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Close-up of a chicken shawarma rice bowl with turmeric rice, fresh vegetables, and creamy garlic sauce.

Chicken Shawarma Rice Recipe (Oven-Baked Middle Eastern-Inspired)

by hungrycuriouskat
This Filipino-style chicken shawarma rice bowl is served with fragrant yellow rice, fresh vegetables, and creamy white sauce. An easy Middle Eastern-inspired comfort meal packed with bold spices and flavour. The most colourful and flavourful chicken dish!
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Prep Time 5 hours
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 7 hours
Course Entrée, Main Course
Cuisine Fusion, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 700 g boneless & skinless chicken thighs

Vegetable Sides

  • 1 pc cucumber julienned
  • 4 pcs tomatoes julienned
  • 1 pc large red onion julienned

Marinade

  • 3/4 cup plain greek yoghurt
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 5 cloves garlic grated
  • 1/2 lemon
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne
  • 1/2 tsp allspice powder
  • 1 tsp cardamom
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tbsp vinegar
  • 1/2 tbsp salt

White Sauce

  • 1/2 cup kewpie mayo
  • 1 tbsp vinegar
  • 1/4 cup greek yoghurt
  • 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 3 pcs garlic minced
  • salt and pepper to taste

Yellow Rice

  • 2 cups Jasmine rice
  • 2 ½ cups chicken broth
  • 1 pc small white onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic grated
  • 2 tsp turmeric powder

Instructions
 

Vegetable Sides

  • Cut your vegetables however you like! I personally prefer slicing them thinly so they don’t overpower the dish.
    • If you’re planning to store this, you can remove the seeds from the cucumber and tomatoes so they don’t release too much liquid.

Chicken Shawarma

  • Prep your chicken by gently poking it with a toothpick. This will help the marinade penetrate deeper into the meat.
    • This is a technique I learned about while making karaage chicken. I like it because it helps make the chicken flavourful throughout. The trick is not to poke too deeply, just enough to penetrate the outer layer.
  • In a small bowl, mix the marinade ingredients: Greek yoghurt, olive oil, grated garlic cloves, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, allspice, cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric, vinegar, and salt.
    • A practice I like when marinating meat is mixing the marinade in a separate bowl first. This lets me taste it and adjust the ingredients accordingly, if needed!
  • Mix the marinade with the chicken in a bowl and massage the pieces. Cover the bowl and let it marinate for at least 3 to 8 hours.
    • Don’t marinate the chicken for too long, as the vinegar and lemon juice will break down the protein and may make the chicken mushy.
  • Place your chicken in a pan lined with foil and bake it at 375°F for 20 minutes.
    • This will release a lot of juices from the chicken, which you can also use for the yellow rice!
  • Broil your chicken on the top rack of the oven for 3 minutes on each side. This will give it some char, which you typically only get from roasting.
    • I like baking because it’s more convenient! But I’ve noticed that frying the chicken gives you more char on the outside. What I usually do is bake it first, then cut it into small pieces and lightly cook it in a pan just to get those crispy edges.
  • Let your chicken rest for 10 minutes before slicing it. Slicing it too early can make the chicken dry, as the juices will escape instead of staying inside.

Yellow Rice

  • In a pot, add 2 tbsp of neutral oil and sauté the onion and grated garlic over medium-high heat.
    • Stir constantly to avoid burning the garlic. If the garlic burns, you’ll need to start over, as it will make the rice taste bitter.
  • Add the rice grains and turmeric powder, then mix until each grain is evenly coated with turmeric.
  • Pour in the stock (or water) and bring it to a simmer, uncovered.
  • Lower the heat to medium-low and cover the pot. Continue cooking until all the water has evaporated.
  • Turn off the heat and fluff the rice with a spatula. Cover and let it rest for another 10 minutes before serving.
    • Fluffing is also known as mixing. It basically means letting the rice release excess moisture. This