One Pot Shawarma Chicken and Rice

Shawarma, shawarma, shawarma! I can’t get enough of it.

My first experience with shawarma wasn’t at a trendy spot or a local favorite—it was in Riyadh. My dad took my mom and me to what I can only describe as a tiny roadside shack in the middle of the desert. And when I say shack, I mean plywood walls and not much else. At the time, Mom and I had no idea what we were walking into—just that we were about to try something new.

We figured it would be simple: lamb or chicken wrapped in pita with some kind of sauce. Easy enough. Back then, I was a lot more adventurous than I am now—these days, I probably would’ve driven right past without a second thought.

When our food arrived, we each got a neatly wrapped shawarma. Mine was filled with chicken, a dill pickle, a couple of French fries, and a mystery sauce I didn’t even try to identify because… fries? In a wrap? I was completely thrown off. My parents’ versions had lamb, lettuce, cucumber, the same sauce—and yes, fries too.

We couldn’t stop laughing about those fries; which were cold. It was so unexpected, so different from anything we’d had before. And looking back, I really wish we had taken a picture—but that just wasn’t something you thought to do back then. Even years later, my mom and I would retell that story and laugh just as hard every time.

Now, this recipe isn’t that shawarma. It’s more of a deconstructed version, served over rice—and no fries in sight. And honestly, I won’t even try to compare the two. They’re completely different experiences.

What I will say is this: this version is absolutely delicious. The warm, savory blend of paprika and garlic really shines and brings everything together beautifully. I skipped the Greek yogurt sauce this time—partly because I forgot to buy yogurt, and partly because I had some hummus on hand that I was more than happy to use instead.

To round it all out, I threw together a simple cucumber and tomato salad. It made for a fresh, flavorful, and satisfying meal.

This one is definitely going into the regular rotation—and it might even earn a spot at Sunday dinner. It’s that good.

Shawarma Rice – One Pot

Recipe from Little Sunny Kitchen

Serves 4

For The Chicken:

1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil for marinade

2 teaspoons  extra virgin olive oil for cooking

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3 cloves garlic peeled and minced

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika smoked or sweet

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

For The Rice:

1 small yellow onion diced

1 ½ cups  basmati rice rinsed until water runs clear and soaked in water for 15 minutes

2 cups chicken stock

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon salt

For The Garlic Yogurt:

1 cup Greek yogurt

1 small clove garlic finely minced or grated

1-2 teaspoons lemon juice

½ teaspoon kosher salt

Marinate The Chicken:

In a bowl or a zip-top bag, whisk together 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, cumin, paprika, black pepper, cardamom, and cinnamon.

Add the chicken thighs, ensuring they are well coated in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours for deeper flavor.

Cook The Chicken:

Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat.

Add the marinated chicken thighs and cook for 5-6 minutes on one side, until golden brown (the chicken won’t be cooked through at this point). Remove from the pot and set aside.

Prepare The Rice:

In the same pot, add the diced onion and sauté for 1-2 minutes. If needed, deglaze the pan with a splash of chicken stock or water.

Stir in the rinsed basmati rice, turmeric, smoked paprika, and salt. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil.

Nestle the seared chicken thighs into the rice, cover with a lid, and reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Cook covered for 15 minutes, and do not open the lid during this time.

Turn off the heat and let the rice sit, covered, for 10 minutes.

Prepare The Garlic Yogurt:

In a bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, and salt. Set aside.

Assemble And Serve:

Remove the chicken from the pot and transfer to a cutting board. Slice the chicken thighs (or serve whole).

Fluff the rice with a fork.

Serve the shawarma rice with the sliced chicken, a side of Shirazi salad, and a generous dollop of garlicky yogurt.

Chicken Shawarma

 When I hear chicken shawarma I'm immediately thrown back to Saudi days when my first shawarma had cold french fries in it and a dill pickle. You'd think that would turn me off, but it didn't. 

Since those days I can't even count how many pounds of chicken shawarma I've had over the years. Some better than other. This recipe seemed like a good one to try. First, I love my air fryer and why not marry that with my love for chicken shawarma.

