Grilled Greek Chicken Bowls

Prepare yourself for some great grilling recipes because we just bought a grill! We had a junky grill a few years ago and really didn’t take care of it, so I’m pretty sure we ended up just throwing it out. We’ve talked about getting a grill a few times before this week, but just never committed. Fast forward to our trip to Martha’s Vineyard and we were grilling just about every day (and sometimes multiple times a day). I also finally understand why some people say “it’s too hot to cook.” I never really understood that phrase since we have AC in California, but boy was it too hot too cook in the kitchen most days on the vineyard. So grilling was a great alternative because all the heat stays outside and you can keep your house cool(ish).

So now here we are with a small but mighty Weber grill on our balcony and Ryan and I are so excited to use it. I keep asking myself - but can I grill it? About just about everything. So far, the answer has been yes. Red bell pepper? Roughly chop it and throw it on the grill. Grape tomatoes? Wrap them in tin foil and throw them on the grill. And so this grill-inspired Greek recipe came to fruition. No, the kale and cauliflower rice were not cooked on the grill, but the other cooked ingredients were. Generally, I don’t cook my cherry or grape tomatoes because I like the freshness they bring and you just don’t get much out of sautéing them. I LOVE blistered tomatoes in the oven, so I decided to try grilling them and I will 100% be doing that again. They were so good I just had to give my husband one of them to try.

One of the best parts about this recipe? It’s fairly easy to make and lends itself well to meal prepping. Since it’s my first week back from vacation, I’m trying to ease back into things. Although I did a bit of cooking on the vineyard, it was nice to take a little break from my typical cooking routine.  So this recipe was born partly out of my desire to grill and partly out of my laziness and wanting to make something delicious, easy, and in a large batch. This recipe brings together such a great symphony of flavors with the sweetness from the tomatoes and bell peppers, saltiness from the olives, creamy richness from the tzatziki and juicy grilled goodness from the chicken thighs. I used thighs because they’re more forgiving than breasts when it comes to cooking and we’re still getting used to how to cook on this grill. I also bought tzatziki from the store since I was going the lazy route, but it’s pretty easy to make at home too! So there are a few substitutions you could make with this recipe, but overall, it’s a winner.

Total Time: 20-25 minutes
Servings: 5

Ingredients:
2 lbs chicken thighs 
1 cup kalamata olives, halved
2 red bell peppers, quartered
4 cups cauliflower rice
6 cups kale, shredded
3 cups grape or cherry tomatoes
4-5 medium garlic cloves, minced
5 tbs avocado oil
5 tbs fresh dill, chopped
Salt & pepper to taste
Tzatziki sauce to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat grill over medium heat.
2. Coat chicken in 2 tbs avocado oil, salt & pepper.
3. Add to grill on medium heat and cook for 8-10 minutes on the first side. Flip and cook 3-5 minutes on the second side, until cooked through.
4. While the chicken is grilling, prep the veggies. Toss bell peppers and tomatoes in 1 tbs avocado oil and salt & pepper, separated in 2 bowls. Transfer the tomatoes into a tinfoil package.
5. Add the tomato packet and bell peppers skin-side up on the grill. Cook for 4-5 minutes before flipping/stirring. Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, until tomatoes are blistered and peppers are lightly charred.
6. Add remaining tbs of avocado oil And minced garlic to a large sauté pan and cook over medium heat until garlic is browned and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add cauliflower rice and kale to the pan, stirring occasionally until kale is wilted, about 3-4 minutes.
7. To serve, add the rice and kale mixture to the bottom of your bowl. Top with tomatoes, bell pepper, chicken, olives, 1 tbs dill and tzatziki sauce to taste. Toss all ingredients together until tzatziki in thoroughly integrated and enjoy!