Welcome to your new favorite weeknight dinner and meal prep solution: the **Instant Pot Mediterranean Greek Shredded Chicken and Brown Rice Bowl**! This recipe masterfully combines the vibrant, healthful flavors of the Mediterranean diet with the unmatched convenience of your pressure cooker. Imagine tender, succulent chicken breasts infused with aromatic turmeric, thyme, and paprika, perfectly shredded and served over fluffy brown rice. But the magic doesn’t stop there – each bowl is generously adorned with creamy red pepper hummus, cooling tzatziki sauce, briny Kalamata olives, and crumbled feta cheese, creating a symphony of textures and tastes that will transport your palate straight to the Greek Isles. Designed for efficiency and incredible flavor, this pressure cooker recipe is not just a meal; it’s a healthy, satisfying experience perfect for busy individuals and families.
Calories: 426 Fat: 17G Net Carbs: 42G Protein: 29G
The Culinary Inspiration: A Taste of the Mediterranean in Washington DC
My culinary journey to create this magnificent Instant Pot Mediterranean Greek Shredded Chicken and Brown Rice Bowl began a couple of weeks ago during a delightful weekend getaway to Washington DC. While the primary reason for my visit was an exhilarating concert festival, I always make it a point to explore the local food scene, and DC certainly did not disappoint. Among the many gastronomic delights I encountered, one restaurant stood out and truly captured my imagination: CAVA.
CAVA is a Mediterranean restaurant that immediately struck me with its resemblance to the popular build-your-own-bowl concept, much like Chipotle. The ordering process was engaging and visually appealing: you walk along a counter, selecting your base of chicken and rice, and then choose from an array of fresh, colorful ingredients and toppings. This transparency in preparation, seeing all the vibrant components laid out before you, instantly assured me of the freshness and quality of the food.
During my visit to CAVA, I crafted a custom bowl, piling it high with an assortment of my favorite Mediterranean toppings. Creamy feta cheese, rich hummus, and tangy tzatziki sauce were absolute must-haves. With each bite, the flavors exploded on my palate – the tender chicken, the earthy rice, and the refreshing, bright condiments. It was an experience so utterly delicious that I found myself returning for a second visit just before boarding my plane back to Kansas City. That’s how profound an impression CAVA left on me!
Bringing the Mediterranean Home: From Restaurant Inspiration to Homemade Meal Prep
The delicious memory of those CAVA bowls lingered long after I returned home. In fact, the craving was so intense that I was determined to recreate that same fresh, flavorful experience in my own kitchen, specifically for my weekly meal prep. My plane hadn’t even fully landed before I was already planning my grocery run. I scurried straight to Trader Joe’s, knowing they would have all the high-quality ingredients I needed to craft my very own homemade Mediterranean bowls. This recipe is a direct result of that inspired trip, offering you the chance to bring those restaurant-quality flavors into your home with minimal fuss.
Hummus: Store-Bought Convenience or Homemade Freshness
When it comes to hummus, you have the flexibility to choose between convenience and a homemade touch. While I absolutely love the rich, creamy texture and fresh flavor of homemade hummus, my goal for this particular recipe was to keep it as quick and easy as possible, making it ideal for busy weeknights and efficient meal prepping. For that reason, I opted for a delicious store-bought variety from Trader Joe’s, which always delivers on quality and taste. However, if you have a bit more time and prefer to make your own, I’ve included a simple recipe in the notes section below – it’s surprisingly easy and adds an extra layer of freshness to your bowl!
The Instant Pot Advantage: Speed and Simplicity
The Instant Pot truly shines in this recipe, transforming what could be a lengthy cooking process into a fast and effortless one. Traditionally, cooking brown rice (not the instant variety) on the stovetop can take 45 minutes or even longer, demanding your attention to prevent scorching or uneven cooking. With the Instant Pot, that cooking time is dramatically cut in half, delivering perfectly cooked, fluffy brown rice every single time. And it’s not just the rice; the Instant Pot also expertly cooks the chicken breasts to tender, shreddable perfection in a fraction of the time compared to traditional methods. What’s not to love about this incredible kitchen appliance?
