Chicken Shawarma Bowls

FEB 22

We love Chicken Shawarma from The Mediterranean Dish, but our youngest says it’s a bit on the “spicy” side, so I tried this recipe from What’s Gaby Cooking. Everyone loved it! I also use her Tzatziki recipe and The Mediterranean Dish 3 Ingredient Mediterranean Salad to go with the chicken. Make it a pita wrap or a bowl, either way it’s delicious! I made enough for lunches the next day.

Plan 10 minutes in the morning to marinade the chicken and you will have dinner ready in 20 minutes that night. Quick family meals are our go to during the school year so this will be on repeat.

Ingredients

For the Chicken

2 lemons juiced
½ cup olive oil
6 cloves garlic peeled, smashed and minced
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs

For the Bowls

3 heads Romaine Lettuce Shredded
3 Ingredient Mediterranean Salad (If you want to opt out of this, you can just cut tomatoes, Persian cucumbers, and parsley.)
1 cup homemade Tzatziki (You can use store bought to save time as well)
Homemade Toasted Pita Chips (I used pitas for wraps, and store bought pita chips for time saving)

For the Tzatziki:

1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt
1 Persian cucumber small dice
Juice of 1 lemon plus more if needed
3 cloves garlic finely minced
2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

For the 3 Ingredient Mediterranean Salad

6 Roma tomatoes, diced (about 3 cups diced tomatoes)
1 Large English cucumber, or hot-house cucumber, diced
1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
kosher salt, to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp ground Sumac
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, try a robust like Greek Early Harvest or Hojiblanca Spanish EVOO
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions for Shawarma Bowls

In a large zip-top bag, combine the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, oregano and red-pepper flakes. Add the chicken, zip the top of the bag and give it a quick shake to combine. Refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.
Preheat a cast iron to medium high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill each chicken thigh for 4-5 minutes on each side until done. Remove and set aside to rest.
Slice the chicken against the grain into thin strips and transfer back into the skillet and sauté for 2 minutes until just slightly crispy around the edges.
Transfer the chicken to a large bowl and toss to combine with the parsley, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers.
Divide the shredded lettuce amongst 4 bowls and top with a hefty portion of the chicken tomato mixture. Drizzle wtih tzatziki or serve it on the side. Also pita chips on the side.

Instructions for Tzatziki

In a large bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, diced cucumber, lemon juice garlic and dill. Stir to combine.
Season with salt and pepper and taste. Adjust salt, pepper or lemon juice depending on your preference. Serve immediately or store in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.

Instructions for 3 Ingredient Mediterranean Salad:

In a large mixing bowl, place the diced tomatoes, cucumbers, and parsley. Season with kosher salt and toss. Set aside for 5 minutes or so.
Add the sumac, olive oil, and lemon juice. Give the salad a gentle toss. Enjoy!