Chicken shawarma bowl
Spice-marinated chicken thighs seared and sliced over a chopped salad, with a lemony tahini sauce.
- Hands-on
- 25 min
- Total time
69 min, show breakdown
- Prep 50 min
- Cook 12 min
- Clean up 7 min
- Pans
- 1
- Ingredients
- 12
- Cost/serving
- $3.71
Per serving
- Calories
- 443
- Protein
- 40 g
- Fiber
- 4.8 g
- Net carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 26 g
High in (% Daily Value per serving): Selenium 85%, Vitamin K 84%, Niacin (B3) 72%, Vitamin B6 55%, Vitamin A 42%, Vitamin B12 41%, Riboflavin (B2) 39%, Thiamin (B1) 38%, Zinc 37%, Folate 36%, Magnesium 31%, Iron 27%, Vitamin C 26%, Potassium 21%
Whole recipe (): . Full nutrition facts, vitamins and minerals. All nutrition is estimated; check your own labels.
Everything else is scaled from this.
Nutrition per serving is the whole batch divided by this.
Already dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free.
Ingredients for 2
Tap an ingredient for other units and forms.
You changed this recipe. Nutrition and cost include your changes. This combination hasn't been tested.
350 g chicken thighs, boneless skinless
Same amount as: 12¼ oz, about 3 thighs.
1½ tbsp olive oil (20 g)
Same amount as: 20 mL.
3 tbsp lemon juice (45 g)
Same amount as: 45 mL, 1 lemon squeezed from fresh lemons.
3 cloves garlic, smashed (9 g)
Same amount as: 3 tsp fresh minced garlic, 1½ tsp jarred minced garlic, ⅜ tsp garlic powder.
1 tsp ground cumin (2.1 g)
Same amount as: 5 mL.
1 tsp paprika (2.3 g)
Same amount as: 5 mL.
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon (0.3 g)
2 tbsp tahini (30 g)
Same amount as: 30 mL.
2 tbsp water (30 g)
Same amount as: 30 mL.
3 cups lettuce leaves (141 g)
Same amount as: 720 mL, about 14 large.
- ½ medium cucumber (150 g)
- 1 medium tomato (123 g)
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Use the menu next to each ingredient to skip it, halve it or add more. Nutrition updates as you go. The main ingredient changes with servings instead.
Amount for everything you're cooking. Missing an ingredient? Ask for it.
Healthier swaps
Optional. Nutrition and cost update as you choose; the recipe was written with the original.
Optional
Adds about 0 kcal per serving.
Quantities are for 2 servings. Prep time includes 30 minutes of marinating. Sear in rounds if the thighs do not fit in one layer.
Nutrition Facts
2 servings per recipe
Serving size 1 plate (452 g raw)
| Nutrient | Per serving | % DV* | Whole recipe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 443 | ||
| Total fat | 26 g | 33% | |
| Saturated fat | 4.4 g | 22% | |
| Cholesterol | 164 mg | 55% | |
| Sodium | 332 mg | 14% | |
| Total carbohydrate | 15 g | 5% | |
| Dietary fiber | 4.8 g | 17% | |
| Total sugars | 4.5 g | ||
| Net carbs† | 10 g | ||
| Protein | 40 g | 79% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.18 mcg | 1% | |
| Calcium | 144 mg | 11% | |
| Iron | 4.9 mg | 27% | |
| Potassium | 984 mg | 21% | |
| Vitamin A | 382 mcg | 42% | |
| Vitamin C | 24 mg | 26% | |
| Vitamin E | 2.7 mg | 18% | |
| Vitamin K | 101 mcg | 84% | |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.46 mg | 38% | |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.51 mg | 39% | |
| Niacin (B3) | 11 mg | 72% | |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.93 mg | 55% | |
| Folate | 143 mcg | 36% | |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.98 mcg | 41% | |
| Magnesium | 130 mg | 31% | |
| Zinc | 4.1 mg | 37% | |
| Selenium | 47 mcg | 85% |
Estimated, not verified. These numbers are calculated from typical ingredient data and haven't been checked against a lab or your brands. Check the labels of what you buy and confirm anything that matters to you, especially sodium, sugar and allergens.
* % Daily Value shows how much one serving adds to a 2,000-calorie day. † Net carbs is not on US labels; it is total carbs minus fiber, allulose, erythritol and half of other sugar alcohols. "To taste" amounts are counted as written. Counted items (eggs, cloves, spoons) use the rounded amount shown in the ingredient list. Vitamins and minerals are from raw ingredients; cooking lowers some, especially vitamin C and folate. How this is calculated.
Steps
Mince the garlic. In a bowl, mix 1 tbsp oil, 2 tbsp lemon juice, two-thirds of the garlic, the cumin, paprika, cinnamon, salt and pepper.
Add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, up to 24 hours.
Make the sauce: stir the tahini, the rest of the lemon juice and garlic, and the water until smooth. Add more water a teaspoon at a time if it is too thick.
Done looks like: Smooth and pourable, like thick cream. It seizes up at first, then loosens. Chop the lettuce. Dice the cucumber and tomato. Divide between two bowls.
Heat the rest of the oil in the pan on medium-high. Lay in the chicken. Do not move it for 5 minutes.
Done looks like: Dark golden brown underneath, with some charred spots. Flip and cook 4–5 minutes more. Check the thickest piece, then rest 3 minutes.
Done looks like: Thermometer reads 74 °C / 165 °F or higher. Slice the chicken thinly and lay it on the salad. Spoon the tahini sauce over.
Equipment
Large frying pan or skillet, 30 cm (12 in) $25–60
What to look for
- Wide flat base so food cooks in one layer
- Stainless steel or cast iron for high heat
Skip: Woks on flat electric stoves; they do not heat evenly there.
Instant-read digital thermometer $10–30
What to look for
- Reads in 5 seconds or less
- Thin probe tip
- Shows °C and °F
Skip: Dial thermometers that take 20+ seconds.
Silicone spatula $5–12
What to look for
- One-piece (no seam where the head meets the handle)
- Stiff enough to scrape, safe on non-stick
Skip: Wooden spatulas for non-stick pans; they work but do not scrape as cleanly.
Chef's knife, 20 cm (8 in) $15–50
What to look for
- Comfortable handle that does not slip when wet
- Blade you can sharpen, or a cheap one you replace every few years
Skip: Knife blocks with 12 knives. A chef's knife and a small paring knife cover almost everything.
Cutting board $10–30
What to look for
- At least 30 × 40 cm (12 × 16 in), so food stays on it
- Wood or plastic; plastic goes in the dishwasher
Skip: Glass or stone boards. They dull knives fast.
What goes wrong
| What | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Tahini sauce turns thick and pasty | Tahini tightens when lemon juice first hits it. | Keep stirring and add water a little at a time. It loosens and turns smooth. |
| Spices burn before the chicken is cooked | Heat too high for the paprika in the marinade. | Use medium-high, not high. Turn it down if the pan smokes. |
Versions
| Version | Changes | Per serving |
|---|---|---|
| Original | As written. Hands-on 25 min, total 69 min. | 443 kcal 40 g protein 4.8 g fiber 10 g net carbs 26 g fat |
| Vegan | Chickpeas instead of chicken thighs. Also vegetarian. Hands-on 22 min, total 32 min. | 398 kcal 14 g protein 12 g fiber 30 g net carbs 22 g fat |
Notes
Allergies: removing an allergen from the recipe does not remove it from your kitchen or from other products. Check labels for "may contain" warnings.
Pregnancy: Cook chicken to at least 74 °C / 165 °F in the thickest part.