Middle Eastern · main

Chicken Shawarma Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Chicken Shawarma Stuffed Sweet Potatoes reads sourness 5.9, citrus 5.5 and sweetness 5.4 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Middle Eastern main, about 1 hr 48 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 3.8 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 6.9 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 7.6 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 4.3 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.5 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.1 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Sourness 5.9 · Citrus 5.5 · Sweetness 5.4 · Fruity 4.9 · Richness 4.3 · Nutty 4.0 · Earthy 3.7 · Allium 3.5 · Salinity 3.4 · Herbaceous 2.4 · Heat 2.4 · Warm Spice 2.3 · Smoke 2.3 · Umami 2.2 · Funk & Ferment 1.7 · Bitterness 1.7 · Floral 1.3

What's in it (17)

• red-skinned sweet potatoes — 907 g
• olive oil — 41 g
• boneless chicken — 680 g
• garlic — 12 g
• cumin — 10 g
• smoked paprika — 5 g
• turmeric — 5 g
• cinnamon — 3 g
• cayenne pepper — 1 g
• salt — 6 g
• red onion — 55 g
• apple cider vinegar — 59 g
• lemon — 65 g
• nonfat plain yogurt — 118 g
• tahini — 41 g
• water — 30 g
• parsley — 15 g

Time & effort: about 1 hr 48 min (58 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 102.5 kcal, 11.8 g protein, 2.3 g fat, 9.2 g carbs

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

How it's cooked (8 steps)

1. Heat the oven to 425F. Pierce the sweet potatoes a few times with a fork, then rub all over with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until a paring knife slides in with no resistance, 45-55 minutes.
2. While the potatoes roast, combine the sliced red onion, apple cider vinegar, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Toss and set aside, stirring once or twice, until the onion turns bright pink and tastes tangy-sweet, at least 30 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, toss the chicken with 1 tablespoon olive oil, the garlic, the cumin, smoked paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, and cayenne, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and half the lemon juice (about 1 1/2 tablespoons).
4. Let the chicken marinate at room temperature while the potatoes finish roasting, at least 20 minutes.
5. Whisk the yogurt, tahini, remaining lemon juice, and water together in a small bowl until smooth and pourable; season with a pinch of salt, adding another teaspoon of water if it's thicker than heavy cream.
6. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook undisturbed until deeply browned on the first side, 4-5 minutes.
7. Flip and cook until charred in spots and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165F, 4-5 minutes more.
8. Split the roasted sweet potatoes lengthwise and fluff the flesh with a fork. Divide among plates, pile with the shawarma chicken, drizzle generously with the tahini sauce, and finish with the pickled onion and parsley.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Muhammara (Red Pepper and Walnut Dip) — Lebanese
• Roasted Eggplant and Chickpea Shawarma Bowls — Middle Eastern
• Harissa Roasted Vegetable and Chickpea Bake — Middle Eastern
• Harissa Chickpea Stew with Spinach — Middle Eastern
• Bazargan (Bulgur, Tamarind and Walnut Salad) — Syrian

Keep reading: what sourness, citrus, sweetness 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.