I can think of two enormous dishes I’ve eaten with enough regularity in my lifetime that my stomach has actually grown to accommodate their size, as it knows I am a culinary freight train incapable of stopping.
One is Tokyo Ramen – a giant bowl of noodles, broth, and other goodies I ate at least three times a week while living in Japan for a summer from a restaurant we called “The Peach” on account of us being unable to read Japanese, but able to recognize a fruit in the shape of a peach on the restaurant’s sign. #lifehack The first time I ordered a bowl I maybe put away a quarter of it before throwing in the towel. By the end of the summer I’d scoop up the last spoonful of broth then slam three plates of gyoza. Winning!
The second is a Chipotle Burrito Bowl. Do you remember your first bowl? For better or worse (I’m thinking worse?) I do, hahaha. I had just moved to Minneapolis after college when my parents and I, sweaty and exhausted from hauling boxes up three flights of stairs for 6 hours, drove to a burrito shop down the street that I’d never heard of – Chipotle! I ordered an enormous burrito bowl, ate half, and was so full I couldn’t move the rest of the day. Fast forward 10, ok 12, years later (?) and I now demolish an entire bowl with half a bag of chips as edible forks at least once a week (which I will admit has become a challenge since half my torso is being taken up by a jicama-sized baby as of this week!) It’s the guacamole, which is super garlicky without being too garlicky. Know what I mean?
Not only do I love Chipotle’s guacamole so much that I’ve trained my stomach to eat as much of it as possible, I also love that their burrito bowls are fresh and a complete meal in one (and that the restaurant’s employees are AWESOME about changing their gloves to be gluten-free-friendly, but that’s besides the point!) They’re also what inspired the healthy and vibrant recipe I’m sharing with you today – Mediterranean Chicken and Chickpea Bowls with Yellow Rice!
Oh yes, I’m calling this dish the Mediterranean version of a Chipotle Burrito Bowl and it is all kinds of delicious. Think Greek Salad, meets Greek Chicken, meets yellow rice because yellow rice (aka YUM.) Healthy, beautiful, and totally filling, though I doubt you’ll have any trouble downing a big bowl of it!
Let’s break it down – first you have a layer of fluffy yellow rice. Yellow rice is common in Cuban, Latin, and Indian cooking, so it might be a stretch to call it “Mediterranean” though the turmeric used to give it that gorgeous golden hue is used in Lebanese cooking, which is on the Mediterranean Sea, so I went with it. To be honest, it just sounded like it’d go really well with these flavors and it definitely does.
On top of the rice we’ve got all the toppings which make bowl meals so fun! I took inspiration from Greek chicken by roasting then chopping chicken that’s marinated in a lemon-oregano dressing, and used the same dressing to marinate cooked chickpeas. The pairing is dynamite. The freshest components of a classic Greek Salad – cucumber, red onion, and tomato – round out the bowl, and the whole thing is drizzled with an intensely garlicky sauce that I borrowed from my Chicken Shawarma Fries with Mediterranean Salsa. Together they create a dazzling bowl of flavor, color, and deliciousness.
Now, you might take a look at the ingredient list and get nervous, but many ingredients such as lemon, garlic, and salt are used several times, and items like dried oregano, canned beans, and rice are kitchen staples. Plus, since these bowls are intended to be eaten warm and not piping hot, you can make most of the components ahead of time, save for the rice. Cook that just before serving, ok?
Well what are we waiting for, let’s get cookin’!
Start by mixing up the lemon dressing that’s used as both the chicken and chickpea marinade – 2 birds and all that! ? In small bowl or mason jar, whisk or shake up fresh lemon juice, honey, salt, pepper, dried oregano, a little bit of Dijon mustard, a couple minced garlic cloves, and extra virgin olive oil.
Reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade then add to a bowl with a 15oz can chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans) that’s been drained and rinsed, then lightly season with more salt and pepper.
Pour the rest of the marinade into a large Ziplock bag with 1lb chicken breasts, more salt and pepper, then place both the chickpeas and chicken into the fridge to marinate while you prep the rest of the dish.
Next blend up the garlic sauce that gets drizzled on top of the bowls – I am so obsessed with this sauce! It’s just 3/4 cup mayo (I like Hellmann’s extra virgin olive oil mayo,) 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 2 garlic cloves that have been minced, and salt to taste. Add up to another Tablespoon fresh lemon juice if you want it even tangier, then stash in the refrigerator. You could make this sauce up to a couple days ahead of time AND it makes an amazing french fry dip. Don’t ask me how I know. ?
Next up is the yellow rice which gets it’s lovely hue from turmeric. Turmeric has been used medicinally for thousands of years and not only has anti-inflammatory benefits, but can also help lower bad levels of cholesterol (among many other benefits.)
