Kitchen notes · a little help before you start

Chicken Shawarma Salad

Name: Chicken Shawarma Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt (plain); 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1/2 tablespoon Tahini (sesame paste); 2 cloves + 1 clove garlic (minced); 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander seed; 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves; 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/4 teaspoon ground fennel; 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom; 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper (or red chili powder - optional); 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt; 4 each boneless skinless chicken thigh fillets; 4 cup lettuce (shredded); 2 each tomatoes (diced); 1 each ripe avocado (diced); 1 each Lebanese cucumber (diced); 1/2 each red onion (chopped); 1/2 cup Kalamata olives; 1/3 cup feta (crumbled); 1/4 cup fresh parsley (finely chopped); 1/2 cup Greek yogurt; 1 tablespoon tahini; 1 teaspoon lemon juice (fresh squeezed); As Needed salt; 3 each flatbreads (I used white flour, or wraps of your choice)

Shawarma chicken over a fresh salad makes a satisfying plate when you want plenty of crunch with dinner. Warm flatbread sits underneath, ready to catch the garlic yogurt sauce. Cut into the lightly charred chicken and enjoy the salad and bread alongside each bite.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 25 min
Total: 35 min
Original yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 27 listed

Make it part of your week

Estimating…

DinnerLunchMain courseTurkishChickenMiddle EasternPrep: 15 minutes or lessTotal: 31–60 minutesGrillingSalads

Recipe categories & planning details

Meal type: Dinner · Lunch · Main course
Primary protein: Chicken
Cuisine: Turkish · Middle Eastern
Cooking method: Grilling
Preparation & total time: Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 31–60 minutes
Dish type: Salads

A few quick notes

1. Coat chicken completely

Mix the shawarma ingredients into a paste and spread it around all the chicken before its marinating period.

2. Warm flatbread while chicken cooks

Use the separate low-medium pan to warm and lightly brown both sides, then arrange the breads on the serving plate.

3. Slice after cooking through

Grill or sear until the chicken is cooked through with lightly charred edges, then slice for topping the salad.

Get to know the ingredients

Boneless thigh fillets

Use the skinless, boneless thighs for coating in the spiced yogurt paste before searing or grilling.

Diced cucumber

Dice the Lebanese cucumber for the salad layer, ready to toss with the other vegetables over the warm flatbread.

Crumbled feta

Crumble the feta before adding it among the salad ingredients over the flatbread, beneath the finished sliced chicken.

The last little job

Chicken and garlic sauce over salad

Place the cooked chicken slices over the lightly tossed salad and drizzle with the mixed garlic yogurt sauce before serving.

A little more help as you go

A longer marinade is preferred

Marinate overnight for a stronger flavor, or use the shorter two-hour option in the main steps.

Several cooking surfaces are included

A cast-iron pan, grill pan or barbecue grill plate can cook the chicken over the stated medium-high heat.

A few questions you might have

Does the flatbread stay cold?

Warm it in the separate pan until golden on both sides and heated through before adding the salad ingredients.

Is the salad mixed into the chicken marinade?

Keep it separate. The chicken gets its paste and cooking stage before being sliced over the salad on the flatbread.

How is the garlic yogurt sauce mixed?

Stir yogurt with garlic, lemon juice and salt to season in its separate sauce preparation before drizzling over the salad.

Is cayenne required in the chicken paste?

The cayenne or red chili powder is optional among the shawarma seasonings mixed into the coating at the start.

When do I add the avocado?

The diced avocado belongs to the salad ingredients placed over the warm flatbread, before sliced chicken and garlic sauce.

Any more cooking tips?

To get the most flavour, I recommend marinating your chicken overnight.

Storage & reheating safety

For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.

These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures

Recipe source: cafedelites.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.

Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.

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