Let's be real. Nobody wants to spend hours slaving away over a hot stove during the summer months. But we still want delicious meals that are packed with both nutrition and flavor. Enter this chicken tzatziki bowl. This simple dish takes little time to make and checks all of the boxes when it comes to a tasty and nutrient-packed meal.

The shining star in this dish is the marinated and cooked chicken thighs. Both dark and white meat chicken contains a slew of nutrients like high-quality protein, vitamin B12, and zinc.

Eating chicken also helps meet daily recommendations of choline, a nutrient that is particularly important during pregnancy. You might be surprised to learn ninety-two percent of pregnant women fail to meet the recommended intake of choline, an essential nutrient that plays a role in brain development in the fetus. In fact, 3.5 oz. of skinless, boneless dark meat contains a whopping 74 milligrams of choline or about 16% of the daily choline needs for pregnant women.

This recipe is courtesy of Lauren Manaker MS, RDN, LD, CLEC, a member of our medical expert board. She is also the author of the cookbook The First Time Mom's Pregnancy Cookbook, where this and 74 other nutrient-packed recipes are featured.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

For the chicken thigh bowl

3 tsp extra virgin olive oil, separated
1/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 Tbsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1 pound boneless, skinless, chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup peeled, seeded, and grated cucumber
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup pitted green olives
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
Mint leaves, for garnish

For the tzatziki

1/2 cup 2% milkfat plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp minced fresh dill
1/4 tsp garlic powder

How to Make It

In a large bowl, mix together 2 teaspoons olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, and salt. Add chicken and stir until combined. Cover and marinate for 10 minutes.
Set a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 teaspoon oil. While oil is heating, thread the chicken onto four skewers. Discard the marinade. Once the oil is shimmering, cook the chicken skewers on the skillet, turning occasionally until meat is cooked through, approximately 15 minutes.
To make the tzatziki, in a small bowl, mix together Greek yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, dill, and garlic powder.
Divide the quinoa, tomatoes, and olives evenly among the four bowls. Place a chicken skewer on top of each bowl. Dollop with the tzatziki, and sprinkle with feta. Garnish with fresh mint leaves, if desired.

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