Description
Juicy grilled chicken served with fluffy rice, fresh salad, and a cooling creamy yogurt sauce — a balanced, flavorful, and satisfying meal perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts or Thighs: 2 pounds – tender protein, juicy when grilled.
- Olive Oil: 3 tbsp – helps with marinating and grilling.
- Garlic: 3 cloves, minced – adds depth and aroma.
- Lemon Juice: 2 tbsp – brightens and tenderizes the chicken.
- Paprika: 1 tsp – gives smokiness and color.
- Ground Cumin: 1 tsp – adds warm, earthy notes.
- Salt: 1 tsp – enhances all flavors.
- Black Pepper: ½ tsp – subtle heat and balance.
- Long-Grain Rice: 2 cups uncooked – fluffy, comforting base.
- Water or Chicken Broth: 4 cups – for cooking rice.
- Cucumber: 1 cup diced – fresh crunch in the salad.
- Tomatoes: 2 medium, chopped – juicy bursts of flavor.
- Red Onion: ½ small, finely sliced – tang and bite.
- Fresh Parsley: ¼ cup chopped – adds herbal brightness.
- Greek Yogurt: 1 cup – creamy base for the sauce.
- Fresh Dill: 1 tbsp chopped – cooling, herby addition.
- Cucumber (grated): ½ cup – folded into the sauce for texture.
- Lemon Zest: 1 tsp – lifts the sauce with citrus.
- Salt and Pepper (to taste): For balance in salad and sauce.
Instructions
- Preheat Your Equipment: Heat grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Rinse rice in cold water.
- Combine Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Coat chicken and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare Your Cooking Vessel: In a saucepan, bring water or broth to a boil. Add rice, reduce to simmer, cover, and cook 15–18 minutes until tender.
- Assemble the Dish: Grill chicken 5–7 minutes per side until cooked (165°F). Mix cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, parsley, salt, and pepper for salad. In another bowl, whisk yogurt, dill, grated cucumber, lemon zest, salt, and pepper for sauce.
- Cook to Perfection: Allow chicken to rest 5 minutes. Fluff rice with fork before serving.
- Finishing Touches: Plate rice first, add salad on the side, top with sliced chicken, and drizzle with yogurt sauce.
- Serve and Enjoy: Serve warm with extra sauce on the side.
Notes
- Marinate chicken at least 30 minutes for best flavor.
- Rinse rice before cooking for fluffy grains.
- Chill yogurt sauce before serving for enhanced flavor.
- Fresh herbs make salad and sauce brighter and more aromatic.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
Keywords: Grilled Chicken with Rice, Yogurt Sauce Chicken, Healthy Chicken Dinner, Mediterranean Chicken Plate, Chicken Salad and Rice