The Ultimate Instant Pot Greek Chicken Bowls (A 30-Minute Meal!)

Are you looking for a healthy, delicious, and incredibly fast weeknight dinner that will transport you to the sunny Mediterranean? A complete meal that comes together almost entirely in your Instant Pot with minimal cleanup? These vibrant Instant Pot Greek Chicken Bowls are the answer.

This is your ultimate guide to creating a spectacular, all-in-one meal that is perfect for busy families and ideal for meal prep. We’ll show you how to pressure cook juicy, flavorful Greek-marinated chicken in just a few minutes, and then use a brilliant hack to cook the couscous perfectly in the same pot after the cooking is done. Piled high with fresh veggies and a zesty lemon-yogurt sauce, this is a true weeknight winner.

What makes this recipe so special is its incredible efficiency and the way it builds deep, savory flavor with almost no effort. This is more than just a recipe; it’s a strategy for getting a healthy, restaurant-quality Instant Pot Greek Chicken dinner on the table in under 30 minutes.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

The Magic of the “Passive Couscous” Method

The most brilliant part of this Instant Pot Greek Chicken recipe is the “passive couscous” technique. This is a game-changing Instant Pot hack.

Unlike rice or quinoa, standard Moroccan couscous doesn’t need to be boiled. It’s a tiny pasta that simply needs to be rehydrated with hot liquid. This recipe cleverly uses the hot, incredibly flavorful liquid left in the Instant Pot after pressure cooking the chicken.

By simply stirring the uncooked couscous into this liquid and covering the pot for a few minutes, the couscous absorbs all the savory, spicy, lemony flavors and steams to fluffy perfection. It’s a zero-effort method that results in the most flavorful couscous you’ve ever had, all with no extra pots to wash.

The Key Ingredients for Your Greek Chicken Bowl

This recipe for Instant Pot Greek Chicken uses a handful of fresh and powerful ingredients to create a taste of the Mediterranean.

• Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts: The lean protein star of our dish. Slicing them into uniform 1/2-inch-thick pieces is the key to them cooking through in the quick 3-minute pressure cooking time.
• The Dual-Purpose Marinade/Cooking Liquid: A simple but mighty mixture of olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, and Greek herbs (oregano and basil) is used to both marinate the chicken and form the flavorful base for cooking the couscous.
• Couscous: Use standard, small Moroccan couscous for this recipe, not larger Pearl or Israeli couscous, which require a different cooking method.
• The Fresh Toppings: A classic Greek salad combination of chopped English cucumber, cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and red onion provides a cool, crisp, and fresh contrast.
• The Lemon-Yogurt Sauce: A simple, creamy, and tangy sauce made from full-fat Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and garlic. It’s the perfect, healthy finishing touch for your Instant Pot Greek Chicken Bowls.
• Feta Cheese: A final sprinkle of salty, briny feta cheese is a must for authentic Greek flavor.

Step-by-Step Guide to Your Instant Pot Greek Chicken Bowl

This easy and elegant meal comes together almost entirely in your Instant Pot.

Part 1: Cook the Chicken and Couscous

1. Marinate the Chicken in the Pot: In the pot of your 6-quart Instant Pot®, whisk together the oregano, paprika, red pepper flakes, 1/4 cup of olive oil, 2 cloves of grated garlic, and 1/2 cup of water. Add the sliced chicken, 2 teaspoons of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Toss everything together until the chicken is well coated.
2. Pressure Cook: Follow the manufacturer’s guide for locking the lid and preparing to cook. Set the pot to Pressure Cook (or Manual) on High for 3 minutes.
3. Quick Release the Pressure: After the 3-minute pressure cooking cycle is complete, perform a Quick Release by carefully turning the steam release valve. Wait until the quick release cycle is complete and the pin has dropped.
4. Cook the Couscous (The Magic Step): Be careful of any remaining steam and unlock and remove the lid. Use tongs to transfer the cooked chicken to a medium bowl. Turn the Instant Pot off. Stir the 1 cup of uncooked couscous, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and a few grinds of pepper into the hot liquid remaining in the pot.
5. Let it Steam: Immediately place a glass lid (or the Instant Pot lid, not sealed) on top of the pot and let the couscous sit undisturbed for 6 to 7 minutes. After this time, the couscous will have absorbed all the flavorful liquid. Fluff it with a fork.

Part 2: Prepare the Sauce and Assemble

1. Make the Yogurt Sauce: While the couscous is steaming, prepare your sauce. In a medium bowl, mix together the Greek yogurt, the juice of 1 lemon, the remaining minced clove of garlic, and 2 tablespoons of water until well combined.
2. Assemble Your Bowls: The presentation is part of the fun! Start by spreading about 1/4 cup of the yogurt sauce on the bottom of each of your four plates or bowls.
3. Layer the Ingredients: Top the sauce with a quarter of the fluffy couscous. Then, arrange a portion of the chopped cucumbers, quartered tomatoes, chopped Kalamata olives, and crumbled feta over the couscous.
4. Finish and Serve: Top with your cooked Instant Pot Greek Chicken. Garnish each plate with fresh chopped dill and a final drizzle of the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Serve immediately.

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The Perfect Healthy Meal Prep

This Instant Pot Greek Chicken Bowl is a fantastic recipe for a week of healthy lunches.

• Store Separately: For the best results, store the components in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator: one for the cooked chicken and couscous mixture, one for the chopped fresh vegetables, and one for the yogurt sauce.
• Assemble Daily: Each day, you can build a fresh, delicious bowl in under two minutes. You can enjoy it cold like a salad, or gently reheat the chicken and couscous before topping with the fresh veggies and cold sauce.

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Conclusion: A Weeknight Dinner Revolution

This Instant Pot Greek Chicken Bowl is a perfect example of how modern kitchen tools can help create incredibly delicious and healthy meals with minimal time and effort. The clever technique of cooking the couscous in the flavorful residual liquid is a game-changer. This is a bright, satisfying, and beautifully balanced meal that is sure to become a new favorite in your weeknight dinner rotation.

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