Light Chicken Shawarma Salad Bowls (Printable Version)

Spiced grilled chicken over crisp vegetables with zesty lemon tahini drizzle for a lighter Middle Eastern bowl.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken Shawarma

01 - 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, sliced
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
04 - 1 teaspoon ground coriander
05 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
08 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
09 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
10 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
11 - 3/4 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
13 - Juice of 1/2 lemon

→ Salad Bowls

14 - 4 cups mixed salad greens
15 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
16 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
17 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
18 - 1 large carrot, shredded
19 - 1 small red bell pepper, sliced
20 - 1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
21 - 1 avocado, sliced

→ Lemon Tahini Drizzle

22 - 1/4 cup tahini
23 - 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
24 - 2 tablespoons water, plus more as needed
25 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
26 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
27 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
28 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
29 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup, optional

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Combine olive oil, cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, salt, pepper, and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Add chicken slices and toss until evenly coated. Marinate for at least 15 minutes, up to 2 hours for enhanced flavor.
02 - Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Add marinated chicken and cook 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden and fully cooked through. Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes before slicing if needed.
03 - Whisk together tahini, lemon juice, water, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, cumin, and honey or maple syrup in a small bowl. Adjust water gradually to achieve a creamy, pourable consistency.
04 - Divide mixed salad greens equally among four bowls. Arrange cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, carrot, bell pepper, olives, and avocado artfully on top of greens.
05 - Top each bowl with warm chicken shawarma slices. Drizzle generously with lemon tahini sauce. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side if desired.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It tastes indulgent but leaves you feeling energized, not weighed down by heavy bread or fried components.
  • The spice blend comes together so naturally that your kitchen smells like you've been cooking for hours, even though it takes barely 35 minutes.
  • Every element—crisp vegetables, warm chicken, creamy tahini—stays distinct and brilliant rather than becoming a soggy mess.
02 -
  • Don't skip the marinating step—even 15 minutes makes a remarkable difference in how the spices flavor the chicken rather than just sitting on its surface.
  • When whisking the tahini drizzle, add water gradually and taste as you go, because different brands of tahini have different densities and you want to reach that creamy, pourable sweet spot without making it too thin.
  • If your tahini seizes up and becomes grainy, whisk in just a tiny bit more lemon juice and it should loosen back up.
03 -
  • Slice your chicken as thin as you can manage while prepping—thinner pieces cook more evenly and absorb the spices better than thick chunks.
  • Make the tahini drizzle while the chicken is resting so it's smooth and ready to pour the moment you need it, and store any extras in a jar where it'll keep for almost a week.
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