You'll love this Chicken Shawarma Salad, packed full of vibrant vegetables, zesty yogurt dressing, and succulent chicken in a Middle Eastern-spiced yogurt marinade.
This Chicken Shawarma Salad is easy, nutritious and bursting with flavor. You're going to love it!
Succulent pieces of marinated and then grilled chicken breasts, bursting with aromatic spices, are piled atop a bed of fresh spinach leaves, vibrant vegetables, and drizzled with a creamy yogurt sauce.
It's a dish that marries the bold flavors of Middle Eastern cuisine with the freshness of a salad, creating a harmonious blend that's both satisfying and nutritious.
Whether you're looking for a quick weeknight dinner or a flavorful lunch option, this Chicken Shawarma Salad ticks all the boxes.
It's easy to make, customizable to your taste preferences, and incredibly delicious. Plus, it's a great way to sneak in your daily dose of veggies while enjoying a hearty and wholesome meal.
Serve it up alongside some Outback Steakhouse Bread for a hearty meal!
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Shawarma
Shawarma refers primarily to a cooking method rather than a specific spice. It involves marinating meat—typically chicken, beef, lamb, or a combination of these—in a blend of spices and seasonings, then stacking the marinated meat onto a vertical rotisserie. As the meat rotates slowly, it cooks evenly, developing a flavorful outer crust while remaining tender and juicy on the inside.
The spices and seasonings used in shawarma vary depending on regional preferences and personal recipes but often include a combination of cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, garlic, and other aromatic spices. These spices contribute to the distinctive flavor profile of shawarma.
So, while shawarma is primarily a cooking method, the blend of spices used in marinating the meat is an essential component of its delicious taste.
Since it's not easy to rotisserie at home, we've developed this recipe using typical shawarma spices so you can recreate those Middle Eastern street food flavors at home.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Vibrant Flavor Explosion: Our recipe brings together a tasty blend of Middle Eastern spices, tangy yogurt dressing, and crisp, fresh vegetables.
- Healthy and Wholesome: Packed with nutrient-rich ingredients like spinach, cucumber, red cabbage, and cherry tomatoes, our Chicken Shawarma Salad is not only delicious but also incredibly nutritious. It's a guilt-free meal option that's perfect for those looking to eat well without sacrificing flavor.
- Easy Weeknight Dinner: With just a handful of ingredients and a simple preparation process, our Chicken Shawarma Salad is the ideal solution for busy weeknights when you want a wholesome meal without spending hours in the kitchen. It's quick, convenient, and sure to satisfy even the pickiest eaters.
- Customizable and Versatile: Our recipe is highly customizable, allowing you to tailor it to your taste preferences and dietary needs. Whether you prefer to add extra veggies, swap out the chicken for tofu or chickpeas, or adjust the spice level to your liking, the possibilities are endless. You can make it your own and create a dish that's truly unique to you.
Ingredients
You only need simple pantry ingredients for this recipe!
- Chicken breasts: Tender and juicy, chicken breasts serve as the star of this dish. You can use chicken thighs as a flavorful alternative.
- Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt adds creaminess to the marinade and the yogurt sauce, while also imparting a tangy flavor.
- Lemon: Fresh lemon juice and zest brighten up the dish, adding a zesty kick.
- Garlic: Minced garlic infuses the chicken with savory flavor, while also adding depth to the yogurt sauce.
- Spices (cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne pepper): This blend of spices creates the signature Shawarma flavor profile, with warm, earthy notes and a hint of heat.
- Spinach: Nutrient-rich spinach serves as the base of the salad, offering a dose of vitamins and minerals.
- Cucumber: Crisp and refreshing, diced cucumber adds a refreshing crunch to the salad.
- Red cabbage: Shredded red cabbage adds vibrant color and texture to the salad, along with a subtle sweetness.
- Carrot: Peeled into ribbons, carrots add visual appeal and a hint of sweetness to the salad.
- Red onion: Sliced red onion lends a sharp, pungent flavor to the salad, balancing out the other ingredients.
- Cherry tomatoes: Halved cherry tomatoes add juicy bursts of flavor and vibrant color to the salad.
- Substitutions: You can customize the salad by adding or substituting ingredients based on your preferences. For example, you can add bell peppers, olives, or feta cheese for extra flavor and texture.
See the recipe card for quantities and method.