I chose to not make or by tziki sauce or go with a pita. I put it along side a rice pilaf and tomato salad. 

Chicken Shawarma
Recipe from Every Day Air Fryer Cookbook
Serves 4

2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 lb chicken thighs, cut into large bite size chunks
2 T vegetable oil
Tzatziki
Pita bread

Combine the spices.

In a large bowl, toss the chicken, vegetable oil and shawarma spices to coat. Marinate at room temp for 30 min or cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. 

Place chicken in the air fryer basket. Set air fryer to 350F for 15 minutes or until chicken reaches 165F.

Transfer chicken to serving platter. Serve with tzatziki and pita bread.

Chicken Shawarma (Recipe 73 of 150)

Whenever I hear about shawarmas I'm jetted back to my first time in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Dad took mom and I to a local souk to see what they were like. Once there he deemed it necessary that we all have shawarmas for lunch. Neither mom nor I knew what a shawarma was. Dad ordered three and what came were three bundles of something. We couldn't tell because they were wrapped in foil like a burrito. 

We took them to the car and sat and ate them. We unwrapped them and Mom took a big bite. The sound she made was one of complete deliciousness. Then she started laughing. In the middle of this meaty, veggie filled Middle Eastern taco was a French fry. Just one. And it was cold. 

I dug into mind and sure enough I had one too. Dad, oddly, did not. Dad said that he's found pickles and potato chips in his shawarmas before. Sometimes they just toss things in. 

I've made shawarmas over the years, many times they don't include putting them in bread. This recipe is one of a few that has you use Naan. I actually think pita would be better, it's not so thick. 

Anyhow, this was a decent recipe. It's still no Saudi shawarma, but it was darn good. I actually put the tomatoes and cucumbers in with the meat. I did not put the lettuce in because I'm not a fan of warm lettuce. I'd make this recipe again. In fact, the left over chicken will be a shawarma salad tomorrow for lunch. 

I changed nothing in this recipe. I did, however, cook the Naan too long on the grill so it wasn't so easy to fold into a taco shape so I just at the "sandwich" with my fork and knife. 

Chicken Shawarma

Recipe from Thefoodcharlatan.com

Serves 4

For the chicken:

• 1.25 lbs chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Yogurt Sauce:

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (or one 7 ounce container)
• 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic (or to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon dried dill (or to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 4 pitas, naans, or flatbreads
• 1/2 head romaine lettuce
• 1 medium cucumber, sliced thin
• 2 medium roma tomatoes, sliced thin

In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the marinade (yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, cinnamon, oregano, salt, nutmeg, and cloves). Add chicken to the marinade, coat well, cover and refrigerate for 4-24 hours. If desired, slice the chicken into strips before marinating to maximize the flavor.

Prepare the yogurt sauce for the sandwiches. Open a 7 oz. container of plain greek yogurt (or put about 1 cup in a bowl) and stir in the garlic, dill, and salt. Refrigerate until ready to use. The longer it sits the better.

After marinating the chicken, grill until cooked through (a George Foreman works great).

Prepare the vegetables for the sandwich. Chop, rinse, and drain the lettuce in a colander. Wash and slice the cucumber and tomato.

Build the chicken shawarma sandwiches. Spread the yogurt sauce on your flat bread, top with the chicken and vegetables. Roll the sandwich closed. You can wrap the sandwich in foil to help it stay closed as you eat.

Shawarma-Spiced Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Another shawarma related recipe. I didn't realize I was duplicating ethnic flavors when I ordered, but it was worth it. This was amazing. 

I like a good lettuce wrap. The fresh lettuce has a nice crisp crunch to it and really makes a great carrier for the amazingly flavorful filling. The shawarma spices are so warm and so yummy. The house smells amazing too I might add. 

I'm always skeptical about toppings. I like things pretty plain, but I figured I might as well go all in since all the ingredients are in front of me. I will admit I am really glad I did. The pickled onions are a new favorite for sure. But what surprised me the most were the sliced almonds. They added another level of texture that really put this meal over the top. And the creamy garlic sauce on top is like the cherry on top of a sundae. So good. 