It’s difficult to describe turmeric’s flavor – warm is the first word that comes to mind – though it gives this rice an almost buttery taste. I love it!
To make the yellow rice, add 2 Tablespoons chopped shallots or onion to 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat then season with salt and saute until the shallots are tender, 2 minutes. Add 1 clove minced garlic then saute for 30 seconds, and then add 1-1/2 teaspoons turmeric and saute for another 30 seconds.
Lastly, add 1 cup long grain white rice (like basmati or jasmine) then stir to coat and toast until the rice is fragrant, about a minute. Add 1-1/4 cups chicken broth then turn the heat up to bring to a boil, place a lid on top, and turn the heat down to low so the broth is barely at a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes then remove the pan from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes before removing the lid and fluffing the rice.
Finally, roast the marinated chicken breasts. Remove the chicken from the marinade then place onto a foil-lined, nonstick-sprayed baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees, or until cooked through, then chop once the chicken is cool enough to handle. This is another step you could do a day ahead of time.
You could absolutely saute or grill the chicken instead, but roasting it produces the most tender and juicy chicken, plus it’s easy and hands-off. Pop it in the oven, set a timer, and forget about it!
Last stop – assembly! Scoop the yellow rice into bowls then top with the marinated chickpeas and chopped chicken, sliced cherry tomatoes, chopped fresh cucumbers, thinly sliced red onions, and lots of creamy garlic sauce. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, if you please, then go to town! I hope you love these healthy and vibrant Mediterranean Chicken and Chickpea Bowls with Yellow Rice as much as I do!
free email bonus!
5 Day Clean Eating Guide
Fresh and craveable recipes + healthy eating tips!
Mediterranean Chicken and Chickpea Bowls with Yellow Rice
Description
Mediterranean Chicken and Chickpea Bowls with Yellow Rice are healthy, gluten-free, and feature pops of fresh Mediterranean flavor like lemon and garlic.
Ingredients
- 1lb chicken breasts
- 15oz can chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans,) drained and rinsed
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1 cucumber
- 1 small red onion
- chopped fresh parsley, optional
- For the chicken and chickpea marinade:
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon gluten-free Dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- For the garlic sauce:
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise (I like Hellman’s EVOO mayo)
- 3 Tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- salt
- For the turmeric rice:
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons minced shallot or onion
- salt
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1-1/2 teaspoons turmeric
- 1 cup long grain white rice (like basmati or jasmine)
- 1-1/4 cups gluten-free chicken broth
Directions
- For the chicken and chickpea marinade: Whisk marinade ingredients together in a small bowl then reserve 1/4 cup marinade and pour the rest into a large Ziplock bag. Add chicken to the Ziplock bag, season with more salt and pepper, then place in the refrigerator to marinate while preparing the rest of the dish. Combine reserved 1/4 cup marinade with chickpeas in a bowl then season with salt and pepper and place in the refrigerator to marinate alongside the chicken.
- For the garlic sauce: Combine ingredients in a blender or food processor then blend or process until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use (can be done several days ahead of time.)
- For the turmeric rice: Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots or onions, season with salt, then saute until softened, 2 minutes. Add garlic then saute for 30 seconds, and then add turmeric and saute for 30 seconds. Add rice then saute until fragrant, 1 minute, and then add chicken broth and turn heat up to bring to a boil. Place a lid on top then turn heat down to low and simmer for 10 minutes (heat should be low enough that the broth is at a very gentle, barely-there simmer.) Remove the pan from the heat then let sit for 5 minutes before removing the lid and fluffing the rice. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees then line a baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick spray. Remove chicken from marinade then place on the baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes or until cooked all the way through. Chop once cool enough to handle. Meanwhile, slice the cherry tomatoes in half, peel, seed and chop the cucumber, then thinly slice the red onion.
- Scoop rice into bowls then top with chopped chicken, marinated chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onion, then drizzle with garlic sauce and sprinkle with chopped parsley, if using, and serve.
Notes
- You’ll need 3 lemons, and 5 garlic cloves to make this entire dish.
- All the components of this dish are make-ahead, though I recommend you make the rice fresh the day you'll be eating.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
You had me at garlic sauce.
? It is unbelievable!
I am so excited about this! I found out my bad cholesterol levels aren’t the best (thanks to heredity lol) and have been looking for natural ways to combat that. I have been incorporating as much turmeric as possible, so this dish will be perfect :) lovely!
I’m in the same boat, unfortunately! Recently I’ve been drinking this recipe at night to get more turmeric into my diet: http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/golden-milk-turmeric-milk/
Bravo Iowa Girl!