How to make Chicken Shawarma Salad
Follow these step-by-step instructions, then scroll down for the full ingredients list and method.
Scroll down for the full ingredients list and method.
In a large bowl or ziploc bag, mix the yogurt, lemon zest and juice, cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon and cayenne.
Add the chicken breasts and coat them in the mixture. Refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
Remove the chicken from the fridge for 20 minutes before cooking.
Meanwhile, prepare the salad. Wash the spinach and spread onto a serving plate. Dice the unpeeled cucumber. Finely slice the red cabbage.
Peel the carrot with a vegetable peeler, then continue peeling it, rotating often, to create ‘ribbons’. Dice the onion and halve the tomatoes. Sprinkle it all evenly over the spinach leaves, then drizzle with the lemon juice and zest.
For the yogurt sauce, add all ingredients to a small bowl and mix well.
Heat a skillet, with 1 tablespoon oil, over a medium/high heat (or heat a BBQ grill). Cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side until cooked through - reaching an internal temperature of 165°F. Once cooked, transfer to a plate and set aside for 5 minutes to rest.
Chop the chicken into strips, then pile them onto the salad, and drizzle with the yogurt sauce.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with warm pita bread or flatbread on the side.
- Pair with a refreshing cucumber and mint tzatziki sauce for dipping.
- Enjoy alongside a tabbouleh salad or hummus for a complete Middle Eastern-inspired meal.
Variations
- Vegetarian option: Replace the chicken with grilled tofu or chickpeas for a vegetarian version of the salad.
- Wrap it up: Instead of serving the salad on a plate, wrap the chicken and veggies in a warm pita or tortilla for a portable meal.
- Quinoa salad: Add cooked quinoa to the salad for an extra dose of protein and fiber, turning it into a hearty grain salad.
- Mediterranean twist: Incorporate ingredients like olives, feta cheese, and roasted red peppers for a Mediterranean-inspired variation.
Storage
- Store leftover chicken shawarma salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
- Store the yogurt sauce separately and drizzle it over the salad just before serving to maintain freshness and texture.
More Healthy Recipes
Recipe Tips
- Marinate the chicken for at least an hour, or overnight if possible, to allow the flavors to fully develop.
- For extra flavor, grill the chicken on a barbecue instead of using a skillet.
- Don't skip the resting step after cooking the chicken; it allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring moist and tender meat.
- Customize the salad with your favorite toppings and add-ins for a personalized touch.
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📖 Recipe
Chicken Shawarma Salad
Equipment
- Bowl
- Grill
Ingredients
For the Chicken Shawarma
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper adjust to taste
For the salad
- 2 cups spinach leaves
- 1 cucumber diced
- ¼ a red cabbage shredded
- 1 carrot peeled into ribbons
- ¼ red onion sliced
- 10 cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ lemon juice and zest
For the yogurt sauce
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ lemon zest and juice
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Pinch salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl or ziploc bag, mix the yogurt, lemon zest and juice, cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon and cayenne. Add the chicken breasts and coat them in the mixture. Refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
- Remove the chicken from the fridge for 20 minutes before cooking.
- Meanwhile, prepare the salad. Wash the spinach and spread onto a serving plate. Dice the unpeeled cucumber. Finely slice the red cabbage. Peel the carrot with a vegetable peeler, then continue peeling it, rotating often, to create ‘ribbons’. Dice the onion and halve the tomatoes. Sprinkle it all evenly over the spinach leaves, then drizzle with the lemon juice and zest.
- For the yogurt sauce, add all ingredients to a small bowl and mix well.
- Heat a skillet, with1 tablespoon oil, over a medium/high heat (or heat a BBQ grill). Cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side until cooked through - reaching an internal temperature of 165°F. Once cooked, transfer to a plate and set aside for 5 minutes to rest.
- Chop the chicken into strips, then pile them onto the salad, and drizzle with the yogurt sauce.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.
Sky
The flavor of the chicken was so good! The yogurt sauce was the perfect addition to the salad. I loved it!
rebecca
YUM! I love shawarma in every form. This chicken is so easy and flavorful.
Nikki
What a glorious salad. The flavors are fantastic, and they all blended so well together. The family all loved it, will make again for sure.
Ned
Oh I loved this salad so much! Thank you for the recipe! So fresh and light with the yogurt!
Tara
Oh yum! I absolutely loved all the vibrant colors and flavors in this chicken shawarma salad. It tasted incredible.