Who needs takeout when you’ve got this Chicken Shawarma Bowl?! Juicy, spice-packed chicken, fluffy yellow rice, a crunchy salad, and a tangy yogurt drizzle—it’s like your favorite shawarma wrap just leveled up. It’s fresh, hearty, and bursting with bold flavours you’ll want to recreate over and over.
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I’ve always had a soft spot for Middle Eastern cuisine, and chicken shawarma is hands-down my favorite. This healthy Chicken Shawarma Bowl is my modern take on the classic street food shawarma—healthier, guilt-free, and just as irresistible.
While the traditional shawarma is roasted on a rotating vertical spit, I’m bringing the flavor straight to the pan or oven—no fancy equipment needed. It’s all about the marinade, a perfect homemade blend of spices that tenderizes the chicken and locks in flavor.
Shawarma may have evolved into the gyro in Greece and the döner kebab in Germany (yep, that’s where I live), but I always circle back to the OG.
This chicken shawarma bowl recipe is perfect for meal prep. The chicken stays juicy and flavorful, and the rice just gets better the next day. So you can make a big batch and have a Middle Eastern feast ready to go all week long. Your lunch and dinner are sorted with ease!
Looking for more wholesome chicken dinners: Try my Chicken Malai Boti, Firecracker Chicken with Rice or Chicken Schnitzel with Mushroom sauce.
Why You'll Love This
Healthy and Balanced - Packed with lean protein, fresh veggies, and just the right carbs—this chicken shawarma with rice gives you everything you need to feel good without the guilt.
Hearty and Wholesome - It’s filling enough to satisfy those hunger pangs but light enough to keep you feeling great all day.
Customizable - Easily adaptable to suit your preferences—whether it’s more sauce, extra veggies, or a rice substitute like quinoa.
Chicken Shawarma Bowl Components
These four easy components come together to create the delicious shawarma chicken bowl:
- Chicken Shawarma
Tender chicken marinated in a blend of spices like cumin, coriander, and paprika, then grilled to achieve a flavorful, smoky finish.
- Yellow Rice
Fluffy basmati rice infused with butter, turmeric and warm spices, perfectly complement the succulent chicken.
- Salad
A mix of crisp Persian cucumbers, juicy cherry tomatoes, and red onions, all tossed with lemon juice and a sprinkle of sumac for extra zing, with fresh arugula on the side.
- Yogurt Sauce
A creamy, tangy sauce made with Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, and dried parsley adds just the right balance of freshness and depth.
Ingredients & Substitutions
See recipe card for quantities.
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts—whichever you prefer, both work great!
- Marinade: The star of Mediterranean-inspired dishes is the use of bold, heavy spices. The marinade is a combination of olive oil, lemon juice, yogurt, cumin, coriander, paprika, red chili powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. You can also use a ready made shawarma spice blend if you have that on hand.
- Sumac: Sumac is a tart, citrusy spice that adds a unique tang to dishes. It’s a staple in Middle Eastern cuisine, often used to brighten up flavors. If you can't find it, a little lemon zest or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice can work as a substitute.
- Rice: Basmati or any long-grain rice will work well here for a perfect fluffy texture. For an even more healthy option, you can use brown rice instead.
- Butter: You can use any butter, or substitute with oil for a lighter version.
- White Onion: gives rice a hint of sweetness.
- Turmeric: Not only for color but also a mild, earthy flavor that pairs well with the chicken.
- Greek Yogurt: Greek yogurt is best for its creamy texture, but plain yogurt works just fine if that’s what you have on hand.
- Parsley: Use either dried or fresh, whatever you’ve got available.
- Salad: I use a mix of cucumber, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and arugula (also called rocket). Feel free to swap the arugula with any greens you like!
- Garlic: I highly recommend using fresh garlic for the sauce—it adds a bold, potent flavor. If you don’t have any on hand, garlic powder works as a substitute.
How To Make It
This chicken shawarma bowl recipe is a keeper! Healthy, filling, and packed with protein, it’s not just a family favorite meal but also a crowd-pleaser great for feasts.
- Cut chicken in thin slices and marinate with olive oil, lemon juice, yogurt, and spices. Marinate for 24h for optimum flavor.
- Prepare the sauce by combining together Greek yogurt, dried parsley, lemon juice, black pepper and sea salt.
- Toss the red onions, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, lemon juice and sumac to make the salad. Don't mix arugula in.
- Rinse and soak rice. Sauté onions in butter till translucent, add rice, turmeric, water, and stock cube. Steam for 10-12 minutes.
- Pan-fry, bake, air fry or grill the marinated chicken. Slice it up in smaller pieces after it is cooked.
- In a shallow plate, assemble the yellow rice, grilled chicken, crunchy salad and fresh arugula. Drizzle sauce over the top. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- The key to succulent and flavorful chicken shawarma lies in the marinade. For the best flavor, marinate the chicken overnight for the spices to lock in deeply.
- Pan-frying the chicken produces juicier results than baking or air frying, especially if you're using chicken breasts—it keeps the chicken tender and moist!
Make Chicken Shawarma Wrap
Simply take the marinated chicken, cook it as usual, and slice it into strips. Warm up a tortilla or pita bread, then layer the chicken, salad (cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, arugula), and a generous drizzle of the yogurt sauce. Wrap it up tightly, and you've got the traditional version of the chicken shawarma rice bowl—perfect for on-the-go!
