This easy Mediterranean Bowl is full of so much flavor, you’ll want to make it a regular part of your weekly meal plan. Loaded with tzatziki marinated chicken, tzatziki sauce, crispy chickpeas and more, most everything can be made in advance for quick weeknight assembly.
I hope you’re ready for a life-changing, flavor-packed weeknight meal, because this Easy Meal Prep Mediterranean Bowl with Tzatziki Marinated Chicken is just that! I’ve been dreaming about creating a recipe like this for a while, and now that it’s finally here, I couldn’t be more excited.
The other exciting part? All of the components of this bowl that require ANY sort of cooking can be made well in advance. I mean, this meal can even be served cold without ANY reheating! That’s the ideal weeknight meal if you ask me.
I think it’s about time we start talking about all of the delicious things that go into this Mediterranean Bowl. Shall we?
What Goes into an Easy Meal Prep Mediterranean Bowl?
This recipe is so loaded with flavor, the real question should be, “What doesn’t go into an Easy Meal Prep Mediterranean Bowl?” Because there’s not much!
Let’s start from the top with the real star of the show:
Tzatziki Marinated Chicken
I consider this a pretty genius idea on my part if I do say so myself. Yogurt marinated chicken is nothing new. It’s a great way to infuse some moisture and flavor into grilled chicken. So, when we’re talking about a Mediterranean Bowl, why not marinate our chicken with everyone’s favorite Greek yogurt-based sauce – tzatziki!
You’ll want to mix up the sauce and start marinating the chicken at least a few hours before you want to cook it, so this is where you’ll have to plan a bit in advance. The good news is, once the chicken is cooked, you can keep it in the refrigerator for a few days before using.
Tzatziki Sauce
While you’re mixing up the marinade for the chicken, why not make the tzatziki sauce you’re going to top your bowl with? The ingredients vary only slightly, and there is a lot of overlap, so you can proverbially kill two birds with one stone.
You can store the tzatziki in a sealed container in the fridge for a few days before using as well. In fact, it gets better the longer it sits since the flavors have more time to meld.
Couscous
Since we’re going Mediterranean, we’re using couscous as the grain base for our tasty bowls. If you’re not familiar with making couscous, let me tell you, it’s so quick and easy to make! I just bought the whole wheat couscous from Trader Joe’s and whipped it up in less than 20 minutes. It’s also great to make in advance and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Crispy Chickpeas
Yes, crispy chickpeas! These are another food that, if you haven’t yet made them, you better hop to it because they are the BEST healthy snack. And the flavoring possibilities are endless. For these bowls, I kept the crispy chickpeas simple with a dusting of garlic powder and dried oregano. They tie in perfectly to the rest of the ingredients with the best crispy crunch. You may want to make extra, because you won’t be able to stop nibbling on them as you cook!
The chickpeas can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for at least a couple of days. You’re going to have to practice your self-restraint to not eat them all before it’s time to top your bowls with them!
These are all of the ingredients for the Mediterranean Bowls that require any sort of prep, and as you can see, you can make them all in advance. Now you’ve got the hard part out of the way, let’s talk about how to make these bowls your own!
How to Customize Your Bowl
The ingredients I mentioned above are the basic building blocks of your Easy Meal Prep Mediterranean Bowl, but they’re certainly not all there is to it. Here are the other ingredients – that require no prep at all – that you can mix and match to really customize this recipe to your own personal taste:
Tomatoes
Cucumber
Avocado
Olives
Hummus
Fresh dill
Fresh oregano
Serving Your Mediterranean Bowl
Since we’re still in the heat of summer, I highly recommend serving these bowls cold. Sure, they’re a great weeknight dinner option, but they’d also be great to pack for lunches for both yourself and the kiddos. I think they’d be the perfect picnic fare! Heck, you could even make a full Mediterranean feast for a crowd and serve these bowls with my Loaded Mediterranean Hummus Board with Pulled Lamb.
I hope you give these Med Bowls a shot ASAP because they are seriously bursting with flavor. And if you’re looking for more great meal prep recipes, be sure to check out my Meal Prep board on Pinterest!
Easy Meal Prep Mediterranean Bowl with Tzatziki Marinated Chicken
Equipment
- Gallon Ziploc
- 1/2 cup measure
- Tablespoon
- 1/4 teaspoon
- 3 small bowls
- 3 spoons
- Sieve
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Bowls for serving
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Juice of 1/2 a lemon
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
For the tzatziki:
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 Persian cucumber, grated and water squeezed out with a paper towel
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
- Dash of salt (to taste)
For the crispy chickpeas:
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
Other ingredients:
- 5-6 cups prepared couscous
- 1 Persian cucumber, sliced
- 2-3 medium tomatoes, cut into sixths
- 1 avocado, sliced
- Olives
- Hummus
- Fresh dill and oregano
Instructions
To make the chicken:
- Place chicken breasts in Ziploc. In a small bowl, whisk together all of the marinade ingredients, then pour into Ziploc. Seal Ziploc, smoosh around to coat the chicken with the marinade, and refrigerate for a few hours, or ideally overnight.
- When ready to cook, turn grill on medium heat. Place chicken breasts on grill and cook until done, about 10 minutes on the first side and 8 minutes on the second side (but use your best judgment.) Let cool before storing.
- Before adding the chicken to your bowl, dice it up.
To make the tzatziki:
- Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Place in a resealable container in the refrigerator to store until ready to use.
To make the crispy chickpeas:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Using a sieve, drain the chickpeas and rinse off with water.
- Pour the chickpeas onto a dish towel and rub until dry. It’s okay if some of the skins come off.
- Place chickpeas in a small bowl and coat with olive oil and salt. You’ll add the other seasonings after cooking.
- Pour chickpeas out onto a rimmed baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until crispy.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle on garlic powder and oregano, toss to coat. Store in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to use.
To assemble the bowls:
- The couscous will form the base of your bowl. Then, just top with diced chicken, a dollop of tzatziki, a sprinkle of chickpeas, and whatever other toppings you decide to use. Enjoy!
Notes
- DISH DENSITY: High
- The chicken will need at least one hour of marinating time, but you can make it up to a few days in advance of assembling these bowls.
- Prepare the tzatziki at the same time you are preparing the marinade for the chicken, as the two utilize many of the same ingredients. The tzatziki can also be made up to a few days in advance.
- You can also cook the couscous in advance. If you want, make some extra so you can use it for other meals throughout the week!
- Store the crispy chickpeas in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of days. Make extra for snacking!
- These bowls can be enjoyed cold (making them a great lunch to bring to work) OR at cooking temperature.
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