This Mediterranean Rice Pilaf with Chicken and Vegetables is an easy one-pot dinner recipe. The delicious Mediterranean flavor pairs perfectly with the tender chicken to create a truly irresistible dinner. And if you have kids and are looking for ways to get them to add more veggies to their daily diet, this simple recipe is the answer!
With a fast cook time of less than one hour for this Middle Eastern rice with lentils recipe, it’s a fast dinner with so many flavorful components. Everyone will think that these lentils with onions took a long time to cook, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Mediterranean Rice with Chicken and Vegetables
It doesn’t get much better than chicken and rice. But when you add in the Mediterranean spice and ingredients, a whole new world of flavor happens. The texture of this chicken recipe is crisply combined with the softness of the rice and the tender bites of perfectly cooked veggies.
There’s a reason why this recipe is soon to become one that you crave and make all the time. Not only does it make a large portion to enjoy and share, but that also means that you’ll have a ton of delicious leftovers for the next day (or days!) as well.
Why You’ll Love This Mediterranean Chicken and Rice Bowl
- You can make this recipe literally all in one pot
- The flavors of the fresh veggies and spices are crazy delicious
- Adding in new ingredients and flavors is super simple with this easy Mediterranean dish
Mediterranean Rice with Chicken and Vegetables Ingredients
Just gather up the simple ingredients listed below to get started. It’s as simple as that!
Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements needed.
- water
- dried oregano
- ground cumin
- garlic powder
- salt
- black pepper
- brown or basmati rice
- green or brown lentils
- Olive oil
- boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- salt & pepper
- yellow onion
- cucumber
- tomatoes
- Feta cheese
- Greek yogurt
- dill weed
- lemon wedges
- chopped parsley
How To Make Middle Eastern Lentils and Rice
In a large pot, bring the water, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to a boil on the stove.
Stir in the rice & lentils and reduce the heat to medium-medium low.
Cover the pot and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle the chicken breast cubes with salt & pepper, then cook them in the olive oil, frequently stirring, until cooked completely through.
Use a slotted spoon or spatula to remove the chicken breasts to a plate. Cover with aluminum foil & set aside.
In the same skillet, add the sliced onions and cook for about 30 minutes until they turn a darkened, brown caramel color, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle about ½ tablespoon of salt evenly over the onions about halfway through.
Divide the cooked rice & lentils evenly into dinner bowls.
Layer on the chicken cubes, caramelized onions, diced cucumber, tomatoes, and feta.
In a small bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt, dill, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Garnish your bowls with the Greek yogurt mixture and serve with chopped parsley & lemon wedges for additional flavor.
Helpful Tips
If you want to make this as authentic as possible, you can use bay leaves instead of oregano. Oregano is great because it’s a common pantry staple, but bay leaves are what is typically used. Just be sure to take the leaves out before serving and eating.
How to Store
If you have leftovers, you can store them in a container until you’re ready to eat them again. I would store the rice and couscous separately so that you can heat them up on their own.
How to Serve
To serve this Mediterranean dish, you’ll add the rice and couscous to the bottom of the bowl and then layer on the rest of the ingredients. You can change up the order and change up how you add them to make it differently every time.
Common Questions
How do you make a Mediterranean rice bowl?
It’s so simple to do! All you need to do is add the ingredients to the bowl. You can add them in sections or in layers – whatever works best for your liking.
What do you do with Mediterranean rice?
Anything that you want. It’s an easy addition to any recipe to add heartiness and flavor. Plus, rice soaks up flavors really well so it makes it versatile for all types of recipes.
Mediterranean Rice Pilaf with Chicken and Vegetables
A delicious lunch or dinner idea inspired by Middle Eastern flavors. Everyone will love this meal!
Ingredients
- 2-½ cups water
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup brown or basmati rice, rinsed & drained
- ½ cup green or brown lentils, rinsed & drained
- Olive oil
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
- Additional salt & pepper
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced thin
- Diced cucumber
- Diced tomatoes
- Feta cheese
- Plain Greek yogurt
- Dried or fresh chopped dill weed
- Lemon wedges
- Chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring the water, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to a boil on the stove.
- Stir in the rice & lentils and reduce the heat to medium-medium low.
- Cover the pot and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle the chicken breast cubes with salt & pepper, then cook them in the olive oil, stirring frequently, until cooked completely through.
- Use a slotted spoon or spatula to remove the chicken breasts to a plate. Cover with aluminum foil & set aside.
- In the same skillet, add the sliced onions and cook for about 30 minutes until they turn a darkened, brown caramel color, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle about ½ tablespoon of salt evenly over the onions about halfway through.
- Divide the cooked rice & lentils evenly into dinner bowls.
- Layer on the chicken cubes, caramelized onions, diced cucumber, tomatoes, and feta.
- In a small bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt, dill, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Garnish your bowls with the Greek yogurt mixture and serve with chopped parsley & lemon wedges for additional flavor.
Notes
- Authentic Mujadara is made with bay leaves rather than oregano. I used oregano as a substitute because I had it on hand in a pinch. Feel free to use two bay leaves to flavor your rice & lentils if preferred. Just be sure to discard them after cooking and before serving.
- You may need to pick through your lentils to remove any unwanted debris before rinsing.
- Sprinkling the onions with salt as they cook helps the natural juices to come out and aide in creating the perfect amount of sweet caramelization.
- If preferred, you can substitute Tzatziki sauce for the yogurt mixture
- I recommend purchasing a block of feta and crumbling it yourself rather than using pre-crumbled cheese. (It’s so much creamier when you do it yourself!)
Items used in this recipe:
- Cuisinart 6-quart stock pot
- Kitchenaid stainless steel & silicone tongs
- Cuisinart chef’s knife
- Stainless steel colander
- Pampered Chef silicone spatula
- 9-inch shallow pasta serving bowl (lots of nice options on Amazon)
- Cutting mat
- Stainless steel forks
*links above are not affiliate links
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