This salad is full of robust flavors and will satisfy any appetite. If you’d rather, the ingredients can also be turned into a wrap or stuffed into a pita. If you love Mediterranean food, try this recipe!
The macros in this meal easily fit in to many eating plans. It’s full of protein and includes a good ratio of fats. If you want to add carbs, serve it with a whole-wheat pita or over quinoa for a gluten-free option.
Authentic Chicken Shawarma
Living in Baton Rouge, I’m privileged to have really amazing Greek and Lebanese food available. Because of this, I understand that my meager attempts at duplicating these dishes will never measure up to authentic chicken shawarma, which is made by marinating chicken breasts and thighs and then cooking them on a rotating skewer over a grill. When it’s ready to serve, the chicken is cut off of the skewer and served in thin slices, perfectly grilled and juicy.
Ingredients
- 1/2 c olive oil
- 2 tsp Cavender’s Greek Seasoning (the Tony’s of Mediterranean cooking)
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 lemon (juiced)
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp Greek yogurt
- 3-4 lbs chicken breasts
- 3 heads Romaine lettuce chopped
- salt & pepper
Salad Toppings: feta cheese crumbles, cucumber slices, avocado, roasted red peppers, sliced roma tomatoes, olives, artichokes, hearts of palm, garbanzo beans, jalapeno slices
Prepare the chicken
You can prepare the chicken the day before or 1-2 hours before cooking. There are two options. You can either pound them thin or slice in half. I think pounding them thin gives better results, but slicing in half is definitely easier. The goal is to increase the surface area for the marinade to absorb more of the flavors and to make the chicken breasts thinner so that they grill evenly.
If you choose to pound them thin, you can place them between sheets of plastic wrap or inside a ziplock bag with the air removed. Then, pound them with a meat mallet or rolling pin until they are 1/2″ thick.
Make the Marinade & Dressing
Mix the olive oil, Greek seasoning, garlic and lemon juice. Pour half of the mixture over the chicken and mix it together. Leave this in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours or overnight.
To the other half of the mixture, add the vinegar, yogurt, and salt and pepper (to taste). This is the dressing. Store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to eat. To really make it special, add a pinch of fresh dill!
Cook the Chicken
I prefer to cook my chicken over a gas grill on medium-low heat until the internal temperature reaches 160. You can also bake it in the oven at 375 for 25-30 minutes. I always use a meat thermometer to avoid over-cooking.
When the chicken is finished cooking, let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing into thin pieces.
Prepare the Salad
This is the fun part! Slice up the lettuce and chicken, and gather your toppings. I’ve given you a list of some of my favorite toppings, but get creative! I decided to make a charcuterie board with the ingredients for a pretty DIY salad bar.
This recipe is a great option for entertaining, just double or triple the ingredients to make sure there’s enough food. As written, it serves about four adults.
To make it even more special, consider adding hummus, pita chips, or fried halloumi cheese (Simply pan fry the cheese with olive oil and some minced garlic).
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