Description
A flavorful, nutritious, and colorful dish featuring marinated chicken, creamy garlic tahini sauce, and fresh vegetables. Quick and easy to prepare, it brings Middle Eastern flavors to your table with the option for healthy substitutions.
Ingredients
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or chicken breasts)
Olive oil
Fresh lemon juice
Fresh garlic, minced
Ground cumin
Smoked paprika
Ground coriander
Turmeric
Cinnamon
Salt
Black pepper
Cayenne pepper (optional)
Cooked quinoa or brown rice (or cauliflower rice for low-carb)
Mixed greens or baby spinach
Large cucumber, diced
Red onion, thinly sliced
Fresh parsley, chopped
Fresh mint, chopped
Plain Greek yogurt
Tahini
Garlic, minced
Fresh lemon juice
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a large bowl.
- Add chicken pieces to the marinade, coat thoroughly, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (2-4 hours for best flavor).
- Prepare the creamy garlic sauce by whisking together Greek yogurt, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then refrigerate.
- Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat and cook the chicken for 6-8 minutes per side until an internal temperature of 165°F is reached. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- While the chicken is cooking, chop the cucumber, slice the red onion, and chop the parsley and mint. Optionally quick-pickle the onions with lemon juice and salt.
- Warm the quinoa or rice (or prepare cauliflower rice for a low-carb option).
- Assemble the bowls: start with a base of quinoa or rice, add mixed greens or spinach, then top with the shawarma chicken and fresh vegetables. Drizzle with creamy garlic sauce and serve immediately.
Notes
- For a low-carb version, swap quinoa or rice with cauliflower rice.
- For a vegan option, use grilled tofu or chickpeas and substitute the creamy garlic sauce with a vegan tahini dressing.
- Make the sauce ahead of time and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Leftover chicken can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- To reheat, warm chicken in a skillet over medium heat for a few minutes.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Skillet/Grill
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
