Chicken Shawarma Bowls with Garlic Sauce (High Protein Dinner Prep)
A Middle Eastern-inspired bowl featuring spiced chicken shawarma with creamy garlic sauce that's ready in under 30 minutes and packs over 35 grams of protein per serving. Perfect for meal prep that tastes like you actually tried.
Equipment
- large skillet
- small mixing bowl
- cutting board
- knife
- whisk
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 cups cooked rice or grain of choice
- 2 cups shredded lettuce or spinach
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon tahini (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1-2 tablespoons warm water
Instructions
- Step 1: Pat chicken breasts dry and cut into 1.5-inch bite-sized pieces.
- Step 2: Whisk together cumin, smoked paprika, coriander, cayenne, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl.
- Step 3: Toss chicken with 2 tablespoons olive oil and spice blend until evenly coated.
- Step 4: Heat large skillet over medium-high heat and add chicken in single layer. Let sit 3-4 minutes undisturbed, then stir and cook 5-7 minutes until cooked through (165°F). Squeeze fresh lemon juice over chicken.
- Step 5: While chicken cooks, combine Greek yogurt, minced garlic, lemon juice, tahini, salt, and white pepper in bowl. Whisk until smooth. Add warm water one tablespoon at a time until reaching pourable consistency.
- Step 6: Divide cooked grain among bowls. Layer fresh vegetables, then top with warm chicken. Drizzle generously with garlic sauce.
Notes
Meal prep friendly - components stay fresh for 4 days refrigerated. Can assemble bowls separately for grab-and-go or let people build their own. Garlic sauce can be made in bulk and stored up to 5 days. Works with turkey breast, ground chicken, or shrimp as protein swaps. Don't skip lemon juice on chicken as it prevents flat taste after refrigeration.