Chicken shawarma bowl
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Warm Middle Eastern spices like paprika, cumin and cinnamon make this chicken-and-sweet potato sheet-pan dinner irresistible. The side of lemony crisp lettuce and veggies is the perfect addition.
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp (45 mL) olive oil, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, grated or finely minced
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) smoked paprika
- 2 tsp (10 mL) ground cumin
- ¼ tsp (2.5 mL) cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp (0.5 mL) turmeric
- ⅛ tsp (0.5 mL) black pepper
- ¼ tsp (1 mL) salt
- Juice of 1 lemon, reserving 1 Tbsp (15 mL) for salad dressing
- 1 lb./454 g boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large, cut in half horizontally)
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 16 wedges (3x1-inch wedges)
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) sesame seeds
- 4 cups (1 L) torn romaine lettuce
- 1 cup (250 mL) halved cherry tomatoes
- ¾ cup (175 mL) sliced cucumber
- ¼ cup (60 mL) sliced red onion
- ½ cup (125 mL) tzatziki, toum (garlic sauce) or tahini sauce
Instructions
Mix 1 Tbsp (15 mL) oil, garlic, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, salt, pepper and lemon juice in small bowl. Remove 1 Tbsp (15 mL) and set aside. Mix remaining marinade with chicken; cover and refrigerate for at least one hour or up to 12 hours.
When ready, preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
Mix reserved tablespoon of marinade and sesame seeds with sweet potato wedges and place on large parchment-lined baking sheet. Remove chicken from refrigerator and add to baking sheet. Arrange everything in a single layer, leaving space between potato wedges and chicken to allow for even cooking. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).
Meanwhile, mix lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and onion in a medium bowl. When chicken and potatoes are almost finished cooking, toss the remaining 2 Tbsp (30 mL) oil and the reserved tablespoon of lemon juice with the salad ingredients.
Slice cooked chicken; serve with sweet potatoes and salad, topped with tzatziki.
Tips
- Make it vegetarian: This recipe works well by replacing the chicken breast with 3 cans (about 4 cups/1 L) chickpeas. Replace the chicken with chickpeas, marinate as directed and cook in a large frying pan over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes while sweet potatoes cook in the oven. You may want to reduce the amount of sweet potatoes to account for the extra carbohydrates in the chickpeas.
- Substitution: If you live near a grocery store that carries Middle Eastern spices, you can replace the many spices included in this recipe with a Shawarma spice blend. You will need about 2 ½ Tbsp (37.5 mL) to replace the spices that are mixed with the olive oil and minced garlic.
- Special extra: Top the salad with fresh herbs if you have them. Dill, mint, parsley or oregano all lend flavour to this side dish.
- Barbecue alternative: If you prefer to grill your chicken, heat barbecue to medium-high and grill for 6 to 8 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). If you don’t want to turn the oven on for the sweet potatoes, replace them with half a whole-wheat pita per serving and place sliced chicken, salad and tzatziki into the pita pocket.
| Amount | % Daily Value | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories 340 | |||
| Fat 16 g | 21 % | ||
| Saturated Fat 3 g + Trans Fat 0 g | 15 % | ||
| Cholesterol 60 mg | |||
| Sodium 220 mg | 10 % | ||
| Carbohydrate 23 g | |||
| Fibre 5 g | 18 % | ||
| Sugars 8 g | 8 % | ||
| Protein 27 g | |||