It’s all ready in a quick 30 minutes—just keep napkins handy until you master your lettuce wrap-eating technique.

Shawarma-Spiced Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 2 lemons (though one large might work too)
• 1 roma tomato, diced
• 1 1/2 T sour cream
• 2 T mayo
• 1 tsp garlic powder, divided
• 1 T shawarma spice blend (Common ingredients are ground cumin, coriander, paprika, garlic powder, turmeric, and black pepper)
• 1 small red onion, half sliced, half diced
• 1 head romaine lettuce
• 1/2 oz sliced almonds
• 1/4 c chicken stock
• 10 oz chicken, diced (You can also used ground chicken or ground turkey)

Halve, peel, and thinly slice half the onion; finely dice remaining half. 

Quarter lemons. 

Trim and discard root end from lettuce; separate leaves. 

Dice tomato.

 In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine sliced onion, juice from one lemon, 1⁄2 tsp sugar, salt, and pepper. Microwave for 30 seconds; set aside to pickle, stirring occasionally. 

In a separate small bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, 3⁄4 tsp garlic powder, and a squeeze of lemon juice. (You’ll use the rest of the garlic powder in the next step.) Season white sauce with salt and pepper.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring, until slightly softened, 2-3 minutes. 

Add chicken, Shawarma Spice Blend, and remaining garlic powder; season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes.

Stir in stock, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan, until slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired. 

Divide lettuce between plates. Fill with turkey, tomato, and as much pickled onion as you like (draining first). 

Drizzle wraps with white sauce and as much hot sauce as you like; sprinkle with almonds. Serve with any remaining lemon wedges on the side.

Chicken Shawarma

Shawarma's! I've made my fair share. Some good. Some bad. Most the same. Every now and then I find one that has some different ingredients. This was one of those recipes. 

The marinade has several ingredients, but don't let that scare you away. It also involves a blender. So put your margaritas away and make this recipe. 

First let me say, I did not put this in a pita. Rather I ate a pita on the side with some hummus. I was keeping it somewhat de-constructed. 

I also didn't make the white sauce. I did make the pickled onions, but completely forgot about them until AFTER I was done. 

This was a delicious chicken shawarma. Super flavorful and fulfilling. 

What was bad was the salad I made with it. I'm still trying to figure out why this Apple Pecan Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette. Apple cider vinegar and shawarma do not mix. Both were delicious separately, but really shouldn't have been eaten together. 

Chicken Shawarma

Recipe from The Food Charlatan

Serves 6

For the marinade:

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 lemons, zested and juiced
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, optional
• 1 teaspoon cardamom
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs

For the pickled red onion:

• 1 large red onion, sliced
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar, for pickling red onion
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• black pepper , to taste

For the white sauce:

• 3/4 cup plain yogurt, full fat
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 large clove garlic , smashed and minced
• 1/2 lemon, juiced, about 1-2 tablespoons
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• pinch chili powder, optional

To assemble shawarma:

• 6 Homemade Naan breads
• 1/2 head green leaf lettuce, shredded
• 2 tomatoes, sliced
• 1 large English cucumber, sliced

Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma

There are some meals that instantly make me happy, and shawarma is definitely one of them. Over the years I’ve made more shawarma recipes than I can count, and what fascinates me is how every version is just a little bit different. Some rely heavily on yogurt marinades, others lean into warmer spices, garlic, or citrus. It’s amazing how small tweaks can completely change the final flavor.

This recipe landed firmly in the “make again” category for me. The flavor profile was everything I want from shawarma — warm spices, savory goodness, and that comforting Mediterranean vibe that always hits the spot.

What made this one stand out was the cooking method. Instead of grilling skewers like I usually do, this recipe roasted the chicken in the oven. I honestly wasn’t sure how I’d feel about that because I’m very much a “throw it on the grill” kind of girl when it comes to shawarma (read: any meat). But surprisingly? I really liked it. The roasting gave the chicken great flavor and made the whole process incredibly easy.

