Rhythm Rielly

A little mild curry powder gives ready-cooked chicken a different flavor without starting a new cooking session. Stir it into Greek yogurt, fold in the chicken and serve with rice and crisp cucumber.

This curry chicken rice Greek yogurt bowl is a quick yogurt-based meal, with a cool, creamy sauce rather than a simmered curry gravy. Assembly takes about five minutes when your chicken and rice are ready to serve.

Curry Chicken Rice Greek Yogurt Bowl

Serves: 1 · Assembly time: About 5 minutes with cooked chicken and rice ready · Extra time: Any heating or reheating

• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
• ¼ teaspoon mild curry powder, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 3 ounces ready-to-eat cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
• ½ cup cooked rice, or packaged rice prepared according to its directions
• ½ cup chopped cucumber
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

How to Make It

1. Prepare the rice according to its package directions if needed. If you prefer warm chicken, heat it separately according to its storage and reheating directions.
2. Stir the yogurt, curry powder and lemon juice together in a small bowl. Taste and adjust the seasoning a little at a time.
3. Gently fold the cooked chicken into the curry yogurt.
4. Spoon the rice and cucumber into your serving bowl, then add the creamy chicken mixture. Taste before adding salt and pepper.

Keep the Shortcut Honest

Use rotisserie chicken, packaged ready-to-eat chicken or chicken cooked earlier. The five-minute estimate begins with cooked chicken and rice ready. Cooking either from scratch adds time separately.

Packaged rice can keep the preparation simple, but follow its instructions because some products require heating. Cold cooked chicken works well in the yogurt mixture, with warm rice alongside if desired.

Start with a Little Curry Powder

Curry powder blends vary in heat and strength. Begin with ¼ teaspoon of a mild blend and add another small pinch only after tasting. The flavor should complement the tangy yogurt without overwhelming it.

If your seasoning package requires cooking, follow those directions and allow extra time, or choose a seasoning suitable for a cold yogurt sauce. This quick bowl does not include a spice-toasting step.

Easy Swaps

Change the grain: Ready-cooked quinoa or another cooked grain can replace rice. Follow any heating directions.

Change the crunch: Chopped celery or bell pepper can replace cucumber.

Change the protein: Use drained canned chickpeas instead of chicken for a vegetarian variation.

Choose your yogurt: Whole-milk, low-fat and nonfat Greek yogurt all work. Use plain yogurt rather than vanilla or sweetened varieties. A teaspoon of water can loosen a very thick sauce if needed.

Small Prep for Another Lunch

Mix the curry yogurt ahead of time and refrigerate it covered according to the yogurt label. Keep cooked chicken and rice refrigerated as appropriate and cucumber separate until serving.

Heat chicken and rice separately if desired, then add the yogurt sauce. Keeping the sauce out of the microwave preserves its creamy texture.

More Easy Greek Yogurt Bowls

This savory bowl follows Apple Cranberry Granola in our alternating collection. Try Pesto Chicken or Ranch Chicken Crunch for another way to change the flavor of ready-cooked chicken. Explore 25 Easy Recipes with Greek Yogurt for more ideas.

Next comes Mocha Almond, a sweet bowl with coffee, cocoa and almond crunch.