Greek-Inspired Chicken Bowls with Avocado Tzatziki

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Every layer of these Greek-Inspired Chicken Bowls with Creamy Avocado Tzatziki is completely craveable! Soak juicy chicken thighs in a bright & zesty Greek-inspired marinade, then roast & broil to create delicious char. Load the chicken into a bowl with lemon rice & whatever toppings you love – pickled red onions, cucumbers, feta cheese, & more. For the perfect finishing touch, serve with homemade tzatziki sauce made with whipped avocado for extra creaminess! Ready in 45 minutes or less, these Greek-style chicken bowls are a fun & delicious dinner for any night of the week!

Naturally gluten-free. Easily dairy-free.

An assembled greek chicken bowl sits on a small plate atop a white surface with a white cloth. A pita and gold fork rest alongside the bowl, and a bowl of avocado tzatziki is on the counter beside it. A bowl of feta, jar of pickled onions, fresh dill, & lemon can be seen in the background.

These Bowls are Bursting with Fresh & Lemony Mediterranean Flavors!

This recipe celebrates 2 of our go-to dinner inspirations: light & fresh Mediterranean flavors & texture-loaded bowl-style meals. 😍 While some bowl recipes can admittedly be a little complicated to prep, this Greek-Inspired Chicken Bowl recipe is not one of them! The 2 main components of this dish – our go-to lemon herb chicken thighs & a creamy avocado tzatziki – are both super craveable & come together quickly with mostly hands-off prep.

First, the Greek-inspired chicken soaks up a punchy lemon herb marinade made with tons of lemon juice & zest, garlic, & fresh dill. It’s seriously so bright & flavorful. After a quick marinate, simply bake the chicken until it’s juicy & finish it under the broiler to create the best crispy charred edges.

While the chicken’s in the oven, it’s easy to throw together a quick batch of avocado tzatziki, which is basically like the best homemade tzatziki sauce with extra-creamy texture. Simply whip fresh avocado with Greek yogurt, then fold in grated cucumber, dill, & lemon. It’s a fabulously creamy base for a colorful chicken bowl!

Build your Greek-inspired chicken bowls with whatever fixings you love, like simple herbed lemon rice, diced cucumber & tomatoes, quick pickled red onions, or feta cheese. This recipe is a totally versatile & super fun dinner option for any night of the week!

Greek-Inspired Chicken Bowl Recipe Highlights

You’ll love loading up a bowl of lemony chicken with tzatziki sauce for dinner! It’s…

LIGHT & FRESH. These Greek-inspired chicken bowls lean into classic Mediterranean flavors like zesty lemon, punchy garlic, & aromatic herbs like oregano & fresh dill. Epic flavors in every layer!

A 45-MINUTE DINNER. Quickly marinate chicken thighs then bake then broil them for totally hands-off, juicy, & charred results. The creamy avocado tzatziki whips up in a food processor in no time. Fast & flavorful bowls for the win!

BEAUTIFULLY VERSATILE. Layer your Greek-inspired chicken bowl with easy add-ins like lemon herb rice, fresh cucumbers & tomatoes, pickled red onions, crumbly feta, & more. The toppings are also great in a handheld pita. Build it however you love it!

It doesn’t get better than bowls for dinner! ♡ Read on to learn more about how to make Greek-Inspired Chicken Bowls, or jump straight to the recipe & get cooking!

Key Ingredients

The key to any Greek-inspired recipe is using super fresh, light, & aromatic ingredients. These Greek-style chicken bowls consist of a couple of different components, but they all come together using just a handful of staple ingredients! Plus, each component leans on similar seasonings to keep prep really streamlined & tie all the flavors together.

Greek chicken bowl ingredients are displayed on a white marbled surface: chicken thighs, lemons, garlic, dill, oregano, English cucumber, avocado tzatziki, tomatoes, rice, lettuce, feta, & pickled onions.

Note: Full ingredients list and measurements provided in the Recipe Card, below.