The recipe wasn’t super clear on whether the chicken pieces should stay whole or be sliced first. Since it called for thighs, I’m assuming the intention was to roast them whole. But thighs and I still aren’t best friends, so I swapped them out for chicken breasts instead. I cut the chicken into chunks before marinatig. Then I chopped everything into smaller bite-sized pieces once it was cooked. No reason, it just felt right so I went with it. 

This is exactly the kind of recipe I love keeping in my back pocket. Definitely one I’ll be making again.

Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma

Recipe from Cooking NY Times

Serves 4

• 2 lemons, juiced
• ½ c plus 1 T olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and minced
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp paprika
• ½ tsp turmeric
• A pinch ground cinnamon
• Red pepper flakes, to taste
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 large red onion, peeled and quartered
• 2 T chopped fresh parsley

Prepare a marinade for the chicken. Combine the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon and red pepper flakes in a large bowl, then whisk to combine. Add the chicken and toss well to coat. Cover and store in refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.

When ready to cook, heat oven to 425 degrees. Use the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to grease a rimmed sheet pan. Add the quartered onion to the chicken and marinade, and toss once to combine. Remove the chicken and onion from the marinade, and place on the pan, spreading everything evenly across it.

Put the chicken in the oven and roast until it is browned, crisp at the edges and cooked through, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to rest 2 minutes, then slice into bits. (To make the chicken even more crisp, set a large pan over high heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, then the sliced chicken, and sauté until everything curls tight in the heat.) Scatter the parsley over the top and serve with tomatoes, cucumbers, pita, white sauce, hot sauce, olives, fried eggplant, feta, rice — really anything you desire.

Middle Eastern Steak Pita Wraps

Wow. Hello Fresh... outstanding. 

I love pitas in general, this on is shawarma esk and man o man...yummy. I do love a good shawarma. 

I'm sure I've told the story of our first shawarma in Saudi and how it had cold French fries in it. Anyhow, you'd think that'd turn me off shawarmas, but it did not. 

The pita and the salad on the side was a LOT of food, so if you make it know you'd better be hungry. 

Middle Eastern Steak Pita Wraps

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1 baby lettuce (romaine)
• 1 lemon
• 10 oz Ranch Steak (skirt steak)
• 1 T Shawarma spice blend (I have no idea what's actually in this)
• 4 oz cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 c feta cheese, crumbled
• 1.5 oz Greek Vinaigrette
• 2 pitas
• 1 oz Smokey Garlic Herb Sauce (also no idea where you'd get this)

Halve, peel, and thinly slice half the onion (whole onion for 4 servings). Halve lemon. Trim and discard root end from lettuce; chop leaves into bite-size pieces. (this assumes you washed it already)

Pat steak dry with paper towels, then thinly slice. Season with Shawarma Spice Blend, salt, and pepper. 

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add steak; cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked to desired doneness, 4-6 minutes.

While steak cooks, in a small microwave-safe bowl, combine onion, juice from half the lemon, and a pinch of salt. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave until onion is tender, 30-40 seconds. Set aside to pickle. [JW notes: I honestly thought this wouldn't work. Worked like a charm]

Add lettuce, tomatoes, feta, and vinaigrette to a large bowl; toss to combine.

Wrap pitas in damp paper towels and microwave until warm and pliable, 20-30 seconds. [JW Note: If you have a tortilla warmer that would work too. 

Place steak in a line across the middle of each pita. Top with as much salad as you like. Drizzle with smoky garlic herb sauce; top with as much pickled onion (draining first) as you like and as much hot sauce as you like. 

Fold pitas in half to form wraps. Divide wraps between plates and serve with any remaining salad on the side.

Chicken Shawarma Salad

Photo from Baking Mischief

Shawarmas always make me think of Saudi. Our first shawarma there (they were burrito like) Mom and

I found cold French fries and dill pickle slices in. Very odd. 

This chicken shawarma is not like that. No dill pickles or cold fries around. 

The marinade for this was spot on. Very flavorful without a lot of fancy ingredients. I made extra and had a salad for lunch the next day too. Yummy. 

