This Easy Mediterranean Bowl is going to become your next favourite lunch! It's got quinoa, chicken, roasted red peppers, hummus and more.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Quinoa – feel free to make this bowl with another grain of your choice like brown rice.
- Chicken cutlets – chicken breasts sliced in half lengthwise would also work. Leave out the chicken for a vegetarian option or swap it out for a plant-based protein like tofu.
- Arugula – spinach or kale would be the best substitutes here.
- Cucumber – swap out for another vegetable of your choice.
- Roasted red peppers – sundried tomatoes or plain red bell pepper would be good too.
- Red onion – you could use white onion instead.
- Parsley – swap out for other fresh herbs with a similar flavor, like chervil or tarragon.
- Kalamata olives – substitute for another variety of olives or leave these out if you’re not a fan of olives.
- Hummus – tahini would also be good in these bowls!
Marinade dressing
- Olive oil – or another neutral cooking oil like canola or avocado oil.
- Lemon juice – fresh lemon juice is best but bottled lemon juice can be used in a pinch.
- Garlic – use freshly minced or jarred minced garlic. Garlic powder will work if it’s all you have on hand.
- Dried oregano – dried basil or parsley would provide a similar flavour.
- Salt & pepper – to taste.
How to make a Mediterranean bowl
Step 1: Cook the quinoa.
Cook one cup of quinoa in a rice cooker or on the stovetop with two cups of water.
Step 2: Make the marinade dressing.
Mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper.
Step 3: Marinade the chicken.
Pour one half of the marinade dressing over the chicken, and save the other half for the dressing.
Step 4: Cook the chicken.
Bake, BBQ or air fry the chicken until cooked through. Let it cool then slice it into pieces.
Step 5: Prep your veggie toppings.
Step 6: Assemble your bowls.
Divide the veggies, quinoa, chicken and hummus amongst four bowls then drizzle with dressing. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe tips & variations
This Mediterranean quinoa bowl recipe is super versatile! Here are some of my top tips and customization options:
- Try out different toppings: Add on bell peppers, crispy chickpeas, grape or cherry tomatoes, avocado, roasted sweet potatoes, lettuce, artichoke hearts and more. You could also add some feta cheese or halloumi on top!
- Add on more sauces: I like serving these bowls with hummus, but you could also top them with tahini sauce or garlic sauce.
- Swap out the grains: If you're not a fan of quinoa, serve your bowls with brown rice, cauliflower rice, barley or farro. If you want this to be more of a salad, leave out the grains altogether.
- Make them vegetarian: Leave out the chicken or swap it out for a vegetarian protein like tofu, chickpeas or lentils. For a pescatarian option, use salmon or shrimp.
- Serve with sides: Enjoy your bowl on its own or with a side of pita bread, homemade pita chips or fresh bread.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Panera Mediterranean bowl consists of cilantro lime brown rice, quinoa, arugula, grape tomatoes, Kalamata olives, cucumbers, hummus, lemon tahini dressing, feta and Greek yogurt. My recipe is a slightly healthier version since it doesn’t include the rice, tahini, feta or Greek yogurt, but you can feel free to add those on and any other toppings you might be craving!
This Mediterranean rice bowl has 451 calories per serving. According to the nutrition information on the Panera Bread website, their version has about 550 calories per serving, so you’re saving calories and money by making your own at home!
Yes, this Mediterranean bowl is gluten-free. Just double check the package of quinoa to ensure that it doesn’t contain any gluten.
One of the best parts of this recipe is how customizable it is. To make a vegan bowl, swap out the chicken for a plant-based protein option like tofu or chickpeas. Easy-peasy!
Storing and reheating
If you’re planning on meal prepping these bowls, I’d recommend storing all the components separately then assembling them right before serving. You can store leftovers in the fridge in airtight glass containers for up to 5 days.
When you’re ready to make your Mediterranean bowl, you can eat everything cold or sprinkle some water over top of the quinoa and chicken, and reheat in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes. Add on your favourite toppings, drizzle on the dressing and dig in!
Freezing this recipe
While you can’t freeze your entire Mediterranean bowl, you can cook the quinoa and chicken ahead of time and freeze them until you’re ready to use them. Once the quinoa and chicken have cooled, freeze them separately in freezer-safe containers or Ziploc bags for up to 3 months. Let them defrost in the fridge overnight, then reheat and serve as normal!
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More Mediterranean-inspired recipes
Meal Prep Tools
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls to pack up your weekly lunches.
- A rice cooker is invaluable for saving time, and it cooks other grains, too!
- I get all my free-range chicken from Butcher Box, conveniently delivered to me frozen.
- Get a meat thermometer to make sure your chicken is cooked through.
- **Get my full list of tools here**
Easy Mediterranean Bowl {Meal Prep}
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 1 lb chicken cutlets
- 1 cup arugula
- 1/2 cucumber sliced
- 1/2 cup roasted red peppers
- 1/2 red onion thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup parsley finely chopped
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives
- 1/4 cup hummus
Marinade/dressing
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Add quinoa and water to a rice cooker or pot on the stove, cooking until liquid is absorbed.
- Preheat the oven, or BBQ to 425 F, or the air fryer to 400 F for 5 minutes.
- Mix olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper together in a small bowl to make the dressing/marinade. Divide this mixture in half, pouring one half over the chicken in a baking dish and reserving the other half for the dressing.
- Bake chicken (discarding marinade) for 15-20 minutes, or BBQ or air fry for 12-15 minutes. Chicken should register an internal temperature of 165 F and no longer be pink inside.
- While the chicken and quinoa cooks, prep your veggie toppings. Divide quinoa, chicken, veggies and hummus among 4 large bowls, then drizzle with remaining dressing. Serve and enjoy!
Comments & Reviews
Allen W says
I made this recipe for meal prep for the work week. It was very fresh and easy to make. For myself, the only note I made was to add the arugula just before eating each day to keep it as fresh as possible. Thanks for making a very tasty and exciting bowl meal.
Taylor Stinson says
I’m so happy you enjoyed!