Rhythm Rielly

A little lemon, a creamy spoonful of yogurt and something crisp from the refrigerator can turn ready-cooked chicken into a lunch worth sitting down for. This Mediterranean chicken Greek yogurt bowl combines cucumber, juicy tomatoes, olives and feta over a simple lemon-herb yogurt base. Torn pita gives you something to scoop it all up with.

The ease comes from starting with chicken that is already cooked. Use refrigerated rotisserie chicken, ready-to-eat cooked chicken or chicken you prepared earlier. There is no chicken cooking hidden inside the five-minute assembly time.

Mediterranean Chicken Greek Yogurt Bowl

Serves: 1 · Assembly time: About 5 minutes · Cook time at assembly: 0 minutes · Prep-ahead ingredient: Cooked chicken

• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice, plus more to taste
• ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• A small pinch of salt and black pepper, to taste
• 3 ounces cooked, ready-to-eat chicken, sliced or shredded
• ½ cup chopped cucumber
• ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 4 pitted Kalamata olives, halved
• 1 tablespoon crumbled feta
• 1 small pita, torn into pieces

How to Make It

1. Stir the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic powder and oregano together in your serving bowl. Taste before adding a small pinch of salt and pepper; the olives and feta will bring saltiness too.
2. Spread the yogurt across the bottom of the bowl with the back of your spoon.
3. Chop the cucumber and halve the tomatoes and olives. Arrange them over the yogurt with the cooked chicken.
4. Scatter the feta on top and tuck the torn pita beside the toppings. Scoop up a little yogurt with each bite.

The Five-Minute Shortcut

Cooked chicken is the only ingredient that needs advance cooking. Store-bought ready-to-eat chicken keeps the whole recipe a no-cook meal. If you are cooking chicken specifically for this bowl, allow that cooking time separately; the five-minute estimate begins with cooked chicken ready to use.

Cold cooked chicken works well with the crisp vegetables and cool yogurt. For a warm version, heat the chicken separately before adding it and allow extra time for reheating. Keep the yogurt cool rather than microwaving the assembled bowl.

Easy Swaps

Use what you have: A chopped regular tomato can replace cherry tomatoes, and black olives can replace Kalamata olives. Skip the feta or olives if you do not have them; the lemon-herb yogurt still carries the flavor.

Change the protein: Replace the chicken with about ½–¾ cup drained canned chickpeas for a no-cook vegetarian variation. Mash a few lightly so the yogurt clings to them.

Change the base: Serve with toast or crackers instead of pita, or add ready-cooked rice. If you microwave rice, follow the package directions and add the heating time to the assembly estimate.

Make the sauce even faster: Use a ready-made plain tzatziki in place of the lemon-herb yogurt, or try our Quick Tzatziki when you have a few extra minutes.

Small Prep That Pays Off

Portion ready-cooked chicken, wash your produce and mix the yogurt sauce ahead of time. Keep the chicken and sauce covered in the refrigerator, following their storage directions. Keep pita separate so it stays soft rather than soaking up the sauce. Chop vegetables shortly before serving for the crispest bowl.

You do not need an elaborate meal-prep session. A container of cooked chicken and a tub of plain Greek yogurt can become several different bowls as you change the vegetables and seasonings.

Sweet and Savory, One Bowl at a Time

This is the first savory recipe in our easy Greek yogurt bowl collection. It follows the Apple Cinnamon Crunch Greek Yogurt Bowl; next comes a sweet Banana Peanut Butter bowl. Each recipe keeps the same promise: simple ingredients, a little variety and quick assembly.