Chicken Shawarma Salad

Recipe from Baking Mischief

Serves 4

Chicken and Marinade

• 1/4 c olive oil
• 3 T lemon juice
• 3 cloves garlic pressed
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs

Yogurt Dressing

• 2/3 c plain, unsweetened yogurt*
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic pressed
• 1 to 3 tsp milk
• 1/8 tsp salt
• Pepper

Vegetables

• 1/4 c chicken broth or water
• 1 small red onion cut into thin wedges
• 1 head romaine washed and chopped
• 1 cucumber peeled and chopped
• 1 large tomato chopped

Marinate Chicken

In a small bowl, whisk together all marinade ingredients. Pour over chicken thighs and toss to coat. Return chicken to the refrigerator and marinate for 30 minutes, up to 2 hours.

Prepare Dressing

Combine yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, 1 teaspoon of milk, and salt. If desired, add more milk by the 1/2 teaspoon until dressing reaches your desired consistency. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

Cook Chicken and Onions

On the stove, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add chicken thighs and cook for 2 to 5 minutes per side, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. If at any time the outside of the chicken begins to cook too quickly and burn, turn the heat down. Transfer chicken to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

Deglaze the pan over medium-high heat with 1/4 cup of water or chicken broth, scraping all the crispy browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and add the onions. Cook onions until they reach your preferred level of doneness, 2 to 4 minutes.

Assemble

Slice the chicken and assemble salad. Top with dressing and enjoy!

Chicken Shawarma Bowls (16 of 150)

I have a fond memory of shawarmas. The first one I ever had was in Saudi Arabia. Mom and I had just gotten there and Dad took us out to this little hole in the wall shop. We were excited to try something new. Dad explained to us what a shawarma was and how they were made. 

He grabbed the three wrapped bundles and we headed back to the car to eat them. We took our first bites and all you heard was "mmmm". Then more bites. Then, "WTH? There's a cold French fry in mine," says my mom. And sure enough, I had a cold fry in mine as well. Dad chuckled and said, "You never know what you'll get in them." That would have been useful to know before. 

This recipe was so very yummy. After my first bite, I heard myself saying, "MMMM".  Now, I didn't make bowls for this. I had some Middle Eastern Naan that I had found and so I wanted to use that instead. 

I grilled the chicken after marinading it for 3 hours. I chopped it into smaller bite size pieces, like what you'd see in a street taco. I warmed the naan, spread the bottom with Tzatziki, layered shredded lettuce and diced cucumber (I would have put tomatoes, but they had gone bad) and topped all that with the chicken. Wrapped it and ate it. 

Oh man. I will be dreaming about this one. 

Chicken Shawarma Bowls

Recipe from Taste Better From Scratch

Serves 6

Marinade:

• 5 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 2 lemons , juiced
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic , minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric
• pinch ground cinnamon
• crushed red pepper flakes , to taste
• 1 red onion , roughly chopped

For the Bowls:

• 1/2 cup hummus , or whole chickpeas
• 1 English cucumber chopped
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes , halved
• 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
• fresh parsley leaves , chopped, for garnish
• feta cheese crumbles , for topping, optional

Tzatziki Sauce:

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 cloves garlic , minced
• 1 small piece English cucumber , peeled and diced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• salt and pepper , to taste

Mix the shawarma marinade ingredients together and marinate the thighs for at least one hour or overnight.

Cook the jasmine rice according to package instructions. Make the tzatziki sauce by combining all the ingredients in a bowl.

When ready to cook the chicken, preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a baking pan, remove the chicken from the marinade and place the chicken thighs and chopped red onion on the pan.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until baked through. Allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes before slicing thinly.

To serve, add a scoop of cooked rice to the bottom of your bowl. Top with chopped chicken and red onion, a few cucumbers and tomatoes, and a scoop of tzatziki sauce and hummus. Top with fresh chopped parsley, feta cheese, a little crushed red pepper, if desired.

Chicken Shawarma

Some day I'll have a shawarma that is like the one we had in Saudi. Though that one had a cold French fry in it and Mom's had a pickle no French fry. <shrugs>. 

