Dump-and-Bake Chicken Tzatziki with Rice – A Mediterranean-Inspired One-Dish Dinner

🎉 Introduction

Say hello to your new favorite no-fuss dinner: Dump-and-Bake Chicken Tzatziki with Rice! This recipe is everything we love — one pan, bold Mediterranean flavors, and hands-off cooking. Juicy chicken bakes over seasoned rice, while a cool, creamy tzatziki topping ties it all together for a bright, tangy, and satisfying meal.

Perfect for busy weeknights or light meal prep, this dinner requires zero stove time. Just dump, bake, and dig in!

🧰 Equipment Needed

• 9×13-inch baking dish or oven-safe casserole
• Mixing bowl
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Knife and cutting board
• Foil (for covering while baking)

🛒 Ingredients

🍗 For the Chicken and Rice Bake:

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into chunks
• 1 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked
• 1½ cups chicken broth or water
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp oregano, dried
• 1 tsp dill, dried
• ½ tsp cumin, ground
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper

🥒 For the Tzatziki Topping:

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• ⅓ cup cucumber, grated and squeezed dry
• ¼ cup chopped parsley or cilantro
• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
• Optional: extra dill, lemon juice, or a drizzle of olive oil

👩‍🍳 Directions

Step 1: Preheat & Prep

• Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
• Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish with olive oil or nonstick spray.

Step 2: Assemble the Base

1. In your baking dish, add uncooked rice, chicken broth (or water), olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, oregano, dill, cumin, salt, and pepper.
2. Mix until well combined.
3. Nestle chicken pieces evenly into the rice mixture.

Step 3: Bake

1. Cover the dish tightly with foil.
2. Bake for 40–45 minutes, until rice is tender and chicken is fully cooked (internal temp of 165°F).
3. Remove foil and broil for an additional 2–4 minutes to lightly brown the top (optional).

Step 4: Make the Tzatziki

While the chicken bakes:

1. In a small bowl, combine:
   • Greek yogurt
   • Grated cucumber
   • Chopped parsley or cilantro
   • Crumbled feta cheese
2. Add a touch more lemon juice or dill if desired. Mix well and chill.

Step 5: Serve

• Spoon creamy tzatziki generously over baked chicken and rice.
• Garnish with fresh herbs or a few lemon wedges.

🍽️ Servings & Timing

• Servings: 4
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Bake Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: ~55 minutes

🧊 Storage & Reheating

Fridge:

• Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Freezer:

• Freeze the chicken and rice (without tzatziki) up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

Reheat:

• Microwave individual servings for 2–3 minutes.
• Add a splash of broth if rice is dry.

Tzatziki is best fresh but can last 2–3 days refrigerated.

🥄 Variations

• Make it Spicy: Add red pepper flakes or harissa to the base.
• Add Veggies: Stir in chopped spinach, bell pepper, or cherry tomatoes.
• Use Brown Rice: Increase broth to 2 cups and bake for 1 hour, checking for doneness.
• Tzatziki Twist: Swap cucumber with grated zucchini or add mint for freshness.
• Make it a Bowl: Serve with pita, olives, and extra feta for a Mediterranean platter.
• Dairy-Free Option: Use coconut yogurt and omit feta.
• Lemon-Lovers: Add lemon zest to both the bake and tzatziki.
• Protein Boost: Add a handful of chickpeas or cooked lentils.
• Herby Upgrade: Use fresh oregano or dill if available.
• Low-Carb Version: Replace rice with cauliflower rice — reduce liquid and bake uncovered.

❓ 10 FAQs

1. Can I use brown rice instead of white?
Yes! Use 2 cups broth and bake for about 60 minutes.

2. Can I use chicken thighs?
Absolutely — they’re juicier and perfect for baking.

3. Is it safe to cook rice with raw chicken?
Yes, as long as everything reaches a safe internal temperature.

4. Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes! Assemble the dish and refrigerate (uncooked) up to 12 hours. Bake when ready.

5. What can I substitute for Greek yogurt?
Try regular plain yogurt, sour cream, or a dairy-free alternative.

6. Can I double the recipe?
Yes! Use a larger pan or two dishes and bake as directed.

7. Why is my rice undercooked?
Make sure the dish is tightly covered and your oven is properly preheated. Add more broth and bake longer if needed.

8. Can I skip the tzatziki?
You can — but it’s what brings the freshness and creamy balance. Highly recommended!

9. What if I don’t have dill?
Use extra oregano, basil, or mint for a fresh herb flavor.

10. Can I use pre-cooked chicken?
Yes — reduce baking time to 25–30 minutes and bake uncovered.

🏁 Conclusion

If you’re looking for a healthy, easy, and deeply flavorful meal that practically makes itself, this Dump-and-Bake Chicken Tzatziki with Rice will be your new weeknight go-to. It’s hearty, satisfying, and feels like a Mediterranean escape — all without dirtying more than one dish.

