These chicken shawarma bowls are what happens when you love shawarma but you don’t have one of those vertical broilers (aka shawarma machines) at home. And really, why would you? It’s not exactly a common home appliance!
If you’ve never had shawarma, though, let’s backtrack for a sec. It’s meat (typically chicken, beef, or lamb) that’s cooked slowly on this vertical cooking device (almost like a rotisserie) for an incredibly flavorful result. The meat is shaved off and then typically rolled up in a pita with various veggies, maybe some feta cheese or hummus, and/or perhaps a garlicky tahini sauce.
Don’t have one of one of those vertical broilers, aka shawarma machines? Yeah, I don’t either. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make amazing shawarma at home!
This chicken shawarma bowl recipe is a take on the popular shawarma served wrapped in a pita. Sometimes, if it’s a food truck, they’ll take more liberties and add fries, too.
Ready to try it?
The main elements in this meal are grilled marinated chicken thigh pieces, pickled red cabbage, lettuce, tomato, hummus, pita, and baked fries. There are, admittedly, a lot of elements and as usual, you can customize all of them–or skip some of them altogether.
The only thing I wouldn’t play with too much is the marinade for the meat.
How to Customize This Recipe
The best part about this meal? Every element is flexible. You can adjust it to fit your preferences, your pantry, and your schedule.
Protein swaps:
- Use chicken breast or beef strips instead of thighs.
- For a plant-based option, try grilled tofu or tempeh.
- Want to save time? Use store-bought rotisserie chicken with the same marinade.
Base swaps:
- Swap lettuce for arugula, spinach, or mixed greens.
- Add grains like quinoa, couscous, or rice for a heartier bowl.
Toppings & extras:
- Use store-bought hummus, or make your own with the simple four-ingredient version below.
- Add pickled onions, roasted red peppers, or feta.
- Skip the fries and add roasted chickpeas for crunch.
Quick hummus recipe
I made my own hummus for this chicken shawarma bowl, but you don’t have to. Here’s a quick recipe. Add all of this to a food processor fitted with the blade, and process until smooth:
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1 (15-ounce) can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
- 2/3 cup water (plus more to thin if needed)
Yup. Until I went to Israel, I didn’t know that traditional hummus is typically made with those four ingredients. No lemon, garlic, cumin, etc. Honestly? It tastes SO GOOD. I hope you try it. But if you’re not feeling it, use store-bought hummus. Or you can certainly add lemon, a little bit of garlic, and cumin if you like, especially if you are using canned chickpeas, which sometimes aren’t as flavorful as the ones you cook from dried.
Related: Try this recipe if you want something a little different: The Easiest Hummus Recipe
And if you can’t eat hummus, I recommend straight-up tahini (sesame seed paste) on the side, or you can make this hummus with white beans instead of chickpeas. This chicken shawarma bowl will still be delicious!
You can also do something a little untraditional such as skip the hummus entirely and add roasted chickpeas instead.
How to Assemble Your Chicken Shawarma Bowls
When assembling, think about temperature and texture balance.
- Keep hot items (chicken, hummus, pita, potatoes) separate from cold ones (lettuce, tomato, cabbage) until serving.
- Add your fresh ingredients on top after reheating to keep them crisp and bright.
- Not a tomato fan? Swap for roasted red peppers or cucumber.
Pro tip: Slice red onions thinly and soak them in lemon or lime juice to mellow the flavor before adding to your bowl.
Potato Tips: Sweet or Regular
While sweet potatoes are delicious here, Yukon gold or russet fries also work beautifully.
You can:
- Roast your own fries for a homemade touch, or
- Use high-quality frozen fries to save time.
And yes… you can skip the fries entirely if you prefer. The bowl still holds up with just chicken, hummus, and veggies!
How to Store and Reheat
This recipe is meal prep–friendly and lasts up to 4 days in the fridge. (Not freezer-friendly.)
To reheat:
- Microwave the chicken, potatoes, pita, and hummus together until warm.
- Add the cold ingredients like lettuce and cabbage after reheating to keep them fresh and crunchy.
Perfect for work lunches or quick weeknight dinners!
FAQs
Absolutely! It’s naturally dairy-free. For gluten-free, swap pita bread for gluten-free wraps or serve the bowl over rice or quinoa.
Marinate for at least 20 minutes, but up to 8 hours for maximum flavor. One hour is a great middle ground.
Of course! Store-bought hummus saves time and still tastes amazing. Choose your favorite flavor.
Yes! Replace chicken with grilled tofu, tempeh, or roasted chickpeas.
Assemble the bowls with chicken, potatoes, pita, and hummus in one container. Store fresh veggies separately and combine right before eating.
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Related Dishes
- Moroccan Chickpeas, Tomatoes and Sweet Potatoes
- Chickpea Pita Pocket with Tahni Sauce
- Budget-Friendly Chickpea Curry
- Vegan Wraps with Chickpeas, Sweet Potato and Avocado
Chicken Shawarma Bowls With Hummus & Veggies
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 16 oz chicken thighs sub breast or steak, chopped into small strips
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 clove garlic mashed and minced
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 TBSP vegetable oil sub coconut oil or avocado oil
For the pickled cabbage
- 1/4 head small red cabbage chopped into strips (about 1-1/2 or 2 cups)
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup water
- 2-1/2 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 clove garlic minced and mashed
Everything else
- 2 cups romaine lettuce chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes whole or halved
- 1/2 cup parsley chopped, for garnish (optional)
- 3/4 cup hummus storebought or homemade
For baked “fries”
- 1 large russet potato chopped into wedges, peeling is optional, sub sweet potato
- 1 TBSP olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: add the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to a large bowl. Taste the marinade and adjust flavors if desired. Add the chopped chicken pieces to the bowl and toss gently to coat. You can marinate in the fridge overnight (cover the bowl) or leave the chicken on the counter for 20 minutes to marinate. Chicken cooks best when it’s not super cold!
- Preheat your oven to 425 F. in a bowl, toss the potato wedges with oil, salt and pepper. Arrange on a baking sheet and bake on the middle rack for 30-40 minutes, flipping once halfway.
- Quick pickle the cabbage: To a glass jar or glass container/bowl, add the chopped cabbage, apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, salt and garlic. Shake/stir it up, cover and let the cabbage sit in the fridge for an hour or overnight.
- If you’re making hummus (see notes) make it at this point!
- Cook the chicken: heat up a cast-iron skillet, grill pan or regular skillet over a medium flame for 5 minutes. Add the vegetable oil (or high smoke point oil such as coconut or avocado oil) and heat it up for 2-3 minutes. Using a fork or tongs, transfer the chicken thigh pieces to the pan, avoiding pouring too much liquid in the pan. You may need to cook in batches to give the chicken some space! Cook on each side for 6-8 minutes, until you start to see some golden color on the pieces. If using chicken breast, cook for 4-6 minutes on each side.
- Assemble! Add 1/4 cup of hummus to each container, followed by the baked fries and chicken. Sprinkle parsley on top if using. You can add the lettuce, tomato and pickled red cabbage at this point too, but if you want to keep those on the side for fresh toppings (as opposed to reheating them in the container with the chicken), pack them together in a separate smaller container.
Notes
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 15 oz can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
- 2/3 cup water (plus more to thin if needed)