This recipe was NOT it. I felt like this recipe had all the good things to it, but something went terribly wrong, somewhere. 

The chicken had a weird texture, I blame it being marinated for too long. The recipe says 8-24 hours, but that is way too long for an acid like lemon and chicken for me. So I only marinaded it for 4 hours and I think that made the chicken mushy. 

It was also WAY too salty. That was my fault though. I halved the recipe for everything but the salt. Don't ask. I'm not sure why I thought 2 tsp salt for 6 is also 2 tsp salt for 3. Again <shrug>.

I won't likely make this recipe again. I have a dozen more shawarma recipes to try. Maybe the next one will remind of me the one from Saudi.

Chicken Shawarma

Recipe from Carlsbad Cravings

Serves 6

CHICKEN MARINADE

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs pounded to an even thickness
• 1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
• 2 T lemon juice
• 1 T balsamic vinegar
• 1 T EACH ground cumin, ground coriander
• 2 tsp EACH smoked paprika, ground cardamom, salt
• 1 tsp EACH garlic powder, onion powder, ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp EACH cayenne pepper, allspice, pepper

CILANTRO YOGURT SAUCE

• 1 c Greek yogurt
• 1/3 c packed cilantro
• 1/3 c packed parsley
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 T lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp EACH ground cumin, salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

FOR WRAPS

• 6-8 pitas
• Romaine lettuce chopped
• Roma tomatoes sliced
• cucumbers thinly sliced
• red onions thinly sliced
• 1 recipe hummus (or store-bought, optional)

MARINATE CHICKEN

Whisk all of the Marinade ingredients together in a large bowl or freezer size plastic bag. Add chicken and turn to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator 8 to 24 hours. Let chicken sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before cooking.

YOGURT SAUCE

Make the yogurt sauce and prep your toppings while the chicken is marinating. Add all of the Sauce Ingredients to a blender and blend until the herbs are chopped, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed. If you would like a thicker sauce stir (don’t blend) in additional yogurt. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.

HOW TO COOK CHICKEN ON THE STOVE

Heat one tablespoon vegetable oil a large cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium high heat. Working in batches, add chicken in a single layer and cook for 4-5 minutes. Turn chicken over, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Cook approximately 3-5 additional minutes (depending on thickness of chicken), or until chicken is cooked through. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

HOW TO COOK CHICKEN ON THE GRILL

Grease and preheat the grill to medium heat, 375-450°F. Grill chicken, covered for 5-7 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through and an internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

HOW TO COOK CHICKEN IN THE OVEN

Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Add chicken to baking sheet in a single layer so they aren’t touching. Bake at 425 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until an internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

ASSEMBLE WRAPS

Top warmed pitas with hummus, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, chicken and Cilantro Yogurt Sauce.

Easy Chicken Shawarma

Photo from Damn
Delicious

I sure have had a lot of shawarma recipes recently. Each different, slightly, from the next. I wonder what it is about the universe that throws all these recipes at me at once. 

This one wasn't my favorite. I think I let it marinate for too long. The chicken was little mushy. I suspect this recipe should have been done with bigger pieces of meat instead of chunks. 

The flavors were all there. Definitely there. But I think the texture of the chicken is what made it not a favorite of mine. I very much have a texture issue when it comes to food. 

Easy Chicken Shawarma

Recipe from Damn Delicious

Serves 6

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 ½ tablespoons canola oil

In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, water, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, coriander, paprika, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne pepper, cardamom, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine chicken and olive oil mixture; marinate for at least 2 hours to overnight, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the chicken from the marinade.

Preheat grill to medium high heat.

Brush chicken with canola oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Add chicken to grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 10 minutes.

Serve immediately with tzatziki sauce.

Skillet Chicken Gyros

Photo from Closet Cooking

I had lunch today with the fabulous Meg-a-rooni, and as usual, our conversation found it’s way to food. I told her all about the shawarma I was planning to make for dinner that night, talking it up like I had my whole evening mapped out.

