These Golden Greek Bowls combine two simple, flavorful recipes with fresh additions like cucumbers and Greek yogurt to create a weeknight-friendly meal prep option. This version removes affiliate links and focuses on clear, practical instructions and helpful tips for prepping, storing, and customizing the bowls to fit your tastes.
My new favorite weekday lunch
This weekly meal prep recipe is a reliable weekday favorite for several reasons: it requires no specialized equipment, takes about an hour to prepare when making rice and chicken from scratch, and delivers balanced meals with bright flavors and satisfying textures. The bowls are flexible—easy to scale up or down—and they travel well for lunches at the office or meals on the go.
Golden Greek bowl essentials:
The bowls are built from a few core components that come together into a cohesive, balanced meal: a golden turmeric-infused rice base, grilled turmeric chicken for protein, crisp cucumbers for crunch and freshness, and plain Greek yogurt for creaminess and a cooling contrast to the spices. Below you’ll find ingredients, step-by-step instructions, and practical tips for meal prepping, storing, and customizing these bowls.
Weekly Meal Prep: Golden Greek Bowls
- Author: Salima Benkhalti
Description
These Golden Greek Bowls are an easy, flavorful meal-prep option that pairs golden turmeric rice and grilled turmeric chicken with cooling Greek yogurt and crisp cucumbers. The contrast between warm, spiced components and cool, refreshing elements makes each bite interesting and satisfying. The recipe is great for preparing lunches for the week and can be adjusted to be more or less spicy, higher or lower in fat, or tailored to dietary preferences.
Ingredients
- Golden Rice (made with turmeric and butter or ghee)
- Grilled Turmeric Chicken (seasoned and grilled or roasted)
- 4–5 small Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced or chopped
- 2 cups plain Greek yogurt
Notes: Prepare the golden rice and grilled turmeric chicken using your preferred recipes. If you want to simplify, you can use store-bought cooked rice and rotisserie chicken and add turmeric or spices to the rice and chicken before reheating.
Instructions
- Prepare the grilled turmeric chicken according to your favorite recipe or cook the chicken seasoned with turmeric, black pepper, salt, and a little oil until fully cooked and golden. Let it rest, then chop or shred into bite-sized pieces.
- Make the golden rice by cooking rice with turmeric and a fat of your choice (butter or ghee) to develop color and flavor. Fluff the rice and keep it warm.
- Lightly season the cucumbers with a pinch of salt, a crack of black pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice or a splash of red wine vinegar for brightness. Toss gently to combine.
- Spoon a generous portion of golden rice into each meal container. Top the rice with chopped grilled turmeric chicken. Add a separate compartment or small container for a scoop of Greek yogurt and the seasoned cucumbers to keep textures distinct until you’re ready to eat.
- Optional: garnish with fresh herbs like parsley or dill, a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds or pine nuts, or a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil for added richness.
Meal prep and storage tips
- Make-ahead: These bowls keep well in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. Store the Greek yogurt and cucumbers separate if you prefer to keep everything at peak texture.
- Reheating: Warm the rice and chicken gently in the microwave or on the stovetop. Add the yogurt and cucumber fresh after reheating to preserve their cool, crisp texture.
- Scaling: The recipe scales easily. Cook larger batches of rice and chicken and divide into individual portions for the week.
- Customizing: Swap grilled chicken for roasted chickpeas or tofu for a vegetarian option, or add roasted vegetables for extra fiber and flavor. Adjust spices to taste.
- Serving: These bowls work well cold or warm and pair nicely with a side salad or warm pita if you want more variety.