Description
Quick, colorful, and packed with flavor, this Easy Mediterranean Chicken Stir Fry is the weeknight hero you’ll come back to again and again. Tender strips of chicken are tossed with crisp-tender veggies, lemon, garlic, and herbs for a healthy dinner that feels light but satisfying. It’s perfect when you need quick breakfast-style meal prep bowls, easy dinner ideas, or healthy snack-style leftovers you can reheat in minutes. Serve it over rice, quinoa, or tucked into warm pitas for effortless food ideas that fit into busy weeknights and feel-good dinner ideas all week long.
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 medium red onion, sliced into wedges
1 large red bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 medium zucchini, sliced into half-moons
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
2 cups baby spinach, loosely packed
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
4 cups cooked rice, quinoa, or couscous, for serving
Instructions
1. Slice the boneless skinless chicken breasts into thin, bite-sized strips and place them in a medium bowl.
2. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper to the chicken. Toss well to coat all the pieces evenly.
3. Let the chicken marinate for 10–15 minutes at room temperature while you prepare the vegetables, or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours if making ahead.
4. Slice the red onion into thin wedges and the red bell pepper into strips. Slice the zucchini into half-moons, halve the cherry tomatoes, chop the Kalamata olives, rinse the baby spinach, and chop the fresh parsley.
5. Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.
6. Add the marinated chicken to the hot pan in a single layer, working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding. Cook for 4–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is golden on the edges and cooked through.
7. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and set aside, leaving any juices in the pan.
8. In the same skillet, add the red onion and red bell pepper. Sauté for 2–3 minutes until the onion starts to soften and the pepper is slightly tender but still crisp.
9. Add the zucchini to the pan and cook for another 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently so the vegetables cook evenly.
10. Stir in the cherry or grape tomatoes and chopped Kalamata olives. Cook for 2–3 minutes more, until the tomatoes begin to soften and release their juices.
11. Return the cooked chicken and any accumulated juices from the plate back into the skillet. Toss everything together so the chicken is coated in the vegetable juices and remaining marinade.
12. Add the baby spinach to the pan and cook for 1–2 minutes, just until the spinach wilts into the stir fry.
13. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or a squeeze of lemon juice, if desired.
14. Remove the skillet from the heat and sprinkle the stir fry with crumbled feta cheese and chopped fresh parsley.
15. Serve the Mediterranean chicken stir fry hot over cooked rice, quinoa, or couscous, spooning extra pan juices over each portion.
Notes
For the most tender chicken, slice the pieces thinly and against the grain so they cook quickly without drying out.
Don’t overcrowd the pan when searing the chicken—cook in batches if needed so the pieces brown instead of steaming.
Keep the vegetables slightly crisp-tender for the best texture; they should be bright in color and just softened, not mushy.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop, Stir Fry
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 780
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 11
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 32
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 34
- Cholesterol: 115
Keywords: easy mediterranean chicken stir fry, quick dinner, healthy dinner, chicken stir fry, mediterranean recipe