Description
This Easy Dump-and-Bake Chicken Tzatziki Casserole Bliss is a flavorful, Mediterranean-inspired dish that combines tender chicken, aromatic herbs, and creamy tzatziki sauce layered over rice and baked to perfection. Perfect for a cozy dinner, it features fresh vegetables, salty feta, and olives for a perfectly balanced meal with minimal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
Base
- 2 cups White Rice (uncooked)
- 4 cups Chicken Broth
Protein
- 3 cups Cooked Chicken (shredded or cubed)
Vegetables & Toppings
- 1 cup Cucumber (diced)
- 1 medium Red Onion (diced)
- 1 cup Grape Tomatoes (halved)
- 1/2 cup Kalamata Olives (sliced)
- 1/4 cup Parsley (chopped)
Sauce & Seasoning
- 1 cup Tzatziki Sauce (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- to taste Salt
- to taste Pepper
Cheese
- 1 cup Feta Cheese (crumbled)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish to prevent the casserole from sticking.
- Layer Rice: Evenly spread the uncooked white rice along the bottom of the prepared baking dish to form the base layer.
- Add Broth: Pour the chicken broth evenly over the rice, ensuring the rice is fully submerged for even cooking.
- Add Chicken: Distribute the cooked shredded or cubed chicken evenly on top of the rice and broth layer.
- Add Vegetables: Scatter the diced cucumber, red onion, halved grape tomatoes, and sliced Kalamata olives over the chicken layer to add freshness and flavor.
- Prepare Tzatziki Mixture: In a separate bowl, combine tzatziki sauce with garlic powder, dried oregano, salt, and pepper, mixing well to infuse the flavors.
- Layer Tzatziki: Spoon the seasoned tzatziki sauce mixture evenly over the layered ingredients in the baking dish.
- Add Feta Cheese: Generously sprinkle crumbled feta cheese over the top to add creaminess and a salty bite.
- Bake Covered: Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil to trap steam and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
- Finish Baking: Remove the foil carefully and continue baking uncovered for an additional 10 minutes to allow the top to lightly brown.
- Rest and Garnish: Let the casserole rest for about 5 minutes after baking to set, then garnish with freshly chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
- Use cooked chicken leftovers or rotisserie chicken for convenience.
- You can substitute plain Greek yogurt for tzatziki if preferred, adding diced cucumber and herbs to mimic texture.
- Adjust seasoning and salt to your taste, considering the saltiness of the feta and olives.
- For a gluten-free version, ensure your chicken broth and tzatziki sauce are gluten-free.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheat nicely in the oven or microwave.