Well… turns out I wasn’t making shawarma at all. I was making chicken gyro. Very different flavor profile, and honestly, not what I had been craving all day.

Once I got home and started throwing together the marinade, I realized my mistake. By then I was committed, so gyro it was.

One thing about me: I do not love frying meat. Give me a grill any day of the week. I grill year round even in questionable Seattle weather and would rather do that than stand over a frying pan splattering oil everywhere. But I decided to trust the process and cooked the chicken exactly as the recipe instructed — right in the skillet.

I let the chicken marinate for my usual two hours, then sautéed it up in the pan. The end result? It was… fine. Not bad, not amazing, just kind of there.

What this recipe desperately needed was a sauce. Some sort of creamy garlic sauce or tzatziki would have brought everything together and added the punch of flavor it was missing. Had I realized that sooner, I could’ve whipped a garlic sauce up in no time. Instead, halfway through dinner, I grabbed some hummus from the fridge in an attempt to save things.

It helped, but not enough to make this a repeat recipe for me.

In the end, it wasn’t terrible — it just wasn’t what I was hoping for, especially after spending the entire afternoon thinking about shawarma.

 Skillet Chicken Gyros

Recipe from Closet Cooking

Serves 4

For the chicken gyros:

• 1 lemon, juice and zest (~1/4 cup juice)
• 1/4 c greek yogurt (or plain yogurt)
• 3 T oregano
• 1 T smoked paprika (optional)
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 pounds boneless and skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

For the gyros:

• 6 pitas (optionally warmed/toasted) (gluten-free for gluten-free)
• 1 1/2 c lettuce, sliced
• 1 1/2 c tomatoes, diced
• 1 1/2 c cucumber, diced
• 6 T pickled red onions, sliced (or fresh)
• 6 T kalamata olives, sliced
• 6 T tzatziki
• 6 T feta, crumbled

For the chicken gyros:

Mix the lemon juice, zest, yogurt, garlic, oregano, paprika, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.

Mix the chicken and marinade and let sit, covered, in the fridge, for 30 minutes to overnight, before shaking off any excess marinade.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the chicken and cook until cooked through and lightly golden brown on all sides, about 10-15 minutes.

For the gyros:

Assemble the gyros in the pitas and enjoy!

15-Minute Chicken Shawarma Bowls

I'm trying to eat better. And to do that I need to plan and prep. If I have things ready to go, then I'm less likely to make bad choices.

I also need to measure. The "eye-balling" technique doesn't work for me. What I think 1/2 c of pasta is and what it really is - is a bit off, let's just say.

This recipe is a great one. Super easy to prepare and put in a container for lunch the next day.

It calls for Farro. Which I've never had before or made. Turns out it's a lot like barley and it's pretty darn good.

Also didn't want to spend the $$ on a jar of tahini so made a substitute based on something I found on the Internet (creamy peanut butter and sesame oil). It's a nice substitute if you're not wanting to buy tahini and let 99% of go to waste.

15-Minute Chicken Shawarma bowls
Recipe from Cooking Light Diet

Photo from Cooking Light Diets

6 ounces skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon olive oil
3/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon cumin, divided
Dash of paprika
1/4 cup plain 2% Greek reduced-fat Greek yogurt
1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon tahini (sesame seed paste)
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 (8.5-ounce package) package precooked farro
1 cup chopped English cucumber
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 (15-ounce) can unsalted chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place chicken and oil in a large bowl; toss to coat. Combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon cumin, and paprika in a bowl. Add spice mixture to chicken mixture; toss to coat.

Combine remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/8 teaspoon cumin, yogurt, lemon juice, tahini, and garlic in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat farro according to package directions . Place 1/2 cup farro in each of 2 bowls. Top each farro serving with about 3/4 cup chicken mixture, 1/2 cup cup cucumber, 1/2 cup tomatoes, about 1/3 cup chickpeas, and 2 1/2 tablespoons Greek yogurt mixture. Top with parsley and black pepper. Reserve remaining farro for another use.

