When you want a healthy, flavorful, and easy-to-make recipe, these chicken shawarma bowls check all the boxes.
Why Chicken Shawarma Bowls Are a Family Favorite
- I use tender, juicy chicken pieces, loaded with Mediterranean spices like cumin, paprika, turmeric, coriander, and a pinch of cayenne for a spicy kick!
- Easy to adapt to my family’s personal preferences.
- Perfect for busy weeknights because it’s ready in about 30 minutes.
Shawarma Bowls!
I’m no stranger to authentic shawarma. It’s a traditional Middle Eastern street food from the Levant region, which is where my husband’s family is from.
In our house, creating modern twists on traditional shawarma is pretty common. I have seven different shawarma recipes on this website, including grilled shawarma on a spit and this shawarma bowl recipe. I even created my own homemade shawarma spice blend. In a Mediterranean household, we take our shawarma seriously!
Traditional shawarma is made from either chicken, beef, veal, lamb, or a mixture of meats. The seasoned meat is alternated with strips of fat on a vertical spit for juicy, tender slices of meat. However, you don’t need special equipment for my shawarma bowl recipe.
I keep it pretty simple by adapting my chicken shawarma recipe, skipping the pita bread and making it more like a Mediterranean salad. There is something about throwing fresh, delicious, and flavorful ingredients into a bowl that makes the meal feel so comforting and satisfying. The result is a low-carb, gluten-free, high-protein, and fiber-rich shawarma bowl perfect for busy weeknights and healthy grab-and-go meal prep lunches.
How to Make Chicken Shawarma Bowls
For this easy shawarma bowls recipe, there are two simple components: preparing and cooking the chicken and assembling the salad. Here is how:
- Mix the spices: In a small bowl, combine 3/4 tablespoon each of cumin, turmeric, coriander, garlic powder, sweet paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon each of cloves and cayenne pepper. Set aside.
- Prepare the chicken: Pat 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs dry, season with salt on both sides, and thinly slice into bite-sized pieces. Place in a large bowl and add the shawarma spices, 1 large thinly sliced onion, juice from 1 lemon, and 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil, and toss to coat. Set aside while you prepare the salad. If you have time, cover and refrigerate for a couple hours or overnight.
- Prepare the salad. Place 8 ounces of arugula, 2 to 3 diced Roma tomatoes, 1 diced English cucumber, and 1/4 of a medium red onion thinnly sliced in a large mixing bowl. In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and sumac. Mix well. Just before serving, pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
- Cook the chicken: Set a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat, add a little bit of extra virgin olive oil. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the chicken, cook for about 5 to 6 minutes, then toss and cook another 5 to 6 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked. (I like a bit of color on my chicken, so I tend to go a bit longer until the chicken is browned and crusted in some parts.)
- When ready, divide the salad into serving bowls. Top with chicken shawarma and add a dollop of hummus, tzatziki, or baba ganoush to the bowl to give you even more flavor, texture, and volume. These creamy extras give your shawarma bowl a little more pizzazz.
How to Meal Prep Chicken Shawarma Bowls
- Make the chicken the same way as the regular recipe.
- Make the salad according to the recipe instructions, but do not add the dressing. Keep dressing on the side in a little container to add right before you eat the salad.
- Divide salad and chicken evenly between airtight containers. The salad is best eaten within 2-4 days after assembled and kept in the fridge.
- Put extras like hummus, tzatziki, and baba ganoush in small containers as well to avoid eating a soggy salad.
More Shawarma Recipes
Once you’ve made my chicken shawarma bowls, try your hand at some of my other favorite recipes (I wasn’t kidding when I said I take my shawarma seriously!):
- Easy Homemade Chicken Shawarma (The chicken is baked and served in a pita.)
- Grilled Chicken Shawarma on a Spit
- Spicy Cauliflower Shawarma
- Beef Shawarma
- Vegan Mushroom Shawarma with Tahini
- Shawarma Spiced Chicken Sweet Potato Bowls
Ingredients
For the Chicken Shawarma
- 3/4 tbsp ground cumin
- 3/4 tbsp turmeric powder
- 3/4 tbsp ground coriander
- 3/4 tbsp garlic powder
- 3/4 tbsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, more if you prefer
- salt
- 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 1 large lemon, juice of
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, Private Reserve Greek EVOO
For the Salad
- 8 oz baby arugula
- 2 to 3 Roma tomatoes, diced
- 1 English cucumber, diced
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 lemon, juiced
- extra virgin olive oil Private Reserve or Early Harvest Greek EVOO
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon sumac
To Serve
- A side of hummus tzatziki, tahini, or baba ganoush
Instructions
- Prepare the spice mix: In a small bowl, mix the cumin, turmeric, coriander, garlic powder, sweet paprika and cloves. Set aside the shawarma spice mix for now.