Other Variations
- If you're in the mood to go low-carb, skip the rice and load up on veggies instead—honestly, you won’t miss the carbs! I personally love adding extra cucumbers, onions, and maybe even a few olives.
- Craving more protein? Quinoa is a great, healthy swap. You can also use the same marinade for beef or lamb shawarma.
- For a carb fix, make a chicken shawarma wrap. Shawarma in a sandwich is always a winner, especially with a side of fries!
- For an extra layer of freshness and crunch, I love adding fattoush or tabbouleh to my bowl. Or if you're after something more substantial, batata harra (spicy potatoes) or feta cheese are total winners.
- Swap in tzatziki sauce or hummus for an added creamy taste!
Storage & Meal Prep
To maintain the freshness and quality of your chicken shawarma bowls, it's best to store them separately:
- Chicken and Rice: Both can be refrigerated in airtight containers for up to 6 days.
- Yogurt Sauce: Keep it in a separate airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
- Salad: Fresh vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes, and arugula are best consumed within 2-3 days to prevent wilting.
If you have a constructed leftover chicken shawarma bowl, it's best to consume it within 1-2 days because the salad tends to wilt quickly.
FAQ
Shawarma typically uses chicken, beef, or lamb, and is marinated with a blend of Middle Eastern spices like cumin, coriander, and paprika.
Gyros, on the other hand, are Greek and often made with pork, chicken, or lamb, and are flavored with Mediterranean herbs like oregano and thyme.
Shawarma is also cooked on a vertical rotisserie, whereas gyro is prepared on a horizontal one.
Yes! The chicken, rice, and sauce can be prepped ahead of time and stored in the fridge for 4-5 days. Keep the salad separate to avoid wilting, and assemble your bowls as needed.
To add more heat, consider increasing the amount of red chili powder or red pepper flakes in the marinade or adding a dash of cayenne pepper. You can also incorporate sliced jalapeños or a drizzle of hot sauce when assembling the bowl.
More Middle Eastern Food
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
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📖 Recipe
Chicken Shawarma Bowl
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade:
- 600 g (1.3lbs) boneless skinless chicken cut in thin strips
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon yogurt
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ cinnamon powder
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg powder optional
Salad
- 2 Persian cucumbers or ½ English cucumber, sliced into semi circles
- 1 red onion sliced
- 10-12 cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ cup arugula
- 1 teaspoon sumac
- 1-2 tablespoon lemon juice
- pinch sea salt
Sauce
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoon water optional
Yellow Rice
- 1 cup basmati rice or any long-grain rice
- 2 tablespoon butter unsalted
- 1 black cardamom optional
- ¾ inch (~2cm) cinnamon stick optional
- ½ white onion diced
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 chicken stock cube
- 1 ½ cup water
Garnish
- Fresh parsley or mint chopped
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken
- Mix all the chicken marinade ingredients together and coat the chicken thoroughly. Set aside while you prepare the other components, or for the best flavor, marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
Make the Salad
- Combine all the salad ingredients, except the arugula, in a large bowl. Toss well and set aside.
Prepare the Sauce
- Whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a bowl. Add water only if you prefer a thinner consistency.
Prepare the Rice
- Rinse the rice under running water until it runs clear. Soak the rice in fresh water for 15 minutes.
- In a pot, melt the butter over medium heat and sauté the white onion until translucent (avoid browning).
- Drain the soaked rice and add it to the pot. Sprinkle with turmeric and stir quickly to coat the grains.
- Increase the heat to high, add 1 ½ cups of water, and crumble in the stock cube. Bring the water to a boil and let it bubble for 3–4 minutes.
- Lower the heat to the lowest setting, cover the pot, and let the rice steam for 12–15 minutes. Once done, fluff the rice with a fork and remove it from the heat.
Cook the Chicken
- Pan Method: Heat a skillet or grill pan over medium high heat. Cook the marinated chicken for a total of 8-10 minutes until fully cooked and slightly charred.
- Oven Method: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Arrange the marinated chicken on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20–25 minutes, tossing halfway, until cooked through or reaches the internal temperature of 65 °F (73.9 °C).
- Air Fryer: Preheat the air fryer. Place the marinated chicken in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook for 12–15 minutes 375°F (190°C), tossing halfway, until the chicken is fully cooked and slightly crispy on the edges. Use a meat thermometer to measure the temperature if you are unsure.
Assemble the Bowl
- Layer the bowl with yellow rice, salad, and fresh arugula. Add the grilled chicken and drizzle the sauce on top or serve it on the side. Garnish as desired with fresh chopped parsley or mint, serve, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- The whole spices for the yellow rice are optional, but they add a wonderful depth of flavor. If you have them on hand, I highly recommend using them.
- Pan-frying chicken, especially chicken breasts, delivers juicier results compared to baking or air frying, as it helps retain tenderness and moisture!
- For meal prepping, store all the components separately in an airtight bowl so that they last longer. See details in my Storage & Meal Prep instructions.
Nutrition
PIN IT FOR LATER
Jawad says
This is really good! I like how easy it is to cook and tastes great.