Whole30 Mediterranean Chicken Bowls with Creamy Tahini Sauce

Whole30 mediterranean chicken bowls with creamy tahini sauce strike the perfect balance of incredibly flavorful + easy to make! Made with seasoned chicken thighs, a smooth + creamy tahini sauce, and a bright tomato salad with herbs and olives! Whole30, paleo, gluten free, and dairy free.

Simple meals that combine savory flavors + fresh ingredients are my absolute favorite type of meal.

Dishes like these Whole30 Mediterranean Chicken Bowls with creamy tahini sauce end up being part salad // part warm chicken dinner and they are not only fresh and easy, but also filling and so satisfying.

And if you really want to take this mediterranean chicken dish into full on summer mode use tomatoes picked fresh from the garden and grill the chicken outside with a nice cold beverage in hand.

Which basically equals summer dinner perfection!

Especially these days when the simple pleasures like cooking outside with ingredients from the garden become so grounding + bring a sense of peace and gratitude to the day.

(For a simple stand-alone recipe for a tahini based sauce be sure to check out our recipe for 5 Minute Tahini Dressing!)

Why you’ll love these whole30 mediterranean chicken bowls with creamy tahini sauce

These whole30 mediterranean chicken bowls with creamy tahini sauce and fresh summer tomatoes are flavorful, simple to make, and made with the perfect combination of fresh flavors that come together easily for a lovely meal for any day of the week.

These mediterranean chicken bowls are:

• Satisfying
• Flavorful + fresh
• Easy to make
• Lemony + herbacious
• Whole30 compatible, gluten free, and dairy free

Whole30 Mediterranean Chicken Bowls With Creamy Tahini Sauce Ingredients

These whole30 mediterranean chicken bowls are made with perfectly spiced chicken thighs, a creamy lemon infused tahini sauce, an herb flecked summer tomato salad, and a scatter of briny olives if that’s your thing.

Here’s what you need to make this recipe:

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs – My favorite cut of chicken for this recipe because they are a breeze to marinate, they cook quickly, and don’t dry out as much as boneless skinless chicken breast would. If you’d like to swap if for chicken breast you definitely can, but I would recommend either pounding it thin, or cutting one breast into two thinner pieces. This will keep the chicken breasts from overcooking and getting dried out. This Baked Chicken Breast recipe would be a perfect option!
• A quick lemony + herbacious marinade for the chicken – The marinade I use is really a flash marinade. You might even opt to call it a seasoning blend because you don’t need to let it sit with the chicken for a long time. You could marinate it overnight or for a few hours, but I’ve also made this recipe where I toss all of the “marinade” ingredients with the chicken and cook it immediately after and it’s still so flavorful and delicious. The quick marinade has lemon juice, olive oil, sea salt, cracked black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and dried oregano.
• Creamy tahini sauce – This tahini sauce is made with tahini, lemon juice, garlic, sea salt, and water to thin. That’s it! So simple and so addictively delicious. With the right ratio of ingredients it becomes the most dreamy creamy sauce that you may just want to add to everything after trying it!
• A simple summer tomato salad – Made with about a pint of summer cherry tomatoes, chopped fresh parsley, red wine vinegar (or lemon juice!), olive oil, salt and pepper. Incredibly simple so that the sweetness of the tomatoes shines!
• A scatter of your favorite olives – If you love a little extra briny zip + zing on your plate.

How to make these chicken bowls

This recipe really is a breeze to put together, and super versatile too.

You can make the tahini sauce ahead of time, and the tomato salad only takes a few minutes to assemble. The chicken can be seared in a skillet or if it’s just too hot to think about actually *cooking* in the kitchen, is easily grilled.

A true 30 minute meal that is perfect for any day of the week. It is simple enough for a fast family dinner, and easily dressed up with an extra garnish of fresh herbs and lemon for a date night or dinner with friends.

Here’s the step-by-step instructions:

Step 1: Quick marinate the chicken thighs

In a big bowl add the chicken thighs along with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and dried oregano. Toss everything together to coat the chicken, and set aside in the refrigerator to marinate briefly while you make the tahini and tomato salad. At this point you could also it marinate a little longer – for several hours or up to overnight.

Step 2: Make the creamy tahini sauce

In a medium sized bowl add tahini, grated or chopped garlic, lemon juice, and salt and stir until well combined. The color and texture of the tahini will change and it will get a little thicker and less opaque. Add water, a little at a time, and continue to stir to incorporate it into the tahini mixture. The final texture should be creamy but still quite thick – about the consistency of a very smooth hummus. Taste and adjust the seasoning with a little more lemon juice or salt if needed. Set aside.

Step 3: Make the tomato and herb salad

In another medium sized bowl toss together the cut cherry tomatoes, chopped parsley, red wine vinegar, olive oil, sea salt, and cracked black pepper. Taste and add a little more salt or pepper if needed and set aside.

Step 4: Cook the lemon herb marinated chicken thighs

Grab your marinated chicken thighs and heat 2 tablespoons avocado oil over medium high heat in a skillet large enough to fit them all. When the oil is shimmering and hot, add chicken thighs smooth side down and cook for about 5 minutes, or until they are nicely browned and easily release from the bottom of the pan. Flip each piece and cook another 5 minutes or so on the other side, or until cooked through. If you want to be sure, use a meat thermometer – the internal temperature of chicken should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part of the meat.

Step 5: Assemble the mediterranean chicken bowls

Add a generous spoonful of the tahini sauce to one side of a bowl and swoop with the back of a spoon. Top with sliced chicken, add a big spoonful of the tomato salad, and finish with a few olives. Garnish each bowl with a few extra fresh herbs, lemon wedges, and a crack of black pepper. Serve immediately and enjoy!

A few notes on this recipe

• If you’re not doing a whole30, the creamy tahini sauce could easily be swapped for your favorite store bought hummus.
• To make this recipe with boneless skinless chicken breasts, consider using this Baked Chicken Breast Recipe!
• If you don’t have parsley feel free to substitute any other type of tender fresh herb that’s available – basil, dill, or chives would all be delicious!

What goes with this mediterranean chicken?

This mediterranean chicken is certainly a complete meal on it’s own, but could also be served with other veggies or even grains (if you’re not doing a whole30).

Here are some ideas of what to serve it with:

• Broiled asparagus
• Roasted cauliflower
• A simple green salad
• Rice
• Cauliflower rice
• Quinoa
• Flatbread or pita

Is this mediterranean chicken spicy?

Unless the paprika you use is a spicy paprika, this mediterranean chicken bowl is not spicy. If you want to turn up the heat you could easily add a pinch or two of cayenne pepper to the quick marinade ingredients.

How to cook this mediterranean chicken on the grill

If you want to cook these mediterranean chicken thighs on the grill, cook on medium high heat for about the same amount of time – 5 minutes each side, or until nicely browned and cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

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