Mediterranean Bowls with Black Lentils (and Chicken)

Mediterranean bowl with black lentils, chicken, salad greens, tzatziki sauce, tomatoes, cucumbers, Greek vinaigrette and pickled red onions.

Mediterranean Bowls with Black Lentils (and Chicken)

Mediterranean bowls with black lentils and chicken are high in protein and fiber. Layered with salad greens, easy tzatziki sauce, and homemade Greek vinaigrette, these restaurant-worthy bowls are ready in 30 minutes. Prep the ingredients ahead for easy lunches and dinners all week.

Course Main Course, Salad

Cuisine Mediterranean

Prep Time 10

Total Time 30

Servings bowls

Calories 520kcal

Author Marjory Pilley

Ingredients

Black lentils

½ cup black lentils
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon Jane's Krazy Mixed-Up Salt or ½ teaspoon salt

Tzatziki Sauce

5 ounces Persian cucumbers about 2 to yield ½ cup of shredded cucumber with moisture pressed out
1 cup Greek non-fat yogurt Whole milk Greek yogurt or sour cream can be used instead
1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 garlic clove pressed or minced
½ teaspoon salt

Greek Vinaigrette

¼ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey or omit for tangy version.
1 garlic clove pressed or minced
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon salt

Other bowl ingredients

8 cups mixed lettuce greens use your favorite blend
12 ounces cooked chicken diced (rotisserie or other meal-prepped chicken)
1 cup grape tomatoes sliced or whole
1 cup Persian cucumbers or English cucumbers, sliced for salad topping
½ cup pickled red onions

Instructions

Black lentils

Rinse black lentils with water to remove any impurities. Add to a pot with 1½ cups of water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the lentils are firm, but tender on the inside.
Tip: While the lentils cook, make the tzatziki and Greek vinaigrette.
Drain lentils and mix with olive oil and seasoning.

Tzatziki sauce

Shred the cucumbers on a plate lined with several paper towels. Squeeze out as much moisture as possible.
Strip the feathery dill fronds from the thick stems, gather them into a small pile, and finely chop by gently rocking a sharp knife back and forth until the dill is finely minced.
Stir the shredded cucumber and remaining tzatziki ingredients until well combined and refrigerate until ready to use.

Greek vinaigrette

Whisk or shake all of the vinaigrette ingredients together until combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Assembly

Divide the salad greens among four bowls. Top with the black lentils, chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers, tzatziki, and pickled red onions. Drizzle with the Greek vinaigrette.
If serving one bowl at a time, keep the ingredients separate until serving time.
Serve warm or cold.

Notes

The recipe is scaled for four servings, but is easily doubled or tripled.

Serving sizes for one bowl:

Black lentils - about ⅓ cup
Tzatziki sauce - 2 Tablespoons
Greek vinaigrette - 2 Tablespoons
Pickled red onions - 2 Tablespoons

Storage and meal prep:

Black lentils - Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Tzatziki sauce - Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Stir before serving.
Greek vinaigrette - Store in a jar with a tight lid in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The olive oil will solidify when chilled. Let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes, then shake or whisk before serving.

Pickled onions:

In case you don't have pickled red onions on hand, here's the recipe:
Thinly slice 1 medium red onion and place it in a glass jar or bowl. Heat ¾ cup water until hot but not boiling. Stir in 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 teaspoon salt until dissolved, then add ½ cup apple cider vinegar. Pour the pickling liquid over the onions, pressing them down until fully submerged. Let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Sodium estimate:

I often use a salt blend, like Jane's Krazy Mixed-Up Salt, to reduce the amount of sodium when I make these bowls for my family. Each element of this recipe (i.e., the tzatziki, dressing, black lentils) has been tested with table salt and with this blend. If the blend is used throughout, the sodium estimate is reduced to 547 mg and is reduced even further depending on how the chicken is prepared.

South Beach Diet notes:

Omit honey from the Greek vinaigrette to make this recipe SBD Phase 1.

Nutrition