Chicken Shawarma Bowl
A customizable rice bowl perfect for any meal! This Chicken Shawarma Bowl lets you build your own with succulent chicken, fluffy yellow rice, a creamy garlic yogurt sauce, and crunchy salad toppings. It's extremely satisfying and nutritious!
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade:
- 600 g (1.3lbs) boneless skinless chicken cut in thin strips
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon yogurt
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ cinnamon powder
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg powder optional
Salad
- 2 Persian cucumbers or ½ English cucumber, sliced into semi circles
- 1 red onion sliced
- 10-12 cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ cup arugula
- 1 teaspoon sumac
- 1-2 tablespoon lemon juice
- pinch sea salt
Sauce
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoon water optional
Yellow Rice
- 1 cup basmati rice or any long-grain rice
- 2 tablespoon butter unsalted
- 1 black cardamom optional
- ¾ inch (~2cm) cinnamon stick optional
- ½ white onion diced
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 chicken stock cube
- 1 ½ cup water
Garnish
- Fresh parsley or mint chopped
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken
- Mix all the chicken marinade ingredients together and coat the chicken thoroughly. Set aside while you prepare the other components, or for the best flavor, marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
Make the Salad
- Combine all the salad ingredients, except the arugula, in a large bowl. Toss well and set aside.
Prepare the Sauce
- Whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a bowl. Add water only if you prefer a thinner consistency.
Prepare the Rice
- Rinse the rice under running water until it runs clear. Soak the rice in fresh water for 15 minutes.
- In a pot, melt the butter over medium heat and sauté the white onion until translucent (avoid browning).
- Drain the soaked rice and add it to the pot. Sprinkle with turmeric and stir quickly to coat the grains.
- Increase the heat to high, add 1 ½ cups of water, and crumble in the stock cube. Bring the water to a boil and let it bubble for 3–4 minutes.
- Lower the heat to the lowest setting, cover the pot, and let the rice steam for 12–15 minutes. Once done, fluff the rice with a fork and remove it from the heat.
Cook the Chicken
- Pan Method: Heat a skillet or grill pan over medium high heat. Cook the marinated chicken for a total of 8-10 minutes until fully cooked and slightly charred.
- Oven Method: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Arrange the marinated chicken on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20–25 minutes, tossing halfway, until cooked through or reaches the internal temperature of 65 °F (73.9 °C).
- Air Fryer: Preheat the air fryer. Place the marinated chicken in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook for 12–15 minutes 375°F (190°C), tossing halfway, until the chicken is fully cooked and slightly crispy on the edges. Use a meat thermometer to measure the temperature if you are unsure.
Assemble the Bowl
- Layer the bowl with yellow rice, salad, and fresh arugula. Add the grilled chicken and drizzle the sauce on top or serve it on the side. Garnish as desired with fresh chopped parsley or mint, serve, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- The whole spices for the yellow rice are optional, but they add a wonderful depth of flavor. If you have them on hand, I highly recommend using them.
- Pan-frying chicken, especially chicken breasts, delivers juicier results compared to baking or air frying, as it helps retain tenderness and moisture!
- For meal prepping, store all the components separately in an airtight bowl so that they last longer. See details in my Storage & Meal Prep instructions.
Nutrition
Calories: 572kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 41gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 114mgSodium: 1077mgPotassium: 1017mgFiber: 4gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 991IUVitamin C: 27mgCalcium: 133mgIron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
