Middle Eastern · main

Chicken Shawarma Rice Bowls with Garlic Sauce

Chicken Shawarma Rice Bowls with Garlic Sauce reads citrus 5.7, sourness 5.1 and richness 4.9 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Middle Eastern main, about 58 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 4.8 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 5.2 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 7.2 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 3.3 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.3 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.1 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Citrus 5.7 · Sourness 5.1 · Richness 4.9 · Fruity 4.5 · Umami 4.3 · Salinity 4.1 · Allium 3.7 · Smoke 2.7 · Earthy 2.5 · Warm Spice 2.5 · Sweetness 2.4 · Funk & Ferment 1.6 · Bitterness 1.5 · Floral 1.3 · Nutty 1.3 · Herbaceous 1.1 · Heat 0.8

What's in it (16)

• boneless chicken — 680 g
• olive oil — 41 g
• garlic — 18 g
• cumin — 10 g
• smoked paprika — 10 g
• turmeric — 5 g
• cinnamon — 3 g
• salt — 6 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• long-grain white rice — 266 g
• low-salt chicken broth — 532 g
• nonfat plain yogurt — 118 g
• mayonnaise — 54 g
• lemon — 65 g
• english cucumber — 200 g
• grape tomatoes — 473 g

Time & effort: about 58 min (28 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 111.3 kcal, 10.1 g protein, 1.8 g fat, 14.1 g carbs

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

How it's cooked (12 steps)

1. In a large bowl, toss the chicken with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 3 cloves of the minced garlic, the cumin, smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon of the turmeric, the cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 20 minutes, or up to overnight.
2. Dice the cucumber small and quarter the cherry tomatoes; cover and refrigerate both until ready to build the bowls.
3. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the rice and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon turmeric and toast, stirring often, until the grains look glossy and smell nutty, about 2 minutes.
4. Pour in the chicken broth and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer undisturbed until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, 15-17 minutes.
5. Take the rice off the heat and let it stand, covered, 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
6. While the rice simmers, whisk the yogurt, mayonnaise, the remaining 3 cloves garlic, and the lemon juice and zest together in a small bowl.
7. Season the garlic sauce with a pinch of the salt and set aside; it will thicken slightly as it sits.
8. Heat a large cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Add the marinated chicken in a single layer, working in two batches if needed so the pieces aren't crowded, and sear undisturbed until deeply browned on the first side, 4-5 minutes.
9. Flip the chicken and cook until browned on the second side and an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F, 4-5 minutes more.
10. Transfer the chicken to a plate and let it rest 5 minutes.
11. Divide the turmeric rice among four bowls and top each with the seared chicken, diced cucumber, and quartered tomatoes.
12. Drizzle generously with the garlic sauce and serve, with extra sauce on the side.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Crispy Sheet-Pan Chicken Shawarma Bowls — Middle Eastern
• Ground Turkey Shawarma Skillet — Middle Eastern
• Chicken Shawarma Grain Bowls with Pickled Onions — Middle Eastern
• Crispy Chickpea and Halloumi Bowls — Greek
• Chicken Shawarma Pita Wraps — Middle Eastern

Keep reading: what citrus, sourness, 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.