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Mediterranean Rice Bowl Recipe

Mediterranean Rice Bowls
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Ingredients

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For the chickpeas or chicken

  • 15-ounce can chickpeas or 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 4 cutlets (about 1 pound, organic if possible)*
  • Garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, cumin and dried dill
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Olive oil

For the bowl

  • 1 cup long grain white rice
  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 English cucumber
  • 1 handful cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
  • Pickled Red Onions (made in advance) or ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 handful olives, pitted and sliced
  • 1 handful feta cheese
  • 1 ½ cups full-fat Greek yogurt
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • ½ teaspoon dried dill
  • ½ tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Make the rice: Using a strainer, rinse the rice under cold water, then drain it completely. In a saucepan over high heat, bring 1 ¾ cups water to a boil. Add the rice, turmeric, garlic powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Stir once, and simmer 10 to 15 minutes. Return the rice to the pot (without the heat). Cover the pot and allow the rice to steam for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff the rice with a fork. Taste and add a little more salt and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.
  2. Make the tzatziki: Meanwhile, grate ½ the cucumber using the small holes on a box grater (if using a standard cucumber, peel and seed it first). Place the grated cucumber in a fine mesh strainer and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Sprinkle it with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, then place over a liquid measuring cup and allow to stand for at least 10 minutes. In a medium bowl, mix the yogurt, garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt, dill, and freshly ground black pepper. Squeeze out more water from the cucumber before adding it to the dip. Stir in the grated cucumber. Depending on your yogurt consistency, you can stir back in the cucumber water (or regular water) until it comes to the desired consistency (some Greek yogurts are very thick!). Stores up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
  3. Cook the chickpeas (or chicken; See Notes): Drain and rinse the chickpeas. In a medium bowl, mix them ½ teaspoon each garlic powder, onion powder, and dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon each cumin and dried dill, and ¾ teaspoon kosher salt.  Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet. Add the chickpeas (carefully to avoid spitting) and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until warmed through.
  4. Assemble the bowls: Slice the remaining half of the cucumber and slice the tomatoes in half. If using red onion instead of pickled onions, slice the onion. Add the rice to a bowl and top with the vegetables and chicken (or chickpeas), then sprinkle with olives and feta crumbles and add a dollop of tzatziki. Leftovers last up to 3 days refrigerated.

Notes

To cook the chicken: Butterfly the chicken (if not already in cutlets). Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and sprinkle on both sides with the kosher salt (use 1 ¼ teaspoons if the chicken is closer to 1 ½ pounds).  In a small bowl, mix the garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cumin, dill, and a few grinds of black pepper, then sprinkle over the chicken. Add the olive oil to a large stainless steel or cast iron skillet and heat over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 to 5 minutes per side, until browned on both sides. When the internal temperature is 165°F or the center is no longer pink, remove to a plate. Rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Find it online: https://www.acouplecooks.com/rice-bowl-recipes/