An easy Chicken Shawarma Salad full of warm Mediterranean spices, tender chicken and fresh veggies. Perfect for lunch or a light dinner and full of delicious flavor. Gluten free, low carb, keto, paleo and Whole30 compliant.
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Summer is just around the corner and that means bring on all the salads. We actually have salads like Avocado Egg Salad and Chicken Cobb Salad all year round but even more so once the weather gets hot since they are so quick and easy to make.
WHAT IS CHICKEN SHAWARMA?
Traditional shawarma is typically slow roasted meat that you marinate with lots of fragrant warm spices. The meat is stacked in a cone-like shape and roasted on a vertical rotisserie spit until it gets tender and juicy.
Then thin slices of the meat are shaved off and piled on a warm pita or a plate. Usually with lots fresh veggies with a shawarma sauce made with either tahini or yogurt.
EASY CHICKEN SHARMA RECIPE:
Making chicken shawarma at home is actually easier than you might think. This amazing chicken shawarma recipe is slightly adapted from Teri Turner’s gorgeous new cookbook No Crumbs Left.
Teri of No Crumbs Left is the Master Collaborator, Blogger, Food Columnist, regular contributor to Whole30 and editor @thefeedfeed.
She shares healthful and delicious recipes, most of which are gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free and Whole30 compliant.
Her magical marinated onions and gorgeous photos on Instagram are sure to make you instantly hungry.
I couldn’t be more excited for the launch of her new cookbook and seriously had such a hard time choosing which recipes to make first and finally decided to start with her delicious Chicken Shawarma Salad with a few Cobb Salad elements.
And while it doesn’t cook on a rotating rotisserie cone like an authentic shawarma, it does include all of those amazing Mediterranean flavors that I can’t get enough of.
The salad recipe starts with a delicious marinade and a shawarma seasoning blend that takes just a few minutes of prep time.
And while Teri’s recipe includes ground sumac and instructs you to marinate the chicken overnight or for up to 48 hours in the fridge, we didn’t have sumac on hand and only marinated our chicken for 20 minutes and it still turned out amazing thanks to Teri’s flavor-packed marinated onions.
We also served our shawarma salad with avocado and some hard boiled eggs we had on hand.
I love that the chicken marinade is so versatile since you can serve it with whatever sides you like. It was super flavorful and definitely rivaled our favorite Middle Eastern takeout restaurant. Plus it makes the perfect Whole30, low carb, paleo and keto-friendly weeknight meal.
You can find No Crumbs Left at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or wherever books are sold. It’s a must for any food lover’s book collection!
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN SHAWARMA SEASONING:
Chicken Shawarma can be marinated in a variety of spices and aromatics, but this homemade shawarma spice mix uses:
- ground coriander
- ground cumin
- ground cayenne pepper
- ground turmeric
- garlic powder
- smoked paprika
- cayenne pepper
- sea salt and black pepper
- dried oregano
And for the shawarma marinade:
- minced garlic
- olive oil
- fresh lemon juice and lemon zest
WHAT SHOULD YOU SERVE SHAWARMA WITH:
You can serve homemade chicken shawarma:
- in a chicken shawarma sandwich or chicken sharama pita with:
- tomatoes
- lettuce
- onions
- fresh herbs
- hummus (if not Whole30 or keto)
- tahini sauce
- plain dairy-free yogurt such as Kite Hill brand OR plain Skyr or Greek yogurt (if not Whole30, keto, paleo)
- on a chicken shawarma salad plate like I did with:
- mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, Teri’s marinated onions, avocado, hard boiled eggs, and fresh parsley and mint
- or as a chicken shawarama plate with a side of cauliflower rice, tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh herbs and tahini sauce.
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN SHAWARMA:
- In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the seasoning along with the olive oil, lemon zest and lemon juice.
- Add the chicken and toss together until coated well.
- Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the fridge for at least 20 minutes or overnight.
- When ready to cook, remove chicken from the fridge and allow to sit while you preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange chicken in a single layer. Coat the chicken with any remaining marinade from the bowl. Roast for 15-20 minutes (depending on how big your chicken thighs are or if they have bones) or until cooked through and they reach 165°F. For a more browned, crispier chicken, broil for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Remove chicken from oven and cut into slices or chunks.
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN SHAWARMA SALAD:
- Arrange mixed greens on a platter and top with chicken tomatoes, cucumbers, hard boiled eggs, marinated onions and avocado.
CAN YOU MAKE SHAWARMA IN ADVANCE?
Yes! Make the marinade and chicken ahead of time and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to two days then bake when you’re ready.
For already roasted chicken, simply store in an airtight container for up to 3 days and reheat either in the microwave, skillet, air-fryer or oven.
More chicken thigh recipes you might like:
This Chicken Shawarma is easy to make and full of Mediterranean spices, tender chicken, fresh veggies, and a simple Greek-inspired vinaigrette. It comes together in 30 minutes and is perfect for lunch or a light dinner.
- 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 cloves garlic , pressed or minced
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil OR avocado oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- For the salad:
- 6 cups assorted greens
- 8 cherry tomatoes , sliced
- 1 1/2 cups sliced cucumbers
- Marinated Onions
- Your favorite tahini dressing
- Avocado
- Hard Boiled Eggs
- Fresh parsley and mint chopped
Season the chicken with 1 teaspoon of salt. In a large airtight container (or a bowl) whisk together all the ingredients for the seasoning until well combined then stir in the garlic followed by the lemon zest. Slowly add the oil (1 tablespoon at a time followed by the lemon juice.
- Add the chicken and toss together until coated well.
Cover and marinate in the fridge for 1 hour or up to 48 hours. (We only marinated ours for 30 minutes and it was still super delicious).
When ready to cook, remove chicken from the fridge and allow to sit while you preheat the oven to 425°F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange chicken in a single layer. Coat the chicken with any remaining marinade from the bowl. Roast for 15 minutes (depending on how big your chicken thighs are or if they have bone until cooked through and they reach 165°). For a more browned, crispier chicken, broil for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Remove chicken from oven and cut into slices or chunks.
- Arrange the greens on a platter and top with the chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers and optional toppings. Drizzle with dressing, if desired and marinated onions before serving.
*Recipe slightly adapted from No Crumbs Left with permission from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
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