Description
Dump and bake chicken tzatziki with rice delivers a Mediterranean-style dinner straight from your kitchen with zero fuss. Toss ingredients into a baking dish, let the oven work its magic, and savor a delicious meal that brings Greek flavors right to your table.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
Grains and Liquid:
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
Seasonings and Aromatics:
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt
- Black pepper
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lemon (juice)
- ⅓ cup grated cucumber
Garnish and Optional Additions:
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and grab a 9×13-inch baking dish for your chicken and rice creation.
- Whisk 1 cup Greek yogurt with 2 tablespoons olive oil, minced garlic, 1 teaspoon dried dill, oregano, cumin, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl.
- Squeeze excess water from ⅓ cup grated cucumber, then fold into the yogurt mixture until thoroughly combined.
- Drop 1 pound bite-sized chicken pieces into the baking dish, spreading them evenly across the bottom.
- Sprinkle 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice over the chicken pieces.
- Pour the entire tzatziki sauce mixture directly onto the chicken and rice.
- Add 1½ cups chicken broth to the dish, gently stirring to ensure rice and chicken are completely coated.
- Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil, creating a sealed environment for cooking.
- Slide the covered dish into the preheated oven and bake for exactly 40-45 minutes.
- Check that chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature and rice appears tender and fluffy.
- Remove foil and give the casserole a gentle stir to distribute ingredients.
- Optional: Scatter ½ cup crumbled feta cheese across the top.
- Garnish with ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro just before serving.
Notes
- Squeeze the grated cucumber thoroughly to remove excess moisture, preventing a watery tzatziki sauce.
- Use short-grain rice like Arborio or medium-grain rice for better texture and absorption of flavors.
- For a gluten-free version, confirm your chicken broth is certified gluten-free and check rice packaging.
- Swap chicken for tofu or chickpeas to create a vegetarian alternative that maintains the Mediterranean flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
- Category: Baked
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Greek
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 377 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 420 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg