Easy weeknight dinners don’t have to be boring. Countless nutritious and flavorful meals, such as a curried chicken skillet or a black bean chicken with rice, can be served in about 30 minutes with minimal cleanup. Chicken and rice recipes are favorite go-to dinners, and this Mediterranean chicken skillet is one of the best.
Featuring seared chicken breasts and fluffy brown rice, this dish is jeweled with stewed tomatoes, green beans, and Mediterranean ingredients like feta cheese, oregano and plump Greek olives. Quick 30-minute chicken recipes like this please everyone at the table, come together with minimal cleanup and make fantastic leftovers. A win-win-win all around!
Ingredients for Mediterranean Chicken
- Chicken breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are the perfect protein choice for quick stovetop recipes. You can also swap in boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
- Greek olives: Give this dish its signature Mediterranean flavor with the best olives, chosen by our Test Kitchen pros.
- Feta cheese: Feta adds a little saltiness, creaminess and tang. Any leftover feta can be saved and used later in one of these other fabulous feta cheese recipes.
- Stewed tomatoes: Along with rich tomato flavor, stewed tomatoes also provide necessary moisture for cooking the rice. If you don’t have a can on hand, you can also make homemade stewed tomatoes using your microwave and a few pantry staples.
- Oregano: Another essential ingredient in Mediterranean-style cooking, dried oregano offers a more concentrated flavor, so a little bit goes a long way in giving this dish tons of flavor.
- Rice: This Mediterranean chicken recipe opts for brown rice, which has more fiber than white rice for an extra boost of nutrition. Sticking to instant brown rice keeps the cooking time short.
- Green beans: Make this dish a truly balanced one-pan meal by lending the recipe some color with vibrant green beans.
Directions
Step 1: Brown the chicken
In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, sear the chicken in olive oil until the meat is brown on both sides.
Step 2: Add the tomatoes, dried herbs and spices
Add the stewed tomatoes, water, oregano and garlic powder to the skillet. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat. Cover the skillet and simmer the mixture for 10 minutes.
Editor’s Tip: This is a perfect time to add any other dried herbs and spices you may desire to the skillet. In addition to oregano, some lovely options would be dried basil, chives, rosemary, thyme and bay leaves. Use this fresh to dried herb conversion guide if you’d like to use fresh herbs instead of dried.
Step 3: Steam with rice and beans
Uncover the skillet, and stir in the rice and green beans. Return to a boil. Cover and simmer until the chicken is fully cooked (with a thermometer reading 165°F) and the rice is tender, 8 to 10 minutes longer.
Editor’s Tip: Use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature of cooked chicken for doneness.
Step 4: Garnish and serve
Just before serving, stir in the Greek olives and sprinkle everything with feta cheese.
Mediterranean Chicken Variations
- Try baked Mediterranean chicken: While we love the ease of preparing this dish on the stovetop, it can also be finished in the oven, similar to this Mediterranean baked chicken with lemon recipe. For an oven variation of the Mediterranean chicken skillet, prepare the recipe through Step 2, add the rice and green beans, and cover the skillet tightly with foil (or a tight-fitting lid). Transfer the skillet to a preheated 350° oven, and bake the dish until the chicken is fully cooked and the rice is tender.
- Use chicken thighs: If you prefer dark meat, you can make this easy chicken dinner recipe with boneless chicken thighs instead of chicken breast. Depending on the thickness of the thighs, you may need to extend the cooking time in Step 2 by three to five extra minutes since dark meat can take a little longer to cook than white meat.
- Make it fresh: You can make this Mediterranean chicken skillet with fresh tomatoes and minced garlic if you prefer. Fresh green beans could also be used rather than frozen. Keep in mind that you may need to add cooking liquid if using fresh ingredients to ensure the rice fully cooks.
- Switch up the vegetables: We love the endless versatility of this dish. Swap in other fresh seasonal produce or frozen vegetables you enjoy for the green beans. We suggest asparagus, broccoli or bell peppers.
- Make it saucy: Drizzle this Mediterranean chicken recipe with a little homemade tzatziki or the sauce from this fresh artichokes with lemon-yogurt dip recipe.
- Finish with lemon: Lemon is a common flavor in Mediterranean recipes. Before serving, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the entire dish to add some brightness and acidity.
How to Store Mediterranean Chicken
Store any leftover Mediterranean chicken skillet in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. To heat the leftovers, check out this guide on how to reheat rice.
How to Freeze Mediterranean Chicken
This Mediterranean chicken recipe may be stored in the freezer for up to three months. To serve the dish, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then warm it in the microwave using a covered container until heated through. And, yes, you can freeze leftover rice. If it seems dry after thawing, you can add a splash of water to help rehydrate the rice.
Mediterranean Chicken Tips
Can you marinate the chicken before cooking it?
Yes, you can infuse this dish with even more great Mediterranean flavors by marinating your chicken breasts before cooking them. Coat the chicken in this Greek salad dressing in a shallow baking dish for at least 30 minutes (or up to 24 hours) before preparing the chicken as directed in the recipe.
How do you avoid mushy rice?
Mushy rice, one of many common rice mistakes, is usually caused by overcooking or adding too much cooking liquid. To prevent mushy rice, measure any cooking liquid precisely using a measuring cup and cook the rice as directed in the recipe.
Why is the rice not fully cooked?
Conversely, rice that isn’t tender is usually caused by undercooking or not adding enough cooking liquid to a recipe. To get your ratios just right, don’t miss our guide on how to make perfectly fluffy rice every time.
