Chicken Shawarma Crispy Rice Salad

This Chicken Shawarma Crispy Rice Salad combines Middle Eastern flavors with a modern twist, bringing together savory chicken shawarma, crunchy crispy rice, and a refreshing lemon-tahini dressing, perfect for meal prep or a satisfying meal.

By @kalejunkie

Original recipe source

Cook time: 45 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 cup cooked jasmine rice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp oregano
• 0.5 tsp garlic powder
• 0 prepared rice from previous step already seasoned and on baking sheet
• 1 lb chicken thighs boneless, skinless, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 0 seasoned chicken from previous step as prepared
• 5 Persian cucumbers thinly sliced
• 1 cup baby tomatoes halved
• 0.5 cup red onion finely sliced
• 3 dill pickles chopped
• 0.5 cup fresh mint chopped
• 0.5 cup Greek yogurt
• 0.33 cup tahini
• 0.25 cup olive oil
• 0.25 cup lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup optional for sweetness
• 0 salad base from previous step as prepared
• 0 cooked chicken from earlier step
• 0 crispy rice from earlier step
• 0 lemon-tahini dressing to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Spread the cooked and cooled jasmine rice on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle paprika, oregano, and garlic powder. Toss well.
2. Bake the rice in the oven for 30-35 minutes, tossing halfway through. Watch closely to prevent burning.
3. While the rice bakes, prepare the chicken. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Season chicken thighs with turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, garlic powder, and black pepper, mixing well.
4. Cook the chicken in the skillet until fully cooked through, approximately 6-8 minutes, then remove from heat.
5. Prepare the salad base by chopping the cucumbers, halving the tomatoes, finely slicing the red onion, chopping the dill pickles, and mint.
6. Make the creamy lemon-tahini dressing by blending Greek yogurt, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, and kosher salt. Add honey or maple syrup if desired for sweetness.
7. Assemble the salad by adding the cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, pickles, and mint to a large bowl. Layer the cooked chicken on top, followed by the crispy rice. Drizzle with the lemon-tahini dressing. Toss gently and serve immediately.