My wife eats chicken but my daughter doesn’t so I’ll sub in shrimp and it’s all good.
We all love garbanzos. Those cherry tomatoes are leaping off the screen. Great shot!
Thanks Charlie! I hope you all love it!
Oh YES! YES! And YES! I’m making this dish this weekend! I was recently diagnosed with a gluten intolerance (which attacks my thyroid thankyouverymuch) and your recipes come in soooo handy! Thanks for hitting another one out of the ballpark!
Ugh, that stinks, Suzanne! Glad I can be a resource for you though!
YES YES YES!! So excited about this one!! We have a Greek restaurant that closed recently and they served a Greek chicken plate with yellow rice, chicken, pita, and a small Greek salad that was my favorite thing ever – just thinking about it makes me drool. Anyway, now I can start to recreate – hooray!!
Oh my gosh too funny – this sounds like it will definitely take the sting of losing that restaurant away!
yummmmm!! Love chickpeas in a recipe!
Can you do some kind of tutorial or lesson on Food Photography? I read a lot of blogs, and your pictures are among the BEST I’ve seen. Any advice you have would be so helpful. — also this recipe looks MOUTH-WATERING delicious.
You are too kind, Tanya! I think my biggest piece of advice is to shoot in natural sunlight but of direct sunlight (so no sun shining directly onto the food, rather make sure it’s filtered and indirect.) I also recently started bumping up my ISO which seems to make things just a little more brighter and clearer. I look up to SO many other bloggers who do photography way better than I could ever dream of doing, but those two tips are ones I swear by!
This all sounds so good that I swore a little while reading.
I’ve never been a huge chicken fan, but I think that marinade/spice rub could convert me! I also LOVE the idea of turmeric rice…will definitely be trying that soon!
Did you know that Chipotle actually published their guac recipe? https://chipotle.com/guac-recipe It’s delish- and actually no garlic!
Holy cow, how in the world is that possible?! I’ll make it then report back if it really tastes the same as my local Chipotle. ;)
I just made this tonite and there is no way the rice cooks in 10 minutes…
I followed the recipe, simmered for 10 minutes, removed from heat and let sit with lid on for 5 minutes – rice is still hard in the center, with lots of liquid
I have put it back on for a while to cook of the liquid and hopefully soften the rice…
Other than that, this looks really good and I can’t wait to eat – come on rice!
[…] The Recipe can be found HERE […]
Made this for dinner for my hubby and I tonight. I told him “It’s a recipe from my favorite lady, so it’ll be good.” Once it was served I asked him how it was and his reply..”So good! Don’t change a thing.” I’d say it was a huge hit in this house! I did change one thing and add kalmata olives.. Mostly because I had them in the fridge, but it was still delicious!
From one DSM girl to another, thank you!
Awww, that is so great to hear! Thank you so much for the feedback, Jordan, I really appreciate it! :)
This looks so freaking delicious. Lively and bright and yummy! I’ve been trying to cut back on carbs a bit so I might give cauliflower rice a whirl, however the yellowy goodness of the rice here might just have to happen too. Perhaps a mix of both!
How long do you marinate the chicken and chickpeas?
Do you have nutritional information for recipes? Would love to have them as wanting to know fat content especially. Thanks!
[…] Mediterranean Chicken and Chickpea Bowls with Yellow Rice by Iowa Girl Eats […]
[…] Mediterranean Chicken And Chickpea Bowls With Yellow Rice from Iowa Girl Eats […]
[…] The Recipe can be found HERE […]
[…] Mediterranean Chicken & Chickpea Bowls from Iowa Girl Eats […]
[…] Mediterranean Chicken and Chickpea Bowls with Yellow Rice by Iowa Girl Eats […]
[…] Mediterranean Chicken and Chickpea Bowls with Yellow Rice from Iowa Girl […]
[…] I did all of the exercises with weights except for the tricep dips and the pike push ups. After my workout, I was starving so I quickly put together some leftovers from our Mediterranean bowls. […]
This is the BOMB!!! I love you can basically do all the prep the day before leaving only the rice and chicken to cook. I’ve made for my daughters maids made luncheon, women’s retreat, 80th birthday, and of course my family L-O-V-E-S!!! Everyone can choose…or not, what they like to top with. Recommend for a “wine down” time before dinner is your marinaded olives with garlic and Fresh herbs. YOU Are truly my go to girl😊 thank you thank you.
You are too kind, Shawn!! So glad to hear you are enjoying the recipes – made my day!
This is one of our family’s favorite meals and one of your favorites to make for guests. It is easily customizable so people can put on what they like. We love the turmeric rice so much that we often make it as a side dish for other meals.
This recipe is fantastic! I sub 1/2 greek yogurt for the mayo amount and you can’t tell at all.