Light Chicken Shawarma Salad (Printable Version)

Grilled spiced chicken paired with fresh vegetables and lemon tahini drizzle for a bright, nutritious bowl.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken Shawarma

01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, sliced
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 tsp ground cumin
04 - 1 tsp ground coriander
05 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
06 - 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
07 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
08 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
09 - 1/2 tsp onion powder
10 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
11 - 3/4 tsp salt
12 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
13 - Juice of 1/2 lemon

→ Salad Bowls

14 - 4 cups mixed salad greens
15 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
16 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
17 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
18 - 1 large carrot, shredded
19 - 1 small red bell pepper, sliced
20 - 1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
21 - 1 avocado, sliced

→ Lemon Tahini Drizzle

22 - 1/4 cup tahini
23 - 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
24 - 2 tbsp water, plus more as needed
25 - 1 tbsp olive oil
26 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
27 - 1/2 tsp salt
28 - 1/4 tsp ground cumin
29 - 1 tsp honey or maple syrup

# How to Make It:

01 - In a medium bowl, combine olive oil, cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Add chicken slices and toss to coat evenly. Marinate for at least 15 minutes, up to 2 hours for deeper flavor development.
02 - Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Add marinated chicken and cook for 5-6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes, then slice if needed.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, water, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, cumin, and honey or maple syrup. Adjust water gradually to achieve a creamy, pourable consistency.
04 - Divide salad greens evenly among four bowls. Arrange cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, carrot, bell pepper, olives, and avocado on top of greens.
05 - Top each bowl with warm chicken shawarma slices. Drizzle generously with lemon tahini sauce and serve immediately with lemon wedges if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes indulgent but leaves you feeling energized, not sluggish.
  • The spice blend is complex enough to impress but simple enough to keep on hand.
  • You can prep components ahead and assemble in minutes when hunger hits.
02 -
  • Don't skip the marinating step or skimp on time—the spices need time to penetrate the chicken, not just coat the surface.
  • Cold tahini seizes up; keep yours at room temperature or warm it gently before whisking so it becomes silky instead of chunky.
03 -
  • Prepare all your vegetables ahead of time and store them in separate containers—this turns a weeknight dinner into a five-minute assembly job.
  • If the chicken ever seems dry, slice it thinner before marinating; thinner pieces cook faster and stay more tender.
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