The Feta Brined Roasted Chicken Bowl features juicy, flavorful feta brine chicken breast served over rice and served with a fresh sirage salad for an easy, protein-packed summer dinner.
Feta Salted Chicken
If you buy a loaf of feta, don’t throw away the brine. Make one of the easiest brines for chicken breasts, adding moisture, tangy flavor, and subtle creaminess that will transform lean chicken from boring to delicious. I serve the grilled chicken over rice and add a crunchy salad of sirage, tomato, cucumber and onion to keep the bowl light and refreshing, adding a Mediterranean flavor. This is an easy, high-protein summer dinner that can be meal-prepped any night of the week.
Why You’ll Love This Roasted Chicken Bowl
This healthy grilled chicken rice bowl recipe screams summer! I enjoy grilling outside during the warmer months when cucumbers and tomatoes are in season. It’s perfect for backyard parties because it’s easy to expand to fit large groups.
- Well balanced: The refreshing lemon-scented sirage salad further highlights the richness of the feta-marinated chicken.
- High in protein: Chicken breast is a fantastic source of lean protein.
- perfect target meal preparation: You can easily take it with you and reheat on the go.
Why marinate chicken in feta brine?
If you have my Skinnytaste Air Fryer Dinners cookbook, you probably remember the feta brine I used for my Feta-Brined Stuffed Chicken Breasts. Feta brine is full of flavor. The salty, tangy flavor of the cheese helps keep the chicken moist and tender. Soaking chicken in salt water is also a great way to use up ingredients that would otherwise be thrown away.
If you want to experiment even more with brine marinades, try this recipe for Juicy Air Fryer Chicken Breasts or this Pickled Baked Chicken Tenders using pickle juice.
What is Salad Sirage?
Salad Siraj is a popular Persian salad made with chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions and fresh herbs. Add flavor with a simple dressing of salt, pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil.
materials needed
The first group of ingredients is for the feta marinated chicken breast, and then you have everything you need to make this simple salad sirage recipe. Check the recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Chicken breast: Chicken breast, also called thinly sliced chicken breast, can be purchased at the supermarket, or you can cut the chicken breast in half vertically using sharp kitchen scissors. Two thin and long cutlets are completed.
- Feta Cheese Brine This is the liquid contained in the container of the feta block. Don’t buy crumbled feta cheese for this recipe.
- extra virgin olive oil for moisture
- spices: Cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, turmeric, dried oregano
- lemon zest for brightness
- basmati rice This is the base for this roasted chicken bowl.
Salad Siraj Ingredients
- persian cucumber It is a small, seedless cucumber with thin skin.
- roma tomatoes In summer, it is sweet and juicy.
- red onion for crisis
- Fresh herbs: I love basil, mint and parsley.
- kosher salt For seasoning
- Salad Sirage Dressing: Mix extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice to create a simple vinaigrette.
How to Make Feta-Marinated Roasted Chicken Bowls
I love using this food chopper to perfectly chop vegetables for salad dressing. It also saves a lot of time. If you don’t have one, use a sharp knife to make the best dice. See recipe card below for printable instructions.
- Marinade the chicken: Mix all marinade ingredients and toss with cutlets. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- grill the chicken Heat over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. When the center reaches 165°F, remove the cutlets from the grill and let sit for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Prepare Shirazi Salad: Combine all vegetables and other salad ingredients.
- How to Serve: Divide the rice into 4 bowls and top each bowl with a quarter of the chicken and the salad. Serve with tzatziki sauce or white sauce, if desired.
Tips for grilling juicy chicken breast
- Cook at room temperature. Let the chicken rest for 30 minutes before grilling to ensure it cooks more evenly.
- Do not overcook the chicken. Because this pork cutlet is thin, it cooks quickly. Stay tuned!
- Check if it’s cooked Use an instant-read thermometer. Once the chicken reaches 165°F, remove it from the grill.
- Please let me rest. Do not cut for at least 5 minutes to prevent juices from escaping.
strain
- Stay low carb. Swap rice and mixed greens for a grilled chicken salad.
- Do you have feta brine? In a blender or mini food processor, combine 1 cup water and 1 ounce (1/4 cup) crumbled feta cheese.
- Dairy-Free Chicken Marinade: Skip the brine and use the juice of 1 lemon or 1 orange instead. Because the marinade contains acid, do not marinate the cutlets for more than 5 hours to prevent the chicken from falling apart.
- chicken: Replace the breasts with boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
- cucumber: Substitute with British cucumbers. If you just have a regular one, peel it, cut it in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds with a spoon, and then dice it.
- tomato: Use Campari, grapes, and cherry tomatoes. If using grapes or cherry tomatoes, cut them into quarters.
- rice: Swap out the basmati rice for any type of white or brown rice, quinoa, farro, or couscous.
produce: night soil
Serving Size: 1 bowl
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In a large bowl, combine feta brine, olive oil, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, turmeric, oregano, and lemon zest. Whisk until well combined.
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Add the sliced chicken and toss well to coat each piece evenly with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours if you want a deeper flavor.
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Heat a grill, large skillet, grill pan, or flat griddle over medium-high heat.
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Add the marinated chicken in a single layer, working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding. Cook 3 to 4 minutes per side or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) and is light golden brown. Let sit for at least 5 minutes before cutting to retain moisture.
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Make salad in a bowl by mixing cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, fresh herbs, lemon, salt and olive oil.
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Serve chicken over rice with salad.
Final step:
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- If you don’t have prepared feta brine (or enough), make your own by mixing 1 cup water with 1 ounce (¼ cup) crumbled feta.
- If you want to make a salt-free or dairy-free version, use the juice of lemon and orange.
- Thinly sliced chicken cooks quickly. To maintain tenderness, do not overcook.
clothing material: 1 bowl, calorie: 411 calorie, carbohydrate: 40.5 g, protein: 30.5 g, province: 14 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Cholesterol: 83 mg, sodium: 619 mg, fiber: 2.5 g, sugar: 3 g, Vitamin A: -1 IU
Meal Preparation Tips
- Storage method: Place the chicken and rice in an airtight glass container, leaving room for the salad. Store the salad in a separate container. Note: If you leave it for too long, the water will release and the vegetables will become soft, but they are still good to eat.
- How to reheat: Put ice on top of the rice and microwave it for about 1 minute until warm. Then top with salad.
Storage and reheating
- Refrigerated storage Chicken and rice will last up to 4 days and salad will last up to 2 days.
- hang tightly Roasted chicken can be stored for up to 3 months. Then thaw in the refrigerator.
- reheat Cook the chicken in the microwave or air fryer at 350°F until cooked through.
Frequently Asked Questions
We recommend soaking the chicken in feta brine for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. The longer you marinate, the better the flavor of the chicken will be.
If you don’t have a grill, cook chicken breasts in a large skillet, grill pan, or flat griddle over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side. If all the cutlets do not fit in one layer, cook them in batches.
