How to Make Greek Rice
This Greek rice recipe is a quick and easy take on chicken fried rice, but includes healthful Mediterranean ingredients like chickpeas, feta cheese and olives.
A quick and easy Mediterranean Rice Recipe
I love a complete dinner all in one dish, where I don’t have to mess with side dishes. With protein, vegetables and rice all in one big skillet, this Greek Rice recipe shows up on our meal plans often.
If you’re a lover of Greek salads with olives, tomatoes, chickpeas and feta, you’ll love this satisfying rice dish for dinner.
It’s a great way to use up leftover cooked rice, and endlessly adaptable to use up any odds and ends you might have in the fridge!
What is Mediterranean Rice?
I like to use the same techniques of a classic Chinese fried rice that I learned in culinary school to make everything from a rice and eggs breakfast to vegetarian kimchi fried rice to this Greek rice recipe.
The technique is simply using a wok or very large skillet, over high heat, to cook a protein, then vegetables. Add cooked rice and cook until it gets a little bit golden brown.
Make a well in the center of the mixture, add raw egg, and cook until you have scrambled egg bits that you can stir to incorporate into the rice. Add any remaining ingredients, season, and eat!
The technique itself doesn’t have to be reserved for Asian flavors. You can get creative and use whatever flavors you want.
Right down to the scrambled egg, this Greek fried rice recipe follows the classic technique, while also incorporating things like chicken, chickpeas, olives and feta cheese.
Seasoned with just a bit of lemon juice and salt and pepper, this fun, affordable Mediterranean rice recipe can be on the table in no time.
Greek Style Rice Ingredients
- oil – I recommend vegetable or canola oil for making fried rice.
- chicken – Just like my best orange chicken recipe, I use a large chicken breast, finely chopped. Chicken thigh is delicious in this Mediterranean rice recipe and my recipe for chicken stroganoff, too.
- onion – I like to use a red onion for color, but white onion is a good substitute in this Greek fried rice recipe.
- rice – you will need 3 cups prepared rice. More on that below.
- eggs – 2 large eggs will do the trick.
- chickpeas (garbanzo beans) – make sure you drain and rinse them. I also love chickpeas in my Greek yogurt pasta!
- parsley – I like to add a bit of green freshness by incorporating fresh parsley into this Mediterranean fried rice.
- feta cheese – buy a block and crumble it yourself for the best flavor. I also love feta on top of Greek yogurt mashed potatoes and in watermelon salad with mint.
- tomatoes – I like to use quartered grape tomatoes, but chopping up a larger tomato is fine, too. If you end up with extra grape tomatoes, try my blistered tomatoes.
- olives – pitted kalamata olives, cut in half, are my favorite for this Greek rice recipe.
- lemon juice – this seasons the rice with brightness and acidity. Lemon lovers will also love my lemon smoothie!
- salt and pepper – because unseasoned rice will be bland.
How to Make Greek Rice
- CHICKEN. Heat oil in large skillet. Add chicken and cook until almost cooked through.
- ONION. Add the onion and cook 1 minute.
- RICE. Add the rice and cook 3 minutes, while stirring.
- EGGS. Push the rice to the sides of the pan to create a well in the center of the pan, and crack the eggs into the well. Cook the eggs, while scrambling, until they are fully cooked.
- REMAINING INGREDIENTS. Add the chickpeas, feta, tomatoes, parsley, olives, lemon juice, salt and pepper and toss until everything is well combined.
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Can I use a different protein in this Greek Style Rice?
Totally! While I used chicken breast this time around, chicken thighs actually have even more flavor (which is why I use them for almond crusted chicken), so I love them in this Greek rice recipe, too.
Not into chicken? How about using shrimp? Buy a little extra shrimp to make shrimp wonton soup another time.
Even ground or finely chopped pork would work in this Mediterranean rice recipe. I’ve even been known to make this Greek fried rice recipe with leftover, chopped up turkey meatball recipe air fryer or leftovers from a lamb sandwich platter.
How to serve Mediterranean Rice
- MAIN COURSE – Serve this Greek rice as an all-in-one main course. It has protein, vegetables and grains all in one dish, so you truly don’t even need any side dishes with it.
- SIDE DISH – You can also serve this Mediterranean rice recipe as a side dish. It’s a nice compliment to lamb lollipops, although feel free to omit the chicken from the rice if you go this route.
How to store this Greek Style Rice
Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing because the rice gets mushy when frozen and thawed again.
Greek Rice FAQs
There are several types of rice used in Greek cooking, but the one you might be most familiar with is long-grain white rice (known as kitrino in Greece). This is mostly used in rice pilafs and side dishes.
Brown rice (known as kastano) is also commonly used in Greek cooking. Either of these types are perfect for this Mediterranean rice recipe. You could also use basmati or jasmine.
No matter what, the best Mediterranean fried rice is made with day-old rice (it absorbs flavors better and doesn’t stick together as much as freshly cooked rice).
To start with the most flavorful prepared rice possible, I recommend cooking the rice in chicken broth or stock instead of plain water. The rice absorbs the savory broth, making it even more delicious.
The Mediterranean die, renowned for its health benefits, incorporates many popular varieties of rice, including Arborio, Basmati, Jasmine, brown rice and wild rice.
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Greek Lemon Rice Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast finely chopped
- ½ cup chopped red onion
- 3 cups prepared white rice
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup chickpeas drained and rinsed
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ½ cup grape tomatoes quartered
- ½ cup roughly chopped fresh parsley leaves
- ⅓ cup kalamata olives halved
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In wok or large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook until almost cooked through, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
- Add onion; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Add rice; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Push rice to sides of wok, creating a well in center of wok. Crack eggs into well, scramble vigorously with wooden spoon. Cook 2 minutes (keeping eggs in well) or until eggs are full cooked.
- Add chickpeas, feta, tomatoes, parsley, olives, lemon juice, salt and pepper and toss until everything is well combined. Cook 2 minutes or until warmed through; stirring frequently.
Notes
- Home Chef Tip: Fried rice works best with day-old rice! Use leftovers from Chinese carryout, or make a batch of rice the night before. Spread the cooked rice on a small rimmed baking pan lined with parchment paper. Transfer to refrigerator and let sit, uncovered, overnight.
Tried this recipe – with modifications – and it received a thumbs up from all diners! I substituted barbecued and cubed skinless lamb sausages for the chicken and halved the parsley but added an equal amount of chopped mint. Yummm!
So glad you liked this, Bob. I LOVE the idea of lamb sausage! I want to try it that way myself next time.
I am going to make a confession … Over the last couple years you have converted me to the “snack” lunches. Instead of full meals I have begun taking combos of cottage cheese, a clementine, chips and dip, and olives with me to work. And I love it. However, that has nothing to do with this recipe, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It reminded me of fried rice but tasted like Mediterranean food. Great job.
Snack Lunches FTW!
hmmm…this DOES sound delicious. I’m wondering how it would be with shrimp instead of the chicken. I’m guessing it would still be awesome. Thoughts??
I think shrimp will be FANTASTIC in this! In fact, now I want to try it that way myself. Great idea, Angela. Definitely come back and let me know how it turns out 🙂
What a beautiful dish, looks great for a meatless Monday as well (assuming you take out the chicken of course)!
Thanks so much, Mary. This would be great without the chicken for Meatless Monday!