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Chicken Shawarma Grain Bowls with Pickled Onions

Name: Chicken Shawarma Grain Bowls with Pickled Onions
Prep time: 32 min
Total time: 1 h 7 min
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: boneless chicken — 680 g; olive oil — 41 g; garlic — 12 g; cumin — 15 g; smoked paprika — 10 g; turmeric — 5 g; cinnamon — 3 g; salt — 6 g; black pepper — 3 g; red onion — 110 g; distilled white vinegar — 118 g; sugar — 4 g; long-grain white rice — 177 g; nonfat plain yogurt — 237 g; lemon — 65 g; english cucumber — 200 g

Chicken Shawarma Grain Bowls with Pickled Onions reads sourness 6.9, citrus 5.7 and richness 4.7 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Middle Eastern main, about 1 hr 7 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 4.6 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 5.5 / 10
Sour & Bright — 8.6 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 3.3 / 10
Rich & Fat — 5.0 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 4.4 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Sourness 6.9 · Citrus 5.7 · Richness 4.7 · Fruity 4.5 · Salinity 4.1 · Allium 3.9 · Sweetness 3.4 · Umami 3.3 · Smoke 2.7 · Warm Spice 2.6 · Earthy 2.5 · Bitterness 1.6 · Funk & Ferment 1.5 · Floral 1.3 · Nutty 1.2 · Herbaceous 1.1 · Heat 0.8

What's in it (16)

boneless chicken — 680 g
olive oil — 41 g
garlic — 12 g
cumin — 15 g
smoked paprika — 10 g
turmeric — 5 g
cinnamon — 3 g
salt — 6 g
black pepper — 3 g
red onion — 110 g
distilled white vinegar — 118 g
sugar — 4 g
long-grain white rice — 177 g
nonfat plain yogurt — 237 g
lemon — 65 g
english cucumber — 200 g

Time & effort: about 1 hr 7 min (32 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 119.1 kcal, 14.1 g protein, 1.7 g fat, 12.1 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

Make the quick pickled onions first: in a small bowl, combine the sliced red onion, vinegar, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Toss well and set aside to pickle while you prep everything else, at least 20 minutes.
In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, half the garlic, the cumin, smoked paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon of the remaining salt, and the pepper until every piece is coated. Let marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes (or refrigerate up to overnight for deeper flavor).
Meanwhile, bring the rice, 1 1/2 cups water, and a pinch of salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
While the rice cooks, whisk together the yogurt, lemon zest, half the lemon juice, and the remaining garlic in a small bowl; season with a pinch of salt and set aside.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken in a single layer and sear undisturbed until deeply golden on the first side, 4-5 minutes.
Flip the chicken and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until browned on the second side and cooked through to 165°F, 4-5 minutes more.
Toss the cucumber with the remaining lemon juice and a pinch of salt in a small bowl.
Divide the rice among bowls and top with the shawarma chicken, pickled onions, dressed cucumber, and a generous drizzle of the garlic-lemon yogurt sauce. Serve.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Crispy Sheet-Pan Chicken Shawarma Bowls — Middle Eastern
Chicken Shawarma Rice Bowls with Garlic Sauce — Middle Eastern
Cazón en Adobo — Spanish · Andalusia
Ground Turkey Shawarma Skillet — Middle Eastern
Sheet-Pan Tandoori Chicken Thighs — Indian

Keep reading: what sourness, citrus, richness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.