For those who might not have an Instant Pot yet, don’t worry – you can still enjoy this delightful recipe! Simply use a slow cooker for the chicken, allowing it to cook for 8 hours on Low or 4 hours on High until it’s easily shredded. For the brown rice, follow the package instructions for stovetop cooking. While it might take a bit longer, the end result is just as satisfying and flavorful.
Perfect Pairings for Your Mediterranean Bowl
Enhance your Instant Pot Mediterranean Greek Shredded Chicken and Brown Rice Bowl with these fantastic side dishes:
- Instant Pot Southern Green Beans: A comforting and flavorful addition cooked right in your pressure cooker.
- Air Fryer Garlic Green Beans: Crisp and tender green beans with a delightful garlic kick.
- Air Fryer Asparagus: Quick, healthy, and perfectly roasted asparagus spears.
- **Simple Green Salad:** A light, refreshing side with a lemon-herb vinaigrette.
- **Pita Bread or Naan:** Perfect for scooping up any leftover hummus and tzatziki.
If you’re as enamored with your Instant Pot as I am, you’ll love diving into these other fantastic pressure cooker creations from our kitchen:
- Instant Pot Apple Pie Steel Cut Oats
- Instant Pot Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup
- Instant Pot Spinach and Sausage Egg Bites
- Instant Pot Chicken, Seafood, and Sausage Gumbo
- Instant Pot Baked Creamed Cheesy Corn with Ham
- Instant Pot Green Bean Casserole
- Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup with Spinach
- Instant Pot Caramel Apple Cider
- Instant Pot Pumpkin Spice Sweet Potato Soup
- Instant Pot Homemade Cranberry Sauce
- Instant Pot Starbucks Gingerbread Latte
- Instant Pot Skinny Pumpkin Spice Latte
- Instant Pot Low-Carb Pumpkin Spice Bread
- Instant Pot Lasagna
- Instant Pot Shrimp Risotto with Vegetables and Parmesan
- Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches
- How to Make Hard Boiled Eggs Using the Instant Pot
- Instant Pot Chicken and Spanish Rice (Arroz Con Pollo)
- Instant Pot Cheesecake
- Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo Spaghetti Squash
- Instant Pot Mongolian Beef
- Instant Pot Steak Tacos
- Instant Pot Chicken Taco Bowl with Quinoa
- Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Pasta
You may also enjoy our incredibly popular Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken, another fantastic one-pot meal.
Instant Pot Mediterranean Greek Shredded Chicken and Brown Rice Bowl
Brandi Crawford
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Ingredients
- 2 skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups brown basmati rice
- 2 ½ cups water
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon red pepper (If you prefer a kick)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 tablespoons hummus I used Trader Joe’s
- 4 tablespoons tzatziki sauce
- ½ cup kalamata olives
- 4 tablespoons feta cheese
Instructions
- Season the chicken with the thyme, cumin, turmeric, paprika, red pepper, salt, and pepper to taste.
- Add the chicken to the pot with the chicken broth.
- Cook for 10 minutes on Manual > High-Pressure Cooking.
- When the Instant Pot beeps to indicate it is finished, allow the steam to release naturally for 10 minutes instead of quick release.
- Remove the chicken from the Instant Pot. Using a large knife and fork, shred the chicken.
- Rinse the brown rice with water in a large bowl. Drain the water from the rice.
- Add the rice to the Instant Pot with 2 ½ cups of water.
- Cook for 22 minutes on Manual > High-Pressure Cooking.
- Allow the steam to release naturally for 10 minutes instead of quick release.
- Remove the rice from the pot.
- Create the rice bowls with equal amounts of rice, shredded chicken, olives, 1 tablespoon feta cheese, 1 tablespoon hummus, and 1 tablespoon tzatziki sauce.
Notes
You can make your own hummus using the following:
1 15oz can chickpeas
1 clove garlic
¼ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon paprika
salt to taste
Combine the ingredients in a food processor or blender. Blend until creamy.
Nutrition
Nutrition Data Disclaimer
Macros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.