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Mediterranean Chicken Bowl

Course Main Course
Cuisine Mediterranean
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 21 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

Marinade

  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (juice of 2-3 lemons)
  • 2 tablespoons za'atar
  • 1 tablespoon sumac
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Bowl

  • 2 pounds chicken breasts, about 2 full breasts, pounded to ½” thickness
  • 1 cup quinoa, dry
  • 1 cup hummus
  • 1 1/2 cups cucumbers, cut in chunks
  • 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped optional
  • 1/2 cup Nicoise olives
  • 1 bunch cilantro, rough chopped
  • 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
  • extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
  • 1 lemon, juiced

Instructions

Marinade

  • In a small bowl or pyrex measuring cup whisk together all marinade ingredients.
  • Prepare chicken by placing between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pounding with a meat mallet or rolling pin to an even thickness of about ½”.  (Ensure that your meat is completely covered to avoid spewing chicken juices throughout your kitchen when you are pounding!)
  • Place pounded chicken breasts and marinade together into a quart or gallon size ziplock bag.  Seal and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Bowls

  • In a small saucepan prepare quinoa according to package directions.
  • Heat a large skillet with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat.
  • When the skillet is heated, carefully lay the chicken breasts and then pour the marinade into the skillet.  Allow the chicken to cook for 1 minute.
  • Flip the chicken breasts over, turn down the heat to low, cover the skillet and allow to cook for 10 minutes.  No peeking!  The lid needs to stay tight on the skillet.
  • After 10 minutes, turn the burner off, leave the skillet in place (if you have an electric stove remove the chicken to another burner)and allow the chicken to cook for another 10 minutes. Again, no sneak peeks, leave that lid firmly in place.
  • Allow chicken breasts to rest for a couple minutes and then slice crosswise.
  • Start layering your bowl!  Beginning with the quinoa, divide equally among the bowls, there should be enough for about ¾ cup per bowl. Then portion the chicken, hummus, cucumbers, tomatoes, red peppers, olives and cilantro amongst the bowls according to people’s tastes and hunger levels.  Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese.  Just before serving drizzle with olive oil and some freshly squeezed lemon juice.  Salt and pepper to taste.