These healthy Chicken Shawarma Bowls are filled with tender, spiced chicken, veggies and a tangy yogurt tahini sauce. They’re loaded with flavour and make a great meal prep option for the week!
If there’s one sort of meal I turn to time and time again, it’s nourish bowls. Maybe it’s because you can add a bunch of leftovers together and make it into something new, or maybe it’s just because meals always seem to always taste better in a bowl. Either way, I love playing around with different variations to create a nourishing meal that also tastes delicious. Today I’m sharing with you one of my favourite bowl recipes – healthy chicken shawarma bowls.
These protein packed bowls are my take on the Middle-Eastern dish and combines tender chicken that has been marinated with warming shawarma spices, crisp veggies, rice and a creamy yogurt sauce. Resulting in a bowl that’s filled with flavour, texture and colour!
The chicken is cooked entirely on a sheet pan and you can easily make the components for this bowl ahead of time, making it a great option for a meal prep lunch or dinner that the whole family will love.
Chicken shawarma bowl ingredients
- For the marinade: this marinade is made with fresh lemon juice, olive oil, fresh garlic, salt, pepper and a mixture of spices – cumin, paprika, turmeric, coriander, onion powder and cayenne.
- Chicken: I find chicken thighs work best here as they have more flavour and are less prone to drying out than chicken breast.
- For the sauce: this delicious sauce is made with greek yogurt (I use full fat), tahini, fresh lemon juice, garlic and sea salt.
- Veggies: you can really use any veggies you like here, but my favourites for this bowl are lettuce, cucumber and tomato. I also really love to include pickled red onions to add some more brightness and acidity to the bowl.
- Rice: this act as a nice base for the rest of the ingredients.
Recipe tips and variations
- Chicken: for the most flavourful chicken, I recommend marinating the chicken overnight.
- Meal prep: you can prepare the yogurt tahini sauce, chicken and rice ahead of time so all you have to do is chop veggies and assemble your bowls when you’re ready to eat.
- Dairy-free: to make these bowls dairy-free you can replace the yogurt tahini sauce with hummus or a lemon tahini sauce/dressing.
- Rice substitutes: instead of white rice, feel free to use brown rice, quinoa, crispy potatoes, cauliflower rice or fresh pita.
- Other topping options: red cabbage, bell pepper, carrot, roasted cauliflower, feta cheese, olives and fresh mint would all work great.
Nutrition Tip
Besides being a great way to meal prep, cooking your rice ahead of time actually has some health benefits. The process of cooking and cooling your starches, like rice and potatoes, boosts the resistant starch in these foods. Resistant starch feeds the good bacteria in the gut, making this a great way to support gut health! To make your rice even more nutritious and beneficial for gut health, try cooking it in bone broth instead of water.
If you make these chicken shawarma bowls, I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to leave a comment or review below, or tag me on instagram.
Healthy Chicken Shawarma Bowls
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1.5 tsp ground cumin
- 1.5 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne (optional)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 3 tbsp olive oil
Yogurt Tahini Sauce
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 3 tbsp tahini
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Sea salt to taste
- Water to thin
Bowl Toppings
- Rice
- Lettuce
- Tomato
- Cucumber
- Pickled red onion
Instructions
- Add spices, salt, garlic, lemon and olive oil to a large bowl or container and whisk to combine. Add the chicken thighs and toss to coat. Cover and let marinate in the fridge overnight or at least 3 hours.
- Make the yogurt tahini sauce by whisking all the ingredients together in a bowl. Add water as needed to reach desired consistency. Taste and adjust lemon or salt to taste.
- Remove the marinated chicken from the fridge and preheat oven to 425F. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Place the chicken thighs (along with any marinade) onto the baking sheet in an even layer (do not overcrowd). Bake for 15-20 minutes until cooked through (165 degrees F). Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before slicing.
- Assemble bowls: Add rice, greens, veggies, chicken and any other toppings to a bowl. Add the yogurt tahini and enjoy!
