Ground Chicken Shawarma Bowl

This recipe came about because I had planned to make my Chicken Shawarma Meatballs for dinner and had less time than I thought. I ended up using the same spices but just throwing it all in a pan and it was so simple and delicious!

I serve these bowls over basmatti rice with my herbed yogurt sauce, some simply dressed chickpeas, and my favorite pickled onions. You can make both of these ahead of time to minimize your work at dinner time. Some cheats you can use here...buy a pre-made yogurt dip or tzatziki sauce, jarred pickled onions, and you can even buy frozen basmati rice.

Don't let the long ingredient list scare you...there are A LOT of dried spices in this dish. I love all of these spices and use them frequently, so I keep them stocked in my spice drawer. My favorite sources for spices are The Spice House and Burlap & Barrel. If I had to pick a favorite...it would be sumac. Sumac has a bright, fruity tang, and a mild earthyness. It is often called the "lemon of the Middle East". It provides a softer, more rounded acidity than fresh lemon juice. A sprinkle of sumac over chickpeas transforms them! You can also find sumac in a well stocked grocery store or on Amazon.

You would be surprised how delcious canned chickpeas taste with a little lemon juice, good olive oil, and fresh herbs. Flaky sea salt and sumac take them to the next level...so good!

We like leftovers so I make plenty of this, but you can easily cut the recipe in half and use 1 pound of chicken rather than 2.

Chicken Shawarma Bowls

Serves 6

Ingredients:

For the Chicken:

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil

• 1 medium sweet onion, chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 lbs ground chicken

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

• fresh ground pepper - to taste

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon turmeric

• 2 teaspoons sumac

• 2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• big handful of chopped Italian parsley (about 1/3 cup)

• small handful of chopped fresh mint (about 2 tablespoons)

For the Pickled Onions:

• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar

• 1/2 cup cold water

• 2 Tablespoons sugar

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 red onion, thinly sliced

For the Yogurt Sauce:

• 1 cup of full fat greek yogurt

• 1 Tablespoons of good olive oil

• 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• 1/4 cup of fresh chopped herbs - parsley, dill, mint

• salt and pepper to taste

• water to thin it out

For the Chickpeas:

• 2 cans of chickpeas, rinsed and drained

• drizzle of good olive oil and some fresh squeezed lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon of sumac

• a sprinkle of chopped fresh herbs (whatever you have leftover from the yogurt dip is good)

• salt and pepper to taste

Cooked Basmati Rice for Serving (I use 2 cups of uncooked rice)

Optional Garnishes:

• sliced cucumbers

• kalamata olives

• chopped scallions

• halved cherry tomatoes

  
  

Directions:

1. Start by washing your herbs and setting them aside to dry.

2. Next, make your pickled onions by mixing all of the ingredients together in a glass bowl or mason jar. *Adjust your seasoning to your taste - I like mine on the sweeter side so 2 tablespoons of sugar is good for me. Use less if you want them less sweet. Store in the fridge until ready to use (at least 30 minutes, but longer if you have time). These will keep well in the fridge for about a week.

3. Next, make your yogurt sauce - Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and whisk unitl smooth. Add a little cold water (about a tablespoon or two) to thin it out to your desired consistency. Store in the fridge unitl ready to use. This will also keep well in the fridge for about a week.

4. Next gather up all of your spices, plus salt & pepper and measure everything into a small bowl so it is ready when you need it.

5. Make your basmati rice (I use 2 cups of uncooked rice for this recipe).

6. Prep the chickpeas - Rinse and drain a can of chickpeas. Add to a bowl and drizzle with some good olive oil, squeeze in the lemon juice, and mix in the sumac, fresh herbs, salt and pepper.

7. Heat a large frying pan with the olive oil. Add the onions and sautee for a few mintues or until they are translucent and tender. Add the garlic and sautee another minute or two. Add the ground chicken and cook, breaking it up into small pieces, until it is cooked through.

8. Add all of the spices/seasonings to the pan and mix well until they are thoroughly incorporated. Turn off heat and stir in the fresh chopped herbs.

   
   

   To Serve:

   Layer your bowl with the rice, shawarma, and chickpeas. Top with yogurt sauce, pickled onions, sliced scallions, cucumbers, olives, and tomatoes. Enjoy!