Like many of y'all, I also have a folder on my Instagram filled with delicious-looking recipes I find and hope to make in the future. I've had this Chicken Shwarma recipe from @shredhappens saved for far too long, and WOW it was worth the wait!
I was intrigued by his method of baking the chicken thighs in a baking loaf tin, and I was truly shocked by how easy it was and amazing the result is. If chicken thighs are new for you, I highly recommend starting with this fool-proof method. You could mix it up with any marinade or seasonings you love and have on hand.
For this version, I used a pre-made shawarma seasoning I found at Whole Foods just to make my life a bit easier, but you can always make your own by combining the ingredients listed below. It's up to you!
While this Chicken Shawarma makes for an incredible protein meal prep to have on hand all week long, I decided to amp it up with these bowls that make for a balanced, delicious meal.
I served the chicken over a bed of Romaine lettuce and cooked Jasmine rice (for a good carbohydrate source), along with tons of veggies like cucumber, tomatoes, and red onion.
The toppings, of course, are always the star of the show in my world, so don't skimp on the feta and dips like hummus, tzatziki, and baba ghanoush.
This recipe makes for a super flavorful, nutrient-dense, and delicious meal you'll crave again, I can promise you that!
Makes 4-6 servings
Ingredients
For the chicken - recipe from @shredhappens
- 2.5 lbs boneless chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt & pepper to taste
- 4 tbsp Chicken Shawarma seasoning blend - I used one from Whole Foods (you can also make your own by combining 1 tbsp thyme, 1.5 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tbsp Aleppo pepper, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp cardamom, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp nutmeg)
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 2 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
For the bowls
- 3 cups Romaine lettuce, chopped
- 2 cups cooked jasmine rice
- 1 English cucumber, sliced or chopped
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- thinly sliced red onion (I used the leftover from the chicken above)
- fresh chopped parsley and/or dill for topping
- crumbled feta cheese for topping
- hummus, tzatziki, and/or baba ghanoush for topping
Directions
1. Add chicken thighs to a bowl with olive oil, shawarma seasoning, salt and pepper, lemon juice, Greek yogurt, and red onion. Mix well to coat and combine completely. You can ideally let this marinate in the fridge for 2-6 hours (even better overnight), but you can make it right away.
2. If marinated, remove the chicken from the fridge, and allow to come to room temperature (about 30 mins). Preheat your oven to 425F.
3. Layer and pack the marinated chicken tightly into a bread loaf pan. Bake the oven for 45-55 minutes.
4. Remove the chicken from the oven, and carefully pour out the excess juices. You can always save this to use as a flavorful broth!
5. Flip the loaf pan onto a cutting board to remove the chicken. Cut it into thin slices or strips.
7. Make the bowls by assembling all of the ingredients - Romaine, rice, chicken, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, and parsley, dill, feta, and dips of choice - hummus, baba ghanoush, tzatziki, etc. Enjoy!
The latest goods, right in your inbox.
We hate SPAM. We will never sell your information, for any reason.