Here’s what you should have on hand:

  • Chicken thighs – We love using extra-juicy thighs for chicken bowls! They’re so much more flavorful & stay nice & juicy as they cook. You can use chicken breasts too if that’s what you love, though we don’t recommend finishing them under the broiler because it’s likely to dry them out. See the Recipe Notes, below, for more tips!
  • Greek-inspired lemon herb chicken marinade – Loaded with quintessential bright & beautiful Mediterranean flavors! Using both lemon juice & zest builds maximum flavor. Plenty of aromatic garlic, fresh dill & dried oregano, infuse the chicken with even more goodness, & a little bit of olive oil brings it all together. Learn more! Our Favorite Simple Lemon Herb Marinade.
  • Avocado tzatziki – Classic tzatziki sauce, but with a twist! Blending avocado into plain Greek Yogurt takes the creaminess up a notch. Grated cucumber & more garlic, lemon, & dill keep the tzatziki flavors classic.
  • Bowl toppings – Use what you love! Drawing inspiration from our favorite Greek-inspired dishes, our go-tos include: lemon rice, shredded lettuce, cucumber or cucumber salad, grape tomatoes, kalamata olives, feta cheese, & pickled red onions for a punchy kick of color. Warm pita bread is also great on the side!

Simple Lemon & Herb Chicken (With the Perfect Char)

The first component of these Greek-inspired chicken bowls is irresistibly charred lemon chicken. It’s made with our go-to marinade, which infuses the chicken with tons of punchy flavor in a really short amount of time. Our favorite bake-then-broil method cooks them to juicy charred perfection – entirely hands-off!

It’s fantastic for these Greek-inspired chicken bowls, but also an all-around great option for any other Greek-inspired dinners like pitas or Greek salad. So many ways to love it!

1

Marinate the chicken thighs. This simple marinade uses lemon juice & zest, extra virgin olive oil, & plenty of aromatic garlic & herbs for maximum flavor. Mix all the marinade ingredients together & let the chicken soak it all up for 15-20 minutes or up to 6 hours. Tip! ⇢ There’s plenty of citrus in the marinade, which begins to impact the chicken’s texture if it soaks for too long. 6 hours max!

2

Roast. Pop the chicken in a 425-degree oven & let it roast. Why? ⇢ The gentle, even heat of the oven perfectly cooks the thighs for guaranteed juicy results.

3

Finish under the broiler. This step is optional but highly encouraged! The intense heat of the broiler creates delicious char around the edges of the chicken in a matter of just a few minutes. Cut the roasted chicken into bite-sized pieces & pop it under broiler. Why? ⇢ Smaller pieces of chicken allow every nook & cranny to get extra crispy & charred.

Alternate Cooking Method

If the weather is nice where you are then try cooking the lemon chicken outside on your grill. (Grilling season is our favorite time of year!)

The grill cooks the chicken through & perfectly chars it at the same time, a convenient alternative to baking then broiling. It only takes about 20 minutes! Learn more!Quick & Easy Grilled Lemon Chicken.

Creamy Avocado Tzatziki Sauce

Tzatziki is a must-have for any Greek-inspired chicken bowl & this version takes the classic sauce up a notch! It comes together with traditional tzatziki sauce ingredients like Greek yogurt, grated cucumber, garlic, dill, & lemon juice, but also folds in whipped avocado for extra creamy results. 🥑 The result tastes just like tzatziki, all with an extra pretty green color that we love.

A white bowl of avocado tzatziki sits on a white surface. The tzatziki is topped with fresh dill, and has a gold spoon resting in it. A lemon and fresh dill sit alongside the bowl.

How to Make Avocado Tzatziki. ⇢ The food processor does all the work here! Whip all the ingredients except the cucumber until it’s smooth & without any avocado chunks. Finish by grating the cucumber & stir it in. Why? ⇢ Cucumbers are FULL of moisture, which can impact the creamy-dreamy texture of the tzatziki sauce. Grate it into small pieces then use a towel to wring out excess water. Doing so preserves the cucumber flavor without bogging down the sauce.

Dairy-free avocado tzatziki. ⇢ Feel free to use your favorite dairy-free yogurt in place of Greek yogurt. It’s a great way to keep the avocado tzatziki deliciously creamy for dairy-free eaters. The avocado adds a lot to the texture of the sauce, regardless of what yogurt you use!