Creamy tzatziki, juicy lemon-herb chicken, and fluffy rice? Dinner done right.

Adam

Dump-and-Bake Chicken Tzatziki with Rice – A Mediterranean-Inspired One-Dish Dinner

Say hello to your new favorite no-fuss dinner: Dump-and-Bake Chicken Tzatziki with Rice! This recipe is everything we love — one pan, bold Mediterranean flavors, and hands-off cooking. Juicy chicken bakes over seasoned rice, while a cool, creamy tzatziki topping ties it all together for a bright, tangy, and satisfying meal. Perfect for busy weeknights or light meal prep, this dinner requires zero stove time. Just dump, bake, and dig in!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

bake time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

🍗 For the Chicken and Rice Bake:

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs cut into chunks
• 1 cup long-grain white rice uncooked
• 1½ cups chicken broth or water
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tsp oregano dried
• 1 tsp dill dried
• ½ tsp cumin ground
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper

🥒 For the Tzatziki Topping:

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• ⅓ cup cucumber grated and squeezed dry
• ¼ cup chopped parsley or cilantro
• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
• Optional: extra dill lemon juice, or a drizzle of olive oil

Equipment

• 9×13-inch baking dish or oven-safe casserole
• Mixing bowl
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Knife and cutting board
• Foil (for covering while baking)

Method

 

Step 1: Preheat & Prep

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish with olive oil or nonstick spray.

Step 2: Assemble the Base

1. In your baking dish, add uncooked rice, chicken broth (or water), olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, oregano, dill, cumin, salt, and pepper.
2. Mix until well combined.
3. Nestle chicken pieces evenly into the rice mixture.

Step 3: Bake

1. Cover the dish tightly with foil.
2. Bake for 40–45 minutes, until rice is tender and chicken is fully cooked (internal temp of 165°F).
3. Remove foil and broil for an additional 2–4 minutes to lightly brown the top (optional).

Step 4: Make the Tzatziki

1. While the chicken bakes:
2. In a small bowl, combine:
3. Greek yogurt
4. Grated cucumber
5. Chopped parsley or cilantro
6. Crumbled feta cheese
7. Add a touch more lemon juice or dill if desired. Mix well and chill.

Step 5: Serve

1. Spoon creamy tzatziki generously over baked chicken and rice.
2. Garnish with fresh herbs or a few lemon wedges.

Notes

🧊 Storage & Reheating
Fridge:

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Freezer:

Freeze the chicken and rice (without tzatziki) up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

Reheat:

Microwave individual servings for 2–3 minutes.

Add a splash of broth if rice is dry.

Tzatziki is best fresh but can last 2–3 days refrigerated.

🥄 Variations
Make it Spicy: Add red pepper flakes or harissa to the base.

Add Veggies: Stir in chopped spinach, bell pepper, or cherry tomatoes.

Use Brown Rice: Increase broth to 2 cups and bake for 1 hour, checking for doneness.

Tzatziki Twist: Swap cucumber with grated zucchini or add mint for freshness.

Make it a Bowl: Serve with pita, olives, and extra feta for a Mediterranean platter.

Dairy-Free Option: Use coconut yogurt and omit feta.

Lemon-Lovers: Add lemon zest to both the bake and tzatziki.

Protein Boost: Add a handful of chickpeas or cooked lentils.

Herby Upgrade: Use fresh oregano or dill if available.

Low-Carb Version: Replace rice with cauliflower rice — reduce liquid and bake uncovered.

❓ 10 FAQs
1. Can I use brown rice instead of white?
Yes! Use 2 cups broth and bake for about 60 minutes.

2. Can I use chicken thighs?
Absolutely — they’re juicier and perfect for baking.

3. Is it safe to cook rice with raw chicken?
Yes, as long as everything reaches a safe internal temperature.

4. Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes! Assemble the dish and refrigerate (uncooked) up to 12 hours. Bake when ready.

5. What can I substitute for Greek yogurt?
Try regular plain yogurt, sour cream, or a dairy-free alternative.

6. Can I double the recipe?
Yes! Use a larger pan or two dishes and bake as directed.

7. Why is my rice undercooked?
Make sure the dish is tightly covered and your oven is properly preheated. Add more broth and bake longer if needed.

8. Can I skip the tzatziki?
You can — but it’s what brings the freshness and creamy balance. Highly recommended!

9. What if I don’t have dill?
Use extra oregano, basil, or mint for a fresh herb flavor.

10. Can I use pre-cooked chicken?
Yes — reduce baking time to 25–30 minutes and bake uncovered.

🏁 Conclusion
If you’re looking for a healthy, easy, and deeply flavorful meal that practically makes itself, this Dump-and-Bake Chicken Tzatziki with Rice will be your new weeknight go-to. It’s hearty, satisfying, and feels like a Mediterranean escape — all without dirtying more than one dish.

Creamy tzatziki, juicy lemon-herb chicken, and fluffy rice? Dinner done right.