Chicken Shawarma Bowls
These Chicken Shawarma Bowls are inspired by my favorite Halal-Cart Chicken. They’re loaded with tender and flavorful chicken with yellow rice, salad, and white sauce!
Chicken shawarma bowls are a go-to in our household for a quick, healthy, and balanced dinner any night of the week!
Table of Contents
Halal-Cart Style Chicken Shawarma Bowls
I am absolutely obsessed with bowl dinners. We meal prep a ton in our house, so I love recipes that are flavorful and customizable, like these truly perfect Chicken Shawarma Bowls.
This recipe is inspired by places like Halal Guys, who serve their tender shawarma chicken on a bed of yellow rice with crisp veggies and lettuce on the side. The bowls come together in no time at all, making them perfect for busy weeknights.
All you need is my trusty shawarma marinade recipe, some chicken thighs, and a handful of simple ingredients and dinner is ready to go!
If you love fresh mediterranean food as much as I do, this will be your new go-to dinner! You should also try my Cava-Copycat Harissa Chicken Bowls!
What is Shawarma?
Shawarma is a middle eastern food that consists of thinly-sliced marinated meat stacked together and slow roasted on a vertical spit. Think gyros and al pastor vibes!
Shawarma is warmly spiced with paprika, cumin, turmeric, and other spices. This cooking style originated in Turkey and eventually made its way to Greece where the gyro was created.
This recipe is inspired by all my favorite shawarma recipes, but I don’t claim for it to be authentic. Regardless, it’s still incredibly delicious!
How to Make Chicken Shawarma Bowls
These chicken shawarma bowls are so easy to make! They’re perfect for weekly meal prep and the chicken can be cooked in a variety of ways.
Tools Needed
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Shawarma marinade. You’ll need a handful of spices like paprika, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and turmeric, plus garlic, lemon, and olive oil.
- Chicken. I always use chicken thighs here because they stay juicy and they’re so flavorful. If needed, you could do a mix of breasts and thighs, or all breasts.
- Rice. You’ll need long grain white or basmati rice here.
- Toppings. I like to serve chicken shawarma bowls with thinly sliced onion, diced tomato, and cucumber along with shredded lettuce.
- White sauce. Halal Guys serves their chicken shawarma with a white sauce on the side that is addictive! I’ve made a little copycat sauce that has mayonnaise, yogurt, garlic, vinegar, pepper, parsley, and sugar.
The Process
- Mix the marinade. Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a bowl and whisk to combine. Stir in the salt and pepper.
- Marinate the chicken shawarma. Add the chicken thighs to the marinade and toss well to coat. Cover, and transfer to the fridge for at least 4 hours, up to 48 hours.
- Cook the chicken. You can grill, pan fry, or bake your chicken shawarma (see the recipe card below for methods).
- Make the yellow rice. Melt the butter in a stainless steel or nonstick saucepan at least 2 quarts in size. Once the butter is melted and foamy, add the diced shallots and cook for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Add the turmeric and rice and toss well to coat. Continue to cook, stirring often, for another 2-3 minutes. Stir in the water or stock, salt, and pepper and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover, reduce the heat as low as it will go and set a timer for 20 minutes. Once the timer goes off, remove the rice from the heat but keep it covered for another 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.
- Make the white sauce. Whisk all the ingredients together in a small mixing bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Assemble the bowls. Assemble the chicken shawarma bowls with the chicken, yellow rice, and veggies. Drizzle with white sauce.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
Don’t skimp on the marinating time. For the chicken shawarma to really reach its flavor potential, make sure to give it plenty of time in the marinade! 4 hours is enough, but overnight is truly best.
Opt for chicken thighs over breasts. There’s nothing wrong when it comes to chicken breasts, but chicken thighs will truly give you the most flavor and stay juicier longer. They’re ideal for meal prepping!
Grilling or pan frying is best. While there are several methods to cook chicken shawarma, grilling or pan frying is best, in my opinion! The chicken ends up with the best texture and flavor.
When it comes to bowls, more is more. I love bowl dinners because you can really load them up with your favorite sauces and toppings. Go crazy here and add all your favorites!
Methods for Cooking Chicken Shawarma
My favorite method for cooking chicken for chicken shawarma bowls is to use the grill, but there are several ways to get it done!
Outdoor grill: Grilling outside gives the chicken the smoky flavor that is so, so good. Preheat a grill over medium-high heat until the temp reaches 450 F. Clean the grates of any debris and food. Grill the chicken for 4-6 minutes per side until cooked through.
Indoor Grill Pan: Too cold to grill? No problem! I love using a grill pan inside. Preheat a grill pan over medium heat for 5 minutes. Drizzle in a little neutral oil and add the chicken in a single layer without crowding the pan. You may need to do this in batches. Cook for 5-6 minutes per side, until cooked through.