Step-by-Step Video

Meal Prep Tip!

Feel free to prep the creamy avocado tzatziki up to 2-3 days in advance. It keeps in the fridge beautifully – just be sure to store it in an airtight container.

Bowl Assembly & Topping Ideas

There’s no wrong way to make these Greek-inspired chicken bowls – just choose the ingredients you love & have fun with them. Here’s our favorite way to build a Greek-style chicken bowl.

An assembled greek chicken bowl sits on a small plate atop a white surface with a white cloth. A pita and gold fork rest alongside the bowl, and a bowl of avocado tzatziki is on the counter beside it. A bowl of feta, jar of pickled onions, fresh dill, & lemon can be seen in the background.

Simple Herbed Lemon Rice. ⇢ A go-to here at the PWWB house & it couldn’t be easier to throw together! It leans into the same flavors as the rest of this Greek-inspired chicken bowl & uses many ingredients you’ll already have on hand. Simply season cooked rice with a squeeze of lemon juice, lemon zest, & plenty of fresh dill. Feel free to use white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice – whatever you love. Check the Recipe Notes, below, for more details!

More Mediterranean-Inspired Toppings. ⇢ Load up on your favorites here! We love using classic Greek salad as inspiration, with fresh ingredients like shredded lettuce, diced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, & feta cheese. Quick pickled red onions also add a fun pop of color & bright flavor!

Greek-Inspired Chicken Bowl Assembly. ⇢ Our favorite way to build this chicken bowl is to start with a big swoop of avocado tzatziki in the bottom, then add a pile of lemon rice & shredded lettuce. Nestle in the sliced charred lemon chicken then load up on cucumbers, tomatoes, crumbled feta, & sliced red onion. Fresh herbs like dill or parsley & extra lemon squeezes are always a welcome finishing touch!

Alternate Serving Suggestions – More Than Just a Chicken Bowl!

The fun thing about these Greek-inspired chicken bowls is their versatility. If you’re not craving a bowl, feel free to use the components to make…

  • Handheld pitas loaded with chicken, avocado tzatziki, & all the fixings.
  • A Greek-inspired salad! Create a bed of lettuce & veggies then top it with lemon chicken & a dollop of avocado tzatziki to dress your greens.
  • Mezze-style appetizer. Slice up some veggies & lemon chicken & create a spread with a big bowl of avocado tzatziki, your favorite olives & some crunchy dippers like pita chips. Let everyone pick at the platter before dinner & enjoy bites of what they love!
A close-up overhead shot of an assembled greek chicken bowl: rice, chicken, feta, pickled onions, lettuce & diced cucumber.

I can’t wait for you to try these Greek-Inspired Chicken Bowls with Avocado Tzatziki! They have the best balance of bright & fresh Mediterranean flavors & crispy, creamy, crunchy textures – everything a loaded bowl-style meal should be! Super fun to make & so much to love.

If you give them a try, be sure to let us know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. We LOVE seeing your PWWB creations! ♡ Happy cooking!

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An assembled greek chicken bowl sits on a small plate atop a white surface with a white cloth. A pita and gold fork rest alongside the bowl, and a bowl of avocado tzatziki is on the counter beside it. A bowl of feta, jar of pickled onions, fresh dill, & lemon can be seen in the background.

Greek-Inspired Chicken Bowls with Creamy Avocado Tzatziki

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Jess Larson
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: serves 4
  • Category: Entrée Salads & Bowls Recipes, Main Dishes
  • Method: Oven, Baked & Broiled
  • Cuisine: Greek & Mediterranean
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

If you’re just as obsessed as we are with light + fresh Mediterranean flavors & epic loaded bowl-style meals, you’re going to love these Greek-Inspired Chicken Bowls with Creamy Avocado Tzatziki. They’re light, fresh, texture-filled, colorful, & so feel-good!

The bowls center around 2 main components – our go-to Greek-inspired chicken & a creamy avocado tzatziki sauce. Both are easy to prepare & leave plenty of room for you to build your bowls with whatever fixings you love.