Street Cart-Style Chicken Bowls

Oh boy...I don't even know where to start with this meal. First, its entirely too hot here in Seattle. 89F
outside right now and for us, that's hot. I almost decided to not cook because it was too hot. But boy am I glad I did. This dish was amazing. 

I sorta followed the recipe. The one and only change I made is I swapped our dark meat chicken for chicken breast. 

And then when I served myself a plate I decided I wanted some hummus with it. Such a good combination. 

This one is a keeper for sure.

Street Cart-Style Chicken Bowls

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 1 tsp Turmeric
• ¾ cup Jasmine Rice
• 11/4 c chicken stock
• 2 Scallions
• 1 Lemon
• 1 Tomato
• 1.5 tablespoons Sour Cream
• 2 tablespoon Mayonnaise
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 10 ounce Diced Skinless Chicken (dark or breast meat)
• 1 tablespoon Shawarma Spice Blend
• 2 Pitas
• 1 tsp Chalula hot sauce

In a small pot, melt 1 TBSP butter over medium heat. Stir in 1⁄4 tsp turmeric (1⁄2 tsp for 4 servings); cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 30-60 seconds. • Stir in rice, 1 1⁄4 cups water (2 1⁄4 cups for 4), stock concentrate, a big pinch of salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. • Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, bring 2 TBSP butter(4 TBSP for 4 servings) to room temperature. Wash and dry produce. • Quarter lemon. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Dice tomato into 1⁄2-inch pieces.

In a small bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic powder, and a squeeze of lemon. Add water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Open package of dark meat chicken and drain off any excess liquid; season with Shawarma Spice Blend, salt, and pepper. • Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and scallion whites; cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes.

Toast pitas until softened and warmed through. • Spread with softened butter, then cut each pita into quarters.

Once rice is done, fluff with a fork; stir in half the scallion greens. Season with salt and pepper to taste. • Divide rice between bowls. Top with chicken and tomato in separate sections; season tomato with a pinch of salt. Drizzle everything with as much white sauce and Cholula hot sauce as you like; garnish with remaining scallion greens. Serve with pita and remaining lemon wedges on the side. TIP: We like to scoop up some of the rice, chicken, tomato, and sauces with a pita wedge and eat it all in one bite!

Apple Pecan Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Why not make a fall salad in early summer? I mean, doesn't everyone think that make sense.

See, when I'm trying to eat better, salads become a go to meal for me. And I get bored with my salads so I try to find something different. THIS salad was amazing. Everything about it I loved. 

What I didn't love was pairing it with Chicken Shawarma. 

I did not make the candied pecans from scratch. Why? You can buy them already "candied" in the grocery store so I do that. Its easier and faster. 

The vinaigrette was amazing. I haven't made many vinaigrettes with apple cider vinegar and I was worried it would be a little too tangy. And it was, but in a good way. You don't need a lot of the dressing either. 

Apple Pecan Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Recipe from Southern Bite

Serves 4

• 1 (11-ounce) package spring mix
• 3 Crisp Apples, cored and thinly sliced
• 4 to 6-ounces blue or gorgonzola cheese crumbles
• 2/3 c dried cranberries

For the Candied Pecans:

• 2 tsp butter
• 1/4 c firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 T water
• 1 c pecan halves
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon

For the Apple Cider Vinaigrette:

• 2/3 c olive oil
• 1/3 c apple cider vinegar
• 1 T white vinegar
• 3 T fresh lime juice
• 3 T pineapple juice
• 1/4 c honey
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

To make the candied pecans:

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small skillet over medium heat, add the butter, brown sugar, salt, and water. Stir until the butter and sugar has melted. Add the pecans and cook, stirring very frequently, for about 3 minutes - being cautious not to allow the mixture to scorch.

Remove from the heat and add the cinnamon. Stir to combine. Spread the pecans on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes. Allow to cool completely before using on salad.

To make the dressing:

Whisk the oil, apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, lime juice, and pineapple juice together. Add the honey, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder and whisk to combine. Set aside.

For the salad:

Add the spring mix to a large bowl and top with the apples, blue cheese, candied pecans, and cranberries. Drizzle with the desired dressing amount, then toss and serve.