Take your weeknight meals to a new level with this Chicken Shawarma Recipe. The chicken is simple to make and works great in rice bowls with your favorite toppings. Basmati rice is topped with chicken shawarma, tabbouleh, red onion, hummus, yogurt and lettuce to make the perfect, weeknight meal. 

CHICKEN SHAWARMA RECIPE

Let’s celebrate rice month with rice bowls. There is no better way to celebrate, right?

Rice bowls are one of my favorite go-to lunches or dinners in my house. I love that they are easy to put together and how versatile they are. You can create the perfect, well balanced meal all in one simple bowl. Today’s Chicken Shawarma Recipe is simple to make and so flavorful. The chicken works great as part of a rice bowl with your favorite mediterranean ingredients. I love a recipe that includes your protein and creates a full meal like this Chicken Souvlaki Salad or these Sheet Pan Honey Balsamic Chicken Tenders.

This rice bowl uses aromatic basmati rice paired with juicy, flavorful chicken shawarma and is topped with hummus, yogurt, a tabbouleh inspired salad, cucumbers, red onions and served with pita wedges. The best part about a meal like this is that I can set out all of the ingredients for my family and they can create their favorite bowl based on their tastes. The sky is the limit with things you can add to this bowl including chickpeas, feta cheese, a drizzle of tahini or even pine nuts. Get creative!

The base of these Chicken Shawarma Rice Bowls is the Royal Basmati Rice . I have to tell you a little about the Royal story and their Basmati & Jasmine rice products. Their Royal® Basmati Rice grows in the foothills of the Himalayas, which is the only place authentic Basmati Rice can come from. Exceptionally fragrant, with a delicate taste and fluffy texture, it is deservedly the best-selling Basmati in America. We love rice in our house and this is a favorite.

WHAT INGREDIENTS GO IN A MEDITERRANEAN RICE BOWL?

CHICKEN SHAWARMA: The star of the show is the chicken. The marinade creates a flavorful and tender piece of meat. 

RICE: Rice is the main base of your rice bowl. You can use white, basmati or brown rice. 

FRESH VEGETABLES: Load up the vegetables in your bowl. I like red onion, chopped romaine, chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and bell peppers. 

TABBOULEH: The tabbouleh is one of my favorite parts of a Mediterranean rice bowl. Try my recipe for classic tabbouleh, cauliflower tabbouleh or Greek tabbouleh.

HUMMUS: Hummus is also the star of these bowls. I love making homemade hummus like this classic hummus, roasted red pepper or lemon hummus. 

As we get into the swing of the school year having easy meals the whole family will like is the key to meal time success. These Chicken Shawarma Rice Bowls are a nice way to incorporate healthy ingredients into one meal.

TRY THESE HOMEMADE HUMMUS RECIPES TO PAIR WITH YOUR RICE BOWL:

Lemon Hummus

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Spicy Hummus

Classic Hummus

Yield: 4

Chicken Shawarma Recipe

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Take your weeknight meals to a new level with this Chicken Shawarma Recipe. The chicken is simple to make and works great in rice bowls with your favorite toppings. Basmati rice is topped with chicken shawarma, tabbouleh, red onion, hummus, yogurt and lettuce to make the perfect, weeknight meal. 

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup Royal Basmati Rice, cooked

For the chicken shawarma:

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 teaspoons coriander
• 3 teaspoons cumin
• 3 teaspoons cardamom
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper {optional}
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the tabbouleh:

• 2 Cups curly parsley, chopped
• 1 cup tomato, diced {about 3 large tomatoes}
• 8-10 thinly sliced green onion, green parts chopped
• 1/4 cup freshly chopped mint
• 1/4 cup lemon juice, fresh squeezed
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Additional rice bowl toppings:

• Hummus
• Yogurt
• Red onion, chopped
• Lettuce, chopped
• Lemon slices

Instructions

1. In a large ziplock bag add the minced garlic, olive oil, coriander, cumin, cardamom, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, pepper and salt. Add the chicken thighs and close the ziplock. Use your hands to massage the marinade into the chicken. Refrigerate overnight or at least 2 hours.
2. When read to make the rice bowls remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Grill chicken thighs over medium-high heat, about 6 to 8 minutes per side, until done and there is no hint of pink in the meat and an internal temperature of 165°F.
3. While the chicken is grilling cook the rice according to the package and prepare the tabbouleh by placing all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and gently stirring to combine.
4. To assemble the rice bowls place a scoop of basmati rice in each bowl and top with chicken, tabbouleh, hummus, yogurt, red onion and serve with pita bread and lemon wedges.