The Greek-inspired chicken is marinated in a quick lemon herb marinade that’s prepared with punchy ingredients like lemon zest, lemon juice, fresh dill, & garlic. Since it’s so flavor-forward, it infuses the chicken with a ton of flavor in a very short amount of time. At dinnertime, simply roast the chicken in the oven & finish it under the broiler for deliciously crispy & charred edges. 

While the chicken cooks, you’ll have the perfect amount of time to prep whatever bowl fixings you love, like a colorful & creamy avocado tzatziki sauce, lemon rice, cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, pickled red onions, feta cheese, & more. They’re just as fun to build as they are to eat – you’re going to be obsessed!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (see Recipe Notes)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 lemons, zested & juiced
  • 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
  • ¼ cup finely chopped fresh dill (can sub 1 heaping tablespoon dried dill)
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
  • for serving, as desired: avocado tzatziki (below), herbed lemon rice (see Recipe Notes), shredded lettuce, diced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, diced feta cheese, pickled red onions, chopped fresh dill, warm pita bread (we love this homemade pita recipe!), etc.

for the avocado tzatziki:

  • ½ English cucumber, grated & squeezed to remove excess water (see Recipe Notes)
  • 1 large avocado, pitted & peeled
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 lemons, juiced
  • ¼ cup finely chopped fresh dill (can sub 1 heaping tablespoon dried dill)
  • ⅓ cup full-fat Greek yogurt
  • 23 tablespoons water
  • kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season

Instructions

  1. Marinate the chicken: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F, ensuring one rack is positioned in the top third of the oven. To a medium bowl, add the olive oil, lemon zest & juice, garlic, dill, oregano, 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Whisk to combine well. Add the chicken to the bowl, tossing to coat in the marinade. Set aside to marinate for 15-20 minutes at room temperature while the oven preheats. (Alternatively, you can cover & marinate in the refrigerator for up to 6 hours.)Chicken thighs marinate in a lemon herb marinate in a large white bowl resting on a white textured surface.
  2. Roast the Greek-inspired chicken: Place the marinated chicken on a small baking sheet. Transfer to the oven & roast 10-15 minutes, or until cooked through. Marinated chicken thighs sit on a sheet pan atop a white textured surface.
  3. Optional: Broil the Greek-inspired chicken: If desired, broil the Greek-inspired chicken for a crispy, browned finish (so good!). Remove the chicken from the oven & preheat the oven’s broiler to its highest setting. Transfer the roasted chicken to a cutting board & carefully slice into bite-sized pieces. Place the sliced chicken back on the baking sheet. Place the baking sheet under the broiler. Broil 4-5 minutes, carefully turning the pan halfway through, until the chicken is browned & slightly crisp. Remove from the oven & set aside for serving.Bite-sized, broiled chicken pieces sit on a sheet pan atop a white textured surface.
  4. Prep the avocado tzatziki: Meanwhile, as the chicken roasts, prepare the avocado tzatziki. Place the grated cucumber in a medium bowl & set aside. To a food processor, add the avocado, garlic, lemon juice, dill, & Greek yogurt. Season with a heaping ½ teaspoon kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Pulse to break up the avocado, then blend until smooth & creamy. If necessary, add a couple tablespoons water to smooth out texture. Transfer the creamy avocado mixture to the bowl with the grated cucumber. Fold to combine well. Set aside, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.A white bowl of avocado tzatziki sits on a white surface. The tzatziki is topped with fresh dill, and has a gold spoon resting in it. A lemon and fresh dill sit alongside the bowl.
  5. Assemble Greek-inspired chicken bowls with avocado tzatziki & fixings of choice: Build your avocado tzatziki bowls as desired. I like to swoop the avocado tzatziki directly along the sides of the bowl, then create a base of lemon herb rice (see Recipe Notes) & finely shredded lettuce, & top it all off with the roasted chicken, diced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, feta, & pickled red onions. (If you’re craving a handheld, it’s also delicious to pile everything into a pita!) Serve immediately. Enjoy!An assembled greek chicken bowl sits on a small plate atop a white surface with a white cloth. A pita and gold fork rest alongside the bowl, and a bowl of avocado tzatziki is on the counter beside it. A bowl of feta, jar of pickled onions, fresh dill, & lemon can be seen in the background.

