Add these Greek Rice Bowls to your menu plan right away. Flavorful Greek chicken is placed on top of a bed of lemon rice, with diced cucumbers, grape tomatoes, sliced pepperoncini peppers, kalamata olives, creamy low FODMAP hummus, and homemade tzatziki sauce. This combination of ingredients is gluten free and low FODMAP and can be modified to dairy free if needed.
Rice bowls are a wonderful way to repurpose leftovers into a new and exciting meal - and they're also easy! Using an Instant Pot to make the Greek chicken and have it ready to go when it is meal time is a quick and easy way to meal prep. It freezes beautifully, which is another great way to have meals waiting for you in the freezer!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Customize Rice Bowls - Use what you love, take off what you don’t.
- Easy Meal Prep
- Gluten Free and Low FODMAP
Featured Ingredients
- Lemon Rice - Make a batch of Greek lemon rice in the Instant Pot or use leftover rice.
- Greek Chicken - Flavorful Greek chicken breasts made in the Instant Pot. The chicken can be sliced, diced, or shredded.
- Grape Tomatoes - Adds a touch of sweetness to the rice bowl, plus a beautiful color.
- Cucumbers - A classic ingredient found in Greek dishes. They add a refreshing component to the rice bowl.
- Kalamata Olives - These purplish-colored olives add a wonderful, briny, salty flavor to the bowl.
- Pepperoncini Peppers - Oh, I love these. The tangy, flavorful peppers are one of my favorite additions to Greek dishes. Do not skip these!
- Feta Cheese - Add these little cheese crumbles to the bowl for a creamy element.
- Hummus - Use homemade low FODMAP hummus or purchase your favorite brand from the grocery store.
- Tzatziki Sauce - I love our homemade Greek yogurt-based tzatziki sauce, but you can also purchase an option from the store.
See the recipe card for the exact measurements and complete instructions. Selected ingredients are based on guidance on current serving sizes measured by the Monash University Food App and FODMAP Friendly App at the time of publishing. As always, follow your gut and modify as needed.
Step-By-Step Instructions
In a shallow, wide bowl, add one cup of warmed rice.
Next, add one cup of sliced Greek chicken to the top of the rice bowl.
Drain any liquid from the pepperoncini peppers, slice if needed, and add a quarter cup of peppers to the rice bowl.
Cut the grape tomatoes in half with a sharp knife on a cutting board. Add a quarter cup of halved tomatoes to the rice bowl.
Peel and dice the cucumbers and add ¼ cup to each bowl.
Drain any liquid from the kalamata olives. Remove the pit if needed, and add a quarter cup.
Add the crumbled feta cheese to the bowl. I like to add about a quarter cup.
Make a quick batch of low FODMAP hummus and add one tablespoon in the middle of the rice bowl.
Make the tzatziki sauce and drizzle it over the bowl. If it needs to be thinned for easier drizzling, add a bit of milk, lactose-free milk, or unsweetened almond milk.
Tips and Tricks
Need a fast meal? Prep all the ingredients in advance. Make the lemon rice, Greek chicken, hummus, and tzatziki so they are all ready to go. Also, prep the veggies and store them in an airtight container. When it is time to feed everyone, heat the rice and chicken in the microwave until warm, and remove the covers on the containers.
Creamier Feta: Buy feta cheese in a block for a creamier, less dry feta cheese. It crumbles easily with a fork and is worth the extra effort.
Ingredient Swaps
- Rice Options - Use white rice, brown rice, or wild rice. For a low carb option, use cauliflower rice. However, if you are on a low FODMAP diet, make sure you can tolerate cauliflower rice.
- Chicken Options - Swap out Instant Pot Greek Chicken for Greek marinated chicken from the grill.
Variations
Greek Rice Bowl Vegetarian: Swap out the chicken for chickpeas. Add diced green peppers, tiny roasted potatoes, and baby spinach. Oven-roasted vegetables would also be a delicious addition to the rice bowl!
Protein-Packed Greek Rice Bowl: Swap out the white rice for rice made from chickpeas. We love Banza rice.
Additional Topping Ideas
- Lemon Slices - Give the rice bowl a citrus boost and squeeze fresh lemon juice.
- Canned Chickpeas - Drain and rinse the chickpeas.
- Fresh Dill - Add a few sprigs of fresh dill for a herby flavor.
- Pitas - Toast or grill the pitas and slice into fourths. Use gluten free pitas if needed. Naan will also work if you cannot find pitas at the store.
Reader Love
"I made this ahead of time for a picnic meal we had. We used wraps and loved this for a great option with lots of flavor."
- Christie
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Storing and Reheating
Store: Keep the individual ingredients in separate containers and store them in the refrigerator. This will make reheating easier. Plus, picky eaters everywhere will rejoice that no olive juice is on their cucumbers.
