Chicken Shawarma Bowl

Ingredients

• 1 lb Boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 teaspoon Ground cumin
• ¾ teaspoon Ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon Paprika
• 3 tablespoons Lemon juice
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons Tahini
• 2 tablespoons Lemon juice
• 1 clove Garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons Water
• 1 cup Cooked rice (white or brown)
• 1 medium Tomato
• ½ medium Cucumber
• ¼ medium Red onion
• 2 tablespoons Fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon Fresh mint, chopped

Instructions

1. 1

   Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels by pressing gently across both sides and edges until no moisture is visible on the surface.

2. 2

   Cut each chicken thigh into 1-inch cubes by placing the thigh flat on a cutting board, then slicing lengthwise into strips, and cutting across the strips crosswise into roughly equal chunks.

3. 3

   Mince the 3 cloves of garlic for the marinade until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice—about the size of pencil-tip dots—using a chef's knife and cutting board.

4. 4

   In a medium bowl, stir together the cumin, coriander, paprika, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, minced garlic, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil until the spices are evenly moistened.

5. 5

   Add the chicken cubes to the bowl and toss with tongs or your hands until every piece is coated with the spice mixture and no dry chicken is visible.

6. 6

   Mince the 1 clove of garlic for the tahini sauce until pieces are pencil-tip size; set aside in a small bowl.

7. 7

   In the same small bowl with the minced garlic, whisk together the tahini, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and 3 tablespoons of water until smooth and pourable, about 30 seconds of whisking.

8. 8

   Dice the tomato by cutting it in half, then slicing each half crosswise into thin slabs, then cutting the slabs lengthwise into thin matchsticks; set in a small bowl.

9. 9

   Slice the cucumber in half lengthwise, then slice each half crosswise into thin half-moons about 1/4 inch thick; set in a separate small bowl.

10. 10

    Dice the red onion by cutting it in half from root to tip, then slicing the cut side crosswise into thin slivers; set in a small bowl and cover with cold water for 5 minutes to mellow the bite.

11. 11

    Set a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and wait 1 minute until the pan feels hot when you hold your hand 4 inches above the bottom—you should feel strong warmth.

12. 12

    Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the hot skillet and tilt the pan so the oil slides to coat the bottom; let it shimmer and slide quickly when tilted, about 30 seconds.

13. 13

    Carefully add the marinated chicken pieces to the skillet in a single layer without crowding—they should touch the hot pan, not sit in a pile—and let them cook undisturbed for 2 minutes.

14. 14

    Stir the chicken pieces with a wooden spoon to turn them over and cook the other side; you'll hear a steady sizzle and smell the spices toasting.

15. 15

    Continue stirring every 30 seconds until all the chicken is light golden brown on the outside and cooked through with no pink inside when you cut into the thickest piece, about 6 minutes total.

16. 16

    Divide the cooked rice between two bowls, mounding it gently in the center of each bowl to create a base.

17. 17

    Drain the red onion in a small colander or through a paper towel held in your hand, then scatter it evenly across the rice in both bowls.

18. 18

    Arrange the diced tomato in a small cluster on one side of each rice mound and the cucumber slices on the opposite side.

19. 19

    Using a slotted spoon or tongs, distribute the warm cooked chicken pieces evenly on top of the rice in both bowls.

20. 20

    Drizzle half of the tahini sauce in a thin zigzag pattern across the top of each bowl, using a spoon to drizzle from a height of 6 inches.

21. 21

    Sprinkle half of the fresh parsley across one bowl and half across the other, then sprinkle half of the fresh mint across each bowl.

Tools you’ll need

• Cutting board
• Chef's knife
• Paper towels
• Medium mixing bowl
• Small mixing bowl (3)
• Whisk
• Tongs or fork
• 12-inch skillet
• Wooden spoon
• Small colander
• Spoon for drizzling

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