- Dry the slice the chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry and season with salt on both sides, then thinly slice into small bite-sized pieces.
- Season the chicken: Place the chicken in a large bowl. Add the shawarma spices and toss to coat. Add the onions, lemon juice and olive oil. Toss to combine. Set aside for now, while you prepare the salad (and if you have time, cover and refrigerate for a couple hours or overnight.)
- Prepare the salad: Place the arugula, tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions in one large mixing bowl. In a small bowl make the dressing combine lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and sumac. Mix well. When ready, pour dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
- Cook the chicken: Put a little bit of extra virgin olive oil in a large cast iron skillet set over medium heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the chicken, cook for about 5 to 6 minutes, then toss and cook another 5 to 6 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked (I like a bit of color on my chicken, so I tend to go a bit longer until chicken is browned and crusted in some parts.)
- Assemble: When ready, divide the salad into serving bowls. Add chicken shawarma. If you like, add a side of hummus, tzatziki or tahini. Add warm pita wedges if needed. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Leftovers? Let leftover cooked chicken shawarma cool fully. Store in tight-lid glass containers in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
- Visit Our Online shop to browse all-natural and organic spices and quality extra virgin olive oils to make this recipe!
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Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
We’re pescatarians. I suppose this would also work if I substitute the chicken with salmon? Maybe with a little more sumac and ras el hanout? Thanks a lot for the inspiration!
You can give that a try, but I can not tell you for sure how it will work out. We do have a salmon salad recipe here: https://www.themediterraneandish.com/greek-style-salmon-salad/ and quite a large collection of fish and seafood recipes under the recipes tab.
This is excellent! We also made the couscous recipe to add to the bowl. Thank you Suzy.
My pleasure, Ana! So glad you enjoyed it!
LOVE LOVE LOVE your shwarma recipe! What did you add on the side in your photos? Is that hummus or baba ganoush?
That’s actually tahini sauce 🙂
This has become one of our favorites! I made this for about 40 people at one point and it was a hit! I’ve started changing up the salad now that it’s a comfortable recipe for me. Tonight we had chickpeas, kalamata olives and feta added to the salad. Also, I used too much lemon juice in the marinade so I replaced the lemon in the salad dressing with fig balsamic.
This is a great recipe as is but it’s also great to riff on. Your recipes are far and above any others that I use.
Thanks, Suzy for bringing us healthy, filling, and delicious recipes.
My pleasure, Kristin! Thanks for sharing your adaptations for this one! Sounds delicious!
Family loved it and it was easy to make. Thanks!
My pleasure, Robyn 🙂
I haven’t tried this yet but was wondering if you could use chicken breast instead of thighs.
Sure! You will just need to adjust the cook time accordingly.
This is an amazing Shawarma recipe. I have use several pre-mixed blends and this one is by far the best. In fact, I used it last week to make a sheet pan meal in my Ninja Foodi oven. Marinated the chicken for a couple of hours and mixed in a pepper, onion, green beans and broccoli frozen vegetable blend. It coated the veggies with Shawarma goodness!
Sounds amazing!! Thank you, Mark!
I never had Chicken Schwarma before! WOW! amazing, another family favorite here! With the homemade tzatziki!! Yum!!
Yes! We make this one ALOT! So glad you liked it!
Outstanding! Every one of your recipes has always turned out to rave reviews in my house. Thankyou!
So glad, Jo! Thank you for sharing
This was so good! I will be adding this to the rotation. Only thing I added was a little cardamom and sumac.
Wonderful, Norma! Cardamom and sumac are great additions here.
Thank you, Norma! Happy to hear you liked the recipe!
The chicken was absolutely delicious. I left the tenders overnight in the marinade, just because I got busy. The flavor was incredible and the best shawarma. so fabulous thank you so much Suzy!
My pleasure, Stacey!
DELICIOUS! This was quick and simple, and a perfect lunch.
Oh so glad to hear it, Lisa!
I made this for dinner last night and it was a huge hit – absolutely delicious! My family loved the flavors. I will definitely make this again. Thank you for the recipe, Suzy!
Awesome! You’re welcome, Jennifer! So glad the family loved it!
Delicious recipe! The blend of spices elevate an ordinary piece of chicken to new heights. We loved it! Will be making it again! Thank you. You have some wonderful dishes here.
So glad you enjoyed it.
The kids devoured the chicken on warm pita with the hummus and salad piled on top. The adults devoured the salad, chicken, and hummus in a bowl. We will definitely be making this again!!! Excellent flavors and textures.
Love that this one was a hit with your family, Karen!