Reheat: Place rice and chicken in a bowl and microwave until heated through. Then add the cold toppings: tomatoes, cucumbers, kalamata olives, pepperoncini peppers, feta cheese, and hummus.
Freezing: The rice and Greek chicken will freeze well, but the fresh veggies and sauces will not. If needed, freeze the rice and chicken in freezer-friendly containers, defrost before heating, and use fresh veggies.
Low FODMAP Notes
Low FODMAP information is based on the Monash University Food App and FODMAP Friendly App testing results. I highly recommend using these apps for guidance on ingredients and serving sizes and working with a Low FODMAP dietician. As always, modify and adjust based on your own tolerance and individual needs on a modified low FODMAP diet.
- Lemon Rice: Use this recipe for Greek lemon rice, but make sure to use a low FODMAP chicken broth. Lemon juice is also FODMAP friendly.
- Greek Chicken: Make sure to use this FODMAP-friendly Greek chicken recipe. It uses garlic oil instead of garlic. A wonderful way to get the garlic flavor without the actual garlic.
- Grape Tomatoes: While Monash University has not tested grape tomatoes, I use the results for the cherry tomatoes. They are similar in size and safe at 3 per meal. Tomatoes sliced in half will spread out the flavor without using more.
- Cucumbers: Use a common cucumber, tested safe at ½ cup per meal.
- Kalamata Olives: Also, not tested specifically by Monash, but based on other olives, such as green and black olives, being safe at ½ cup per meal, I have personally tolerated kalamata olives just fine. If you are concerned, swap out for black olives or test kalamata olives yourself and discover your personal tolerance level is.
- Pepperoncini Peppers: Are another specific ingredient that Monash has not tested yet. I personally tolerate them fine. Test it out yourself and see how it goes.
- Feta Cheese: Oh, I love this creamy, mild cheese! Monash has tested it safe at 3 tablespoons per meal. If lactose is an issue for you, only add 3 tablespoons to your Greek rice bowl.
- Hummus: Make a low FODMAP hummus, which uses drained and rinsed canned chickpeas and garlic infused olive oil. Rinsing the chickpeas helps reduce fructans, and garlic oil gives hummus that classic garlic flavor without actual garlic.
- Tzatziki Sauce: Make a homemade low FODMAP tzatziki sauce using garlic oil. If lactose is an issue, use a lactose free plain Greek yogurt.
For additional information on a low FODMAP diet, please visit Monash University or FODMAP Friendly. Both have websites and apps for additional guidance and testing results.
Meal Planning
I love the ease and flexibility of rice bowls. They are wonderful for anyone on a special diet. It is easy for each person to choose what works for their diet and what doesn’t. Rice bowls are also a great way to meal prep tasty, non-boring, easy lunches!
Need more Greek-inspired meal ideas? Try a Greek lettuce salad, an egg white Greek wrap, or a Greek salad made out of chickpea rice. Add them all to your meal plan!
Additional Bowl Recipes
- Buffalo Chicken Rice Bowl
- BBQ Pork Rice Bowl
- Loaded Mashed Potato Bowl
- Cuban Pork and Rice Bowl
- Strawberry Smoothie Bowl
- Sloppy Joe's Bowl With Tater Tots
Recipe
Greek Chicken Rice Bowls with Tzatziki Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 cups lemon rice cooked
- 4 cups Greek chicken diced
- 1 cup grape tomatoes sliced in half
- 1 cup cucumbers diced
- 1 cup kalamata olives pitted and drained
- 1 cup pepperoncini peppers sliced
- 1 cup feta cheese crumbles
- 4 tablespoons hummus low FODMAP
- 2 cups tzatziki sauce
Instructions
- In a wide, shallow bowl, add a cup full of rice.
- Next, add one cup of diced Greek chicken.
- Slice the grape tomatoes in half, and add ¼ cup to the bowl.
- Peel and dice the cucumbers and add ¼ cup to the rice bowl.
- Drain the kalamata olives, pit them if needed, and add ¼ cup to the bowl.
- Drain and slice the pepperoncini peppers, and add ¼ cup to the bowl.
- Add ¼ cup of crumbled feta cheese to the bowl.
- Add one tablespoon of creamy hummus to the middle of the bowl.
- Next, drizzle ½ cup of tzatziki sauce over it all. Enjoy!
Venessa says
We love this rice bowl!
Christine Kainwo says
I made this ahead of time for a picnic meal we had. We used wraps and loved this for a great option with lots of flavor.
Venessa Mandelkow says
A picnic sounds great! And a Greek wrap sounds like a delicious way to enjoy these rice bowls! Thanks for taking time to comment. I really appreciate it.
-Venessa