Chicken Dinner Ideas: Shawarma
Servings: people
Try our 15 best chicken dinner ideas with simple and healthy meals. This 30-minute juicy chicken shawarma is a sheet pan dinner with chickpeas, caramelized onions, and shawarma spice blend.
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs sliced into strips
- 1 can chickpeas 15 ounce (230 grams)
- 3 medium red onions thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon the juice
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon all-spice
- 3 cloves garlic grated
- 1 teaspoon salt or more to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare spice blend: In a large bowl, combine 2 teaspoons paprika, 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground cardamom, and ¼ teaspoon all-spice. Add 3 cloves garlic (grated), 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, the juice of 1 lemon, 1 teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, stirring until well combined.
- Coat the Chicken & Veggies: Toss in 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into bite sized pieces, 1 can chickpeas (drained), and 3 medium red onions (thinly sliced).Mix well until everything is evenly coated in the flavorful spice blend. (Tip: Use gloves if you prefer not to handle raw chicken directly!)
- Bake to Perfection: Spread the mixture evenly on a lined baking sheet, drizzle with a bit more olive oil, and bake at 430°F (220°C) for 25 - 30 minutes, or until the chicken is golden and cooked through.
- Serve & Enjoy: Pair with pita, saffron rice, or couscous, and complete the meal with flavorful sides like toum, cucumber salad, yogurt sauce with mint, and a drizzle of sriracha for extra heat.
Notes
🥗 RECOMMENDED SIDES
Toum (Garlic Sauce): Peel 1.2 oz/35g garlic cloves, slice in half, and remove the core. Add to a tall, narrow mason jar with 1.5 tbsp/20 g lemon juice, 0.5 cup/100 g neutral oil (olive or vegetable), and ½ teaspoon salt. Blend with an immersion blender until thick, creamy, and irresistibly garlicky.
Cucumber Salad: Dice 1 cucumber and 2 vine tomatoes, then toss with lime juice, salt, pepper, and dried mint for a refreshing side.
Yogurt Sauce: Mix together Greek yogurt, lemon juice, grated garlic, cumin, and salt for a cooling, tangy contrast to the warm spices of the shawarma.
👨🏻🍳 SUBSTITUTIONS
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs: substitute chicken breast or tenderloins. Reduce cooking time by a few minutes.
- Red onions: substitute white onions or shallots.
- Chickpeas: substitute more chicken or other vegetables like red bell peppers, cauliflower florets, diced zucchini, or eggplant.
- Spice mix: you can substitute a store-bought shawarma spice mix.
- Lemon juice: substitute apple cider vinegar.
