Easy Chicken Shawarma Salad Bowls

A quick, spiced chicken shawarma served over a fresh tomato-cucumber salad with a tangy yogurt sauce.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Servings: 4 servings

3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
1 to 1.25 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika regular paprika may be substituted
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon Kosher salt or to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
3 to 4 cloves garlic finely minced or pressed
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 15-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained and rinsed; no-salt added recommended; season with salt and pepper if desired
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil if necessary for chickpeas
2 cups tomatoes diced if regular, halved if cherry/grape
2 cups English cucumber diced small
1/2 cup red onion diced small; optional
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh parsley finely minced
6 ounces plain Greek yogurt must be Greek yogurt (0% fat used in recipe)
2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice for sauce, or as desired for consistency
1 clove garlic finely minced or pressed; optional for sauce
1 teaspoon ground cumin for sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander for sauce
3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt or to taste for sauce
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste for sauce
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar optional and to taste

Heat 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the chicken pieces and evenly sprinkle with 1½ tsp cumin, 1½ tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper; cook for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally so all sides brown.
When the chicken is about 90% done, reduce heat to medium-low, add 3–4 minced garlic cloves, and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant, stirring occasionally.
Carefully pour in 1/4 cup lemon juice (it may bubble) and simmer 1–2 more minutes until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon to a bowl, reserving pan juices.
Add the drained chickpeas to the skillet with the reserved juices; season with salt and pepper if desired and add 1–2 tablespoons olive oil only if needed. Cook over medium heat about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then transfer chickpeas to the bowl with the chicken, including any pan juices.
To the bowl with chicken and chickpeas, add 2 cups tomatoes, 2 cups diced English cucumber, optional 1/2 cup diced red onion, and 2–3 tablespoons minced parsley; toss gently to combine.
Make the sauce: whisk together 6 ounces plain Greek yogurt, 2–3 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 minced garlic clove (optional), 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp ground coriander, 3/4 tsp salt, 3/4 tsp black pepper, and 1/2 tsp sugar (optional) until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Drizzle the yogurt sauce evenly over the salad bowls to taste and serve immediately.