Cast iron pan or skillet: You can use cast iron skillet or another heavy bottomed skillet to cook the chicken. Preheat the pan over medium high heat for 5 minutes. When the pan is hot, drizzle in some neutral oil and add the chicken to the pan. Depending on the size, you will likely need to do this in batches. Cook for 5-6 minutes per side until cooked through.
Oven Method: Preheat an oven to 450 F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray the foil with nonstick spray and place the baking sheet in the oven to preheat. Lay the chicken out in a single layer and bake for 15 minutes. Flip the chicken and switch to broil for 4-5 minutes, until browned.
Best Toppings for Chicken Shawarma Bowls
When it comes to toppings for any bowl dinner, I am a more is more person! I love going crazy with veggies, pickled things, and all the sauces. Here are some of my favorite toppings for chicken shawarma bowls:
Pickled things: Mediterranean and Middle Eastern foods always feature tons of pickled things. Anything from pickles (make sure to heat to your Middle Eastern Market for the good pickles!), pickled onions, pickled cabbage, and pickled veggies provide a nice acidic balance to the rest of the bowl.
Spreads: I LOVE spreads. The more spreads, the better! Give me all the hummus, tzatziki, baba ganoush, muhammara, zhoug, etc. If you’re not up to making a bunch of different spreads, but want that variety, I am a huge fan of heading to Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods and grabbing a smorgasbord of fresh dips and spreads.
Crunchy Things: The best dishes are the ones with texture, so I love adding something crunch to my bowl dinners. Whether that’s pita chips, or toasted nuts like cashews, they always add a lot!
Dressings: While the lettuce, tomato, onion, and cucumber is not dressed in this recipe (more white sauce, please!), a simple vinaigrette with oregano would go a long way.
Storage Instructions
I rarely ever store my bowl dinner recipes already assembled. In my opinion, the best way to store bowl recipes is to store the ingredients separately and assemble them right before you enjoy them. Then everything tastes completely fresh
In the Refrigerator: Store any chicken shawarma bowl leftovers in separate air-tight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store the white sauce in a separate airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
To Reheat: Reheat the chicken in the microwave for about 60 seconds or until warmed through. Assemble with the warmed rice, veggies, lettuce, and white sauce.
Chicken Shawarma Bowls are a healthy and delicious meal that you can enjoy any night of the week. If you love halal-cart style bowls, you will love these bowls so much! If you do give this recipe a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!
More Bowl Dinner Recipes to Try
Chicken Spring Roll Bowls
Teriyaki Chicken Bowls
Soy-Glazed Salmon Bowls
Shrimp Burrito Bowls
Harissa Chicken Bowls
Hibachi Steak and Shrimp Bowls
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Chicken Shawarma Bowls
Ingredients
Chicken Shawarma
- 1 batch shawarma marinade
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat
- 2 ripe tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 white onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 english cucumber, diced
- 2 cups shredded iceberg or romaine lettuce
Yellow Rice
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 1/2 cups long grain or basmati rice
- 3 cups water or stock
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
White Sauce
- 1/2 cup full-fat greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley, rubbed between your palms
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Mix the marinade. Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a bowl and whisk to combine. Stir in the salt and pepper.
- Marinate the chicken shawarma. Add the chicken thighs to the marinade and toss well to coat. Cover, and transfer to the fridge for at least 4 hours, up to 48 hours.
Cooking Methods
- For the Oven Method: Preheat an oven to 450 F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray the foil with nonstick spray and place the baking sheet in the oven to preheat. Lay the chicken out in a single layer and bake for 15 minutes. Flip the chicken and switch to broil for 4-5 minutes, until browned.
- For the Grill Method: Preheat an outdoor grill to 450 F. Clean the grates of any debris and lightly grease them. Grill the chicken for 4-6 minutes per side, until a thermometer registers the thickest part of the chicken to be 165 F.
- For the pan-fry method: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of neutral oil to the skillet. Place the chicken in a single layer in the pan (you may have to do this in batches), and cook the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side, until a thermometer registers the thickest part of the chicken to be 165 F.
- Let the chicken rest before dicing.
Yellow Rice
- Melt the butter in a stainless steel or nonstick saucepan at least 2 quarts in size. Once the butter is melted and foamy, add the diced shallots and cook for 2-3 minutes, until softened.
- Add the turmeric and rice and toss well to coat. Continue to cook, stirring often, for another 2-3 minutes. Stir in the water or stock, salt, and pepper and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Cover, reduce the heat as low as it will go and set a timer for 20 minutes. Once the timer goes off, remove the rice from the heat but keep it covered for another 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.
White Sauce
- Whisk together the ingredients in a small mixing bowl until smooth. If the sauce seems too thick, add a little more water until the sauce is drizzle-able.
Rate & Review This Recipe
Hello, I’m going to make your chicken shawarma bowls and I noticed there’s nothing in the yellow rice recipe that makes it yellow. Is turmeric perhaps missing?
Tiffany, oh my gosh, how embarrassing! Omitting the turmeric from the written recipe was an oversight that has now been adjusted. Thank you for bringing that to my attention!