This Greek-inspired chicken and rice bake is an easy, healthy dinner recipe you’ll come back to again and again. With juicy, seasoned chicken thighs, basmati rice infused with lemon and spices, and a medley of zucchini, grape tomatoes, and feta cheese. Just dump everything in one pan and cook – meaning minimal prep and cleanup. Finish it off with sliced red onion and creamy greek yogurt tzatziki for a tasty and balanced high-protein meal.

chicken and rice casserole with zucchini, tomatoes, and topped withs sliced red onion and dollops of tzatziki

That dump-and-bake, set-it-and-forget-it type of meal:

As a dietitian and busy working mom who is always dreaming up hassle-free healthy dinner recipes, I recently found myself on ‘dump-and-bake recipe’ TikTok. One delicious-looking recipe in particular inspired me to try and create my own dump and bake chicken and rice dish with Greek-inspired flavours.

Now, after weeks of recipe testing, we’re here! What’s so wonderful about this recipe is that everything cooks in one pan and there’s no pre-cooking required, so prep is easy. Once prep (dumping ingredients in a casserole dish) is done, you just set it in the oven and forget it!

Just like my sheet pan pesto chicken and potatoes and 30-minute spinach artichoke stuffed chicken, the end result is a low-effort, balanced dinner meal with lots of veggies that makes 4-6 servings (depending on your appetite). This means that it’s also meal-prep- and leftovers-friendly. Heck yeah!

greek chicken and rice casserole served in a bowl and topped with sliced red onion and feta cheese

It makes a well-balanced, high-protein dinner:

This greek chicken and rice casserole has everything I look for in a well-balanced meal:

  • A good source of high-quality protein, which is the boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I chose to use chicken thighs instead of breasts in this recipe because they don’t dry out as easily. In fact, they stay juicy and flavourful during baking!
  • An energizing source of carbs, which is the basmati rice that cooks in broth right alongside the chicken, absorbing all the liquid and yummy flavour. I did also try making this recipe once with quinoa. While it turned out, we all much enjoyed the flavour profile and texture of the basmati rice better for this dish.
  • A variety of vegetables and/or fruits. In this recipe we do chopped zucchini and whole grape or cherry tomatoes that cook in the casserole dish on top of the rice and chicken mixture. I also recommend topping the dish with some thinly sliced or finely chopped red onion for a little flavour bite and extra crunch. Yum!
ingredients for dump and bake greek chicken and rice casserole

Just as importantly, the recipe also offers bright flavours and satisfaction-factor (read: things that make it taste good). Think spices, feta cheese, lemon zest and juice, and a healthy dollop of homemade greek yogurt tzatziki. If you like them, adding olives would be delicious too!

Make it in 4 simple steps:

Start by coating the chicken thighs with with oil and spices right in the casserole dish.
vegetable broth being poured into a casserole dish of chicken thighs covered in rice, spices, garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice
Then dump rice, garlic, more spices, lemon zest and juice, and chicken broth over the chicken.
zucchini, tomatoes, and feta on top of a casserole mixture in a casserole dish
Lastly, add the tomatoes, chopped zucchini, and feta cheese right on top of the chicken and rice.
freshly baked chicken and rice casserole with zucchini, grape tomatoes, and feta cheese
We’ll bake the dish covered at first, then remove the foil and bake it uncovered for the last 15-20 minutes.

Quick tips for success:

  • Make sure to use uncooked basmati rice (not instant!).
  • For the first 40-45 minutes of cooking, keep the casserole dish tightly covered to trap steam.
  • When you remove the foil, it’s okay if the all the liquid has not fully absorbed. It will continue to do so when cooking uncovered for the remaining 15-20 minutes.
  • To be certain that the chicken is cooked through, use a digital meat thermometer and check that the temperature reaches 165F.
chicken and rice casserole with zucchini, tomatoes, and topped withs sliced red onion and dollops of tzatziki
greek chicken and rice casserole served in a bowl and topped with sliced red onion and feta cheese

Connect with Hannah Magee, RD!

I hope you love this recipe as much as I do. If you try it, let me know what you think by leaving a rating and a review in the comments below.

Oh, and be sure to take a photo and tag me at @hannahmagee_rd so I can re-share on my stories!

Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest so you never miss a new recipe or blog post.

chicken and rice casserole with zucchini, tomatoes, and topped withs sliced red onion and dollops of tzatziki

Dump and Bake Greek Chicken and Rice Casserole

Servings: 4 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
This Greek-inspired chicken and rice bake is an easy, healthy dinner recipe you’ll come back to again and again. With juicy, seasoned chicken thighs, basmati rice infused with lemon and spices, and a medley of zucchini, grape tomatoes, and feta cheese. Just dump everything in one pan and cook – meaning minimal prep and cleanup. Finish it off with sliced red onion and creamy greek yogurt tzatziki for a tasty and balanced high-protein meal.
5 from 12 ratings
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Leave a Review

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

For the Rice:

  • 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
  • 1-2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Other Ingredients:

  • 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, whole
  • 1 medium zucchini, chopped
  • 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled, plus more for serving

For Serving:

Equipment

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 375F. Add chicken thighs to a baking dish. Drizzle with oil and add spices then toss to combine and coat the chicken. Arrange the seasoned thighs evenly in the dish.
  • Dump the rice, chicken broth, garlic, lemon juice and zest, and herbs/spices into the baking dish with the chicken. Ensure all of the rice is covered with liquid for even cooking.
    vegetable broth being poured into a casserole dish of chicken thighs covered in rice, spices, garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice
  • Add the tomatoes and chopped zucchini, followed by feta cheese sprinkled on top.
    zucchini, tomatoes, and feta on top of a casserole mixture in a casserole dish
  • Cover the baking dish with foil and bake, covered, at 375F for 40-45 minutes, then remove foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes. (Note: It's normal if not all of the liquid is absorbed when you remove the foil. It will continue to absorb in the last 15-20 minutes of cooking!)
    freshly baked chicken and rice casserole with zucchini, grape tomatoes, and feta cheese
  • Dish out and serve topped with tzatziki, thinly sliced red onion, and more feta cheese.
    greek chicken and rice casserole served in a bowl and topped with sliced red onion and feta cheese

Notes

Storing leftovers: Store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3–4 days. To reheat, I recommend adding a splash of broth/water to keep the rice moist.
 
Cuisine: Gluten-Free
Course: Main Course
Author: Hannah Magee, RD
Serving: 16th of recipe, Calories: 393kcal, Carbohydrates: 48g, Protein: 27g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 86mg, Sodium: 833mg, Potassium: 612mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 2g
Did you make this recipe?Be sure to take a photo and tag me at @hannahmagee_rd so I can see!