white rice, uncooked
- 2 cups turmeric ginger chicken bone broth, sub with normal chicken broth
- 1 large zucchini, grated
- 1 lemon
- handful fresh parsley, chopped, to garnish
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken & preheat oven. Add chicken tenders to a gallon size bag with 2 tbsp olive oil, turmeric, cumin, cayenne, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper Squeeze in juice from 1/2 of the lemon. Set aside for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 F.
- Cook the chicken. Preheat cast iron skillet and add a little bit of olive oil if needed. Place chicken tenders on hot cast iron. Cook chicken until browned and crispy, about 5-7 minutes each side. The chicken will continue to cook in the oven. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
- Add rice, zucchini, and broth to skillet. Pour in the broth, zucchini, and rice. Mix to incorporate. Make sure the rice is covered, if not add a little bit more broth or water.
- Return chicken to skillet and bake. Place the chicken on top of the rice then transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees, and the rice is cooked. Once finished, remove from oven and fluff the rice.
- Serve & enjoy! For best results, serve hot. Top this mediterranean chicken and rice with fresh parsley, lemon juice and tzatziki.
Video
Notes
- This Mediterranean chicken and rice is best served hot, with a splash of lemon juice, fresh parsley and tzatziki.
- Serve with this delicious greek salad.
- Make sure to pat the chicken chicken dry with a paper towel before placing in the marinade. When frying the chicken in the skillet, cook until crispy and brown on the outside but not until fully cooked. It will continue to cook in the oven.
- If you don’t have an oven safe skillet you can follow the directions up until step 2. Pour the broth, zucchini, and rice into an oven safe dish. Mix to incorporate. If the rice is not covered in liquid, add water to cover it. Place chicken on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
- For the best flavored rice, use Kettle & Fire turmeric ginger bone broth. This will also add some protein.
- For homemade tzatziki add ½ cup finely grated cucumber, 1 cup thick whole milk Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 garlic clove grated, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint, to a bowl and mix until combined.
What temperature should the oven be at?
400F, Just updated it in the recipe! So sorry about that!
This recipe was absolutely delicious and my family loved it too! The one pot meal was really convenient and I love how the zucchini is grated and cooked with the rice. The tzatziki with the fresh mint really elevated this meal. I will definitely be making this again!
Thank you for your comment!! I’m so happy to hear you and your family loved this recipe(:
RUN, do not walk, to the store to get the stuff for this. Restaurant quality and super easy to make. Husband and kids came home from work and ate the whole pan, will be making again soon! Cannot wait for winter to be making this cozy meal soon.
So glad your husband and kids loved this one! It is a new favorite in our house(:
My husband and I loved this dish! It is packed with so much flavor. We were both clean platers! I love how Happy Balanced Life’s recipes are so simple to follow and accessible – never too many added ingredients or pans used! This dish is definitely a do-again in our house!
So happy you loved this recipe! Always the biggest compliment to hear about the clean plates!!(:
This recipe was truly so delicious and also easy to make!! I love that it’s made using wholesome ingredients and only one pan!
Nothing beats an easy meal! So glad you enjoyed it(:
This recipe looks amazing!! Whilst following it I was a bit confused about how much turmeric to add in as it didn’t say in the instructions – can you please advise?
Thank you !
Hi Bianca, So sorry about the confusion here! You will need 1 tsp of turmeric if you are using the turmeric ginger bone broth, if using normal broth I’d add 2 tsp!!
Absolutely delicious! Chicken has always freaked me out, but this dish made me feel so comfortable eating! The rice was delicious and the turmeric and ginger bone broth recommendation made me feel amazing!
I’m so happy this dish made you feel comfortable eating chicken! The turmeric ginger bone broth really is a game changer(: