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Chicken Shawarma Bowls (Great for Meal Prep) 🍗
These bowls are how I make eating well feel like something I actually look forward to. Warmly spiced golden chicken over fragrant turmeric rice with a bright, lemony sumac salad. I love this one for the weeks I am trying to stay ahead of myself, because the chicken marinates while I go about my day and everything keeps beautifully in the fridge. Build a bowl all week and dinner is basically already done.
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 whole onions cut in half
- 2 lbs chicken breast or thighs pounded thin
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp sumac
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp all spice
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp pepper
- Juice of 1 lemon
For the Rice
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1.5 cups basmati rice rinsed until water is clear
- 2.5 cups chicken broth
- 1.5 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Sumac Salad
- 1 red onion very thinly sliced
- 1/2 cucumber sliced
- 1/2 cup parsley
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Drizzle of olive oil
- 1-2 tbsp sumac
- Salt and pepper
Optional Toppings
- Tzatziki sauce
- Hummus
- Pita
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients under the chicken section and allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes, but the longer the better. Once ready, build your spit by cutting two onions in half and laying the flat side down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Stick two skewers in each onion. Add chicken, piece by piece, to skewers. Once half way up the skewer, top with the other half of the onion.
- When ready to cook, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place in preheated oven and cook for 1 hour 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and golden.
- While chicken is cooking, prepare sumac salad by combining all ingredients under the sumac salad section. Set aside.
- 30 minutes prior to chicken being done, prepare rice. Add butter in a sauce pan on medium heat and melt. Add turmeric and cumin, mix and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add rice and toast for about 4 minutes. Add chicken broth and chicken bouillon powder. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove from heat, still covered, and do not touch for 15 more minutes. Then, remove lid and fluff.
- Cut chicken once done off the skewers and create your bowl with desired toppings. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Tips for Making This Recipe
Give the chicken a good long marinate; even a few hours deepens the flavor, and overnight is ideal. The yogurt keeps it juicy.
For golden turmeric rice, toast the rice in a little oil with the turmeric before adding liquid so the color and flavor bloom.
Get a hard sear on the chicken so the edges caramelize; that char is where the shawarma flavor lives.
Make the sumac salad just before serving so it stays crisp and bright against the warm chicken and rice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is sumac and where do I find it?
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breast?
How long do shawarma bowls keep for meal prep?
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Shop What I Used
A few recipe-appropriate kitchen tools that make this one easier:
- A large skillet or grill pan for a good sear
- A fine grater for fresh garlic
- Meal-prep containers for easy bowls all week
Browse my full kitchen on my Amazon storefront.