Notes

  • Ingredient Notes:
    • Can I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead? Yes. I prefer using chicken thighs in this recipe since they’re flavorful & stay really nice & juicy through roasting + broiling, but you can swap them out with breasts if you prefer. Either pound the breasts out flat or cut them in half lengthwise (butterflied) to ensure they roast up evenly. Skip broiling (Step 3), as the breast meat will dry out.
    • Grated cucumber: To grate the cucumber, place a few paper towels out on a cutting board & set a box mixer on top. Run the cucumber along the side of the box mixer with the largest holes to grate it into nicely shredded pieces. Once grated, use the paper towel to blot the shredded cucumber & soak up excess moisture. (Too much moisture will make the affect the consistency of the avocado tzatziki, so do not skip this simple step!)
    • Simple add-on ⇢ Herbed Lemon Rice: For a little something extra, I love building these avocado tzatziki bowls with a quick herbed lemon rice – it’s really easy to throw together using ingredients you already have on hand for the Greek-inspired chicken & avocado tzatziki sauce. To a medium bowl, add 2 cups cooked rice, the zest & juice of 1 lemon, & a handful of finely chopped fresh dill. Use a fork to fluff it all together & serve immediately. (For a particularly quick & easy version, feel free to heat up a package of 90-second rice in the microwave – easy!)
  • Storage & Reheating: Store leftover Greek chicken, avocado tzatziki, & bowl fixings in individual airtight containers in the refrigerator. The avocado tzatziki is best enjoyed within 2-3 days, while the Greek chicken will last up to 3-4 days. Reheat the chicken in the microwave or stovetop until warmed through, then assemble an avocado tzatziki chicken bowl as desired. 
  • 20-Minute Meal Prep: Nearly all of the active prep work for these Greek chicken bowls from prepping the lemony marinade & avocado tzatziki sauce. Mix up either or both in advance to get a head start on your tzatziki chicken bowls – it takes 20 minutes, tops:
    • Prepare the marinade according to Step 1 of Recipe Directions, above. Store in a jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The day you’d like to make Greek-inspired chicken, all you have to do is toss the chicken into the marinade – so easy! Marinate for at least 15-20 minutes at room temperature or cover & marinate in the refrigerator for up to 6 hours. (10 minutes active prep.)
    • Prepare the avocado tzatziki sauce according to Step 4 of Recipe Directions above. Store in a jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Recipe and Food Styling by Jess Larson, Plays Well With Butter | Photography by Rachel Cook, Half Acre House.

Two assembled greek chicken bowls sit on small plates atop a white surface with a white cloth. A pita rests alongside the bowl. A jar of pickled onions can be seen in the background.

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Hi there, I'm Jess!

If there’s 1 thing to know about me, it’s this: I am head-over-heels in love with food. I’m on a mission to make weeknight cooking flavorful, fast, & fun for other foodies, & PWWB is where I share foolproof recipes that deliver major flavor with minimal effort. Other true loves: pretty shoes, puppies, Grey’s Anatomy, & my cozy kitchen in Minneapolis, MN.

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Comments

  1. 5.24.23
    Karla said:

    Delicious! Going into our regular rotation!






    • 5.25.23
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      We love to hear that, Karla!! Thanks for the review!

  2. 4.26.23
    Kate Walter said:

    Charred juicy Chicken! DO NOT 2nd guess Jess..do all the garlic, all the lemon juice and zest, oregano, dill! All of it. The marinade is genius and the 2nd step to broil/char is not to be missed!
    Then the avocado tzatziki– thick and creamy. Quick, easy, but flavors are celebratory! My fav Greek restaurant closed and now I have the authentic obssesive chicken again.!.






    • 4.27.23
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Thank you so much for your kind words, Kate!! We’re so happy you loved the chicken bowls – we’re obsessed with them, too!! 🙂