Dump-and-Bake Chicken Tzatziki with Rice Simplified
A comforting baked dish marrying juicy chicken with fragrant herbs and a refreshing tzatziki sauce atop a bed of fluffy rice.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: None
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into chunks
- 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
- 1 ¾ cups chicken broth
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (for tzatziki base)
- 1/2 cucumber, grated and squeezed dry
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Optional toppings: cherry tomatoes, red onion, feta cheese, fresh dill
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Combine Greek yogurt, grated cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper in a bowl to prepare the tzatziki sauce.
- Combine uncooked rice and chicken broth in a 9×13-inch baking dish, then stir in about 2/3 of the tzatziki sauce.
- Place the chicken pieces evenly over the rice mixture, then sprinkle with extra salt, pepper, and oregano if desired.
- Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 45–50 minutes until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through.
- Let it rest for 5–10 minutes.
- Top with the remaining tzatziki sauce and optional garnishes like cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion, crumbled feta, and fresh dill.
Notes
Make sure to squeeze out excess moisture from the cucumber to avoid watery tzatziki. Feel free to experiment with herbs or add diced bell peppers.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 80mg