This Mediterranean chicken couscous bowl with tzatziki dressing is packed with juicy rotisserie chicken, tender pearl couscous, and crisp veggies, all tossed in a homemade tzatziki salad dressing with dill, garlic, and cucumber. It's fresh, creamy, and the perfect cold salad for hot days. Bonus: It comes together in minutes making it perfect for a no fuss meal prep!
One of my favourite cheat's meal prep options is a rotisserie chicken (close second is a slow cooker chicken breast). You can grab one from your local supermarket and it's versatile so you can make a heap of different meals from the one protein.
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Why you'll love this recipe
No-heat meal prep. This salad doesn't need a microwave making it perfect for the summer months like my air fryer gnocchi Mediterranean vegetable salad, making it perfect for warm days when you don't have a microwave.
Leftover chicken. I used a rotisserie chicken, but you could use any leftover chicken like in my chicken macaroni salad.
Couscous. It is honestly super underrated and is a great carb option for meal prep - try my Turkey Couscous Salad next.
Ingredients
Rotisserie Chicken. A convenient protein option for when you're after a no-fuss Meal Prep. Swap with Homemade Roast Chicken or leftover chicken from other recipes if preferred.
Pearl Couscous. A chewy, hearty base that absorbs liquid when cooking - also called Israeli couscous. It does involve a little bit of cooking to rehydrate (like 10 minutes), but if you didn't want to turn the stove on, you could use wholegrain couscous.
Tzatziki. I make my own Tzatziki because I can control what goes into it (I loveeeeee dill and garlic), but for convenience you can use a store-bought version.
Please check the recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantity. See below for substitutions and variations
Tzatziki Salad Dressing Ingredients
How to make chicken tzatziki salad
Step 1: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pearl couscous and cook according to package instructions until tender (normally a 3:1 ratio of water with couscous and approx. 10 minutes).
Drain, rinse under cold water to stop cooking, and set aside to cool.
This helps prevent clumping and keeps the texture light for the cold salad.
Step 2: If making your own Tzatziki, combine the ingredients and let it sit for at least 10 minutes (you can make this ahead of time in the fridge if you want). This allows the flavours to meld.
Prepare for immediate consumption: In a large serving bowl, add the mixed leaves as the base. Layer in the cooled pearl couscous, shredded chicken, tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion before finishing with the tzatziki dressing and feta (optional).
Prepare for meal prep: Add dressing to the bottom of a mason jar or narrow containers. Then add chicken and couscous, followed by the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, onion and leaves. This ensures the leaves won't get soggy before eating. Tip upside down on a plate to serve.
Lauren's Top Tips
Chill. If time allows, let the assembled salad sit in the fridge for 15-30 minutes before serving. This allows the tzatziki dressing to soak into the ingredients.
Cool the couscous. After cooking, rinse the pearl couscous under cold water to stop the cooking process and prevent it from sticking together. Let it fully cool before adding to the salad to maintain the best texture.
Meal prepping salad
Meal prepping salads is a great way to have a no-heat meal prep ready to go for busy days. It takes no-time to prep, which is why it's included in one of my Weekly Meal Plans.
Storing
Keep the salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
To ensure best texture, either store the tzatziki, separate from the rest of the ingredients (like the image below) - you could also use a silicone cupcake mould so you can store everything in the same compartment/container.
Or, you could also layer a jar or container as I have done in the photo above, keeping the salad dressing as far away from the greens as possible so they don't go soggy.
If you want more meal prep information, check out my Meal Prep for Beginners post and my Meal Prep Basics E-Book.
FAQs
Absolutely! Homemade tzatziki salad dressing is fresher and more flavourful, but store-bought works if you're short on time.
Yes! Heat the chicken and couscous separately, then toss everything together while warm for a comforting, hearty salad option.
The best way to prepare cucumber for tzatziki is to grate it finely, then squeeze out excess moisture using a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. This prevents the tzatziki salad dressing from becoming too watery. If you prefer more texture, you can finely dice the cucumber instead. For extra flavour, leave the skin on or peel it for a smoother consistency.
Other meal prep friendly salads you'll like
Or, you can have a browse through my Salad Recipes for more delicious eats.
Recipe
Chicken Tzatziki Salad with Couscous
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Ingredients
Chicken Salad
- 500 g (1 lb) rotisserie chicken, shredded or leftover roast chicken
- 180 g (1 cups) pearl couscous , make approx.3 cups cooked
- 120 g (4 cups) mixed leaves
- 300 g (10 ½ oz) cherry tomatoes,
- 1 (5 ½ oz) cucumber,
- 1 (3 ½ oz) red onion,
Tzatziki Sauce or store bought (2 cups)
- 420 g (2 cups) Greek yoghurt, subs Note 1
- 1 cucumber,
- 2 garlic cloves, see Note 2
- 2 tablespoon dill, fresh preferred
- 1 lemon juice, fresh preferred
- salt and pepper , to taste
Instructions
Prepare ingredients
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add 180 g (1 cups) pearl couscous and cook per package instructions until tender (typically a 3:1 water-to-couscous ratio, about 10 minutes). Drain, rinse under cold water to stop cooking, and let cool to prevent clumping.
- For salad - Slice: 300 g (10 ½ oz) cherry tomatoes, 1 (5 ½ oz) cucumber, 1 (3 ½ oz) red onionShred: 500 g (1 lb) rotisserie chicken
- For Tzatziki - Mince 2 garlic cloves; dice or grate: 1 cucumber; dice: 2 tbsp dill
Make Tzatziki
- In a bowl, mix 420 g (2 cups) Greek yoghurt, 1 cucumber, 2 garlic cloves, 2 tbsp dill, and 1 lemon juice. Stir until combined, seasoning with salt and pepper . Adjust consistency with a splash of water or olive oil if needed. Refrigerate while assembling the salad to enhance the flavors.
Assemble and serve
- For immediate serving: In a large bowl, layer 120 g (4 cups) mixed leaves, cooled couscous, 500 g (1 lb) rotisserie chicken (shredded), halved 300 g (10 ½ oz) cherry tomatoes, 1 (5 ½ oz) cucumber (sliced) and 1 (3 ½ oz) red onion (sliced). Top with tzatziki dressing and optional feta.
- For meal prep: Add dressing to the bottom of a mason jar or container, followed by chicken, couscous, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and leaves. This keeps the greens fresh-flip onto a plate before serving.
athletelunchbox
This recipe only took me 15 minutes to make, but was enjoyed by myself and my partner all week long. The homemade Tzatziki is able to be customised to your preferences, plus the rotisserie chicken just makes it a no-brainer recipe. If you enjoyed it, I would love for you to leave a comment and let me know!