Name: Za'atar Chicken Bowls with Tomato and Cucumber Raita (Paleo Meal Prep)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 2 Tablespoons fresh thyme, minced; 2 Tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted; 2 teaspoons ground sumac; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; ½ teaspoon coarse salt; 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts; 2 Tablespoons olive oil; 1½ Tablespoons Za’atar Spice Blend (or more if desired); ¼ teaspoon sea salt; 1 cup kefir or coconut milk yogurt (I like goat milk kefir); 1 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped; 1 Tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped; 1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh dill, loosely packed, finely chopped; ¼ teaspoon sea salt (optional); Baby arugula; cucumber slices; cherry tomato slices

Description

This paleo meal prep recipe for Za’atar Chicken with Cucumber Raita makes a paleo dinner that’s packed with flavor and anti-inflammatory benefits! It’s easy to make and so delicious!

Ingredients

Units Scale

Za’atar Spice Blend:

2 Tablespoons fresh thyme, minced
2 Tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
2 teaspoons ground sumac
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

Chicken:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 Tablespoons Za’atar Spice Blend (or more if desired)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Kefir Cucumber Raita:

1 cup kefir or coconut milk yogurt (I like goat milk kefir)
1 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped
1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh dill, loosely packed, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon sea salt (optional)

For Serving:

Baby arugula
cucumber slices
cherry tomato slices

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Instructions

Prepare the Za’atar Spice Blend:

Note: You will have more za’atar spice blend than you need for this recipe, which you can save for future cooking endeavors—it’s great on fish, beef, and pork.
Stir together the ingredients for the za’atar spice blend in a small bowl.

Prepare the Za’atar Chicken:

Place the chicken in a Ziploc bag or sealable container and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with 1½ Tbsp (or more, if desired) of the za’atar spice blend and sea salt.
Seal the bag and shake until the chicken is well-coated in spices and oil. Refrigerate and allow the chicken to marinate at least 15 minutes or up to 12 hours.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Place chicken in a casserole dish in a single layer, allowing space between each breast for even cooking. Bake chicken 25 to 35 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 163 degrees. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and allow it to rest 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.

Prepare the Kefir Cucumber Raita:

Stir together the ingredients for the raita in a bowl until combined. Optional: taste and add sea salt if it needs more flavor.
Refrigerate until ready to use.

Assemble the Bowls:

Add the desired amount of baby arugula to each bowl or plate, top with za’atar chicken, cucumber and tomato, and kefir cucumber raita.

Notes

You will have more za’atar spice blend than you need for this recipe, which you can save for future cooking endeavors—it’s great on fish, beef, and pork.

Recipe Adaptations

If you can’t find kefir: replace kefir with regular Greek yogurt.
If you are intolerant to dairy, replace kefir with coconut milk yogurt (make sure that there is no added sugar).

Paleo Meal Prep Tips:

Prepare the chicken up to 3 days ahead of time.
Make the kefir cucumber raita up to 3 days ahead of time.
Cook the rice up to 5 days ahead of time.

estimated nutrition below using 2% plain greek yogurt.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Main
Method: bake
Cuisine: Greek

Nutrition

Serving Size:
Calories: 266
Sugar: 2.1 g
Sodium: 222.1 mg
Fat: 13.3 g
Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
Carbohydrates: 5.5 g
Fiber: 1.4 g
Protein: 31.2 g
Cholesterol: 86.7 mg

Keywords: paleo meal prep, za'atar chicken, cucumber raita, anti-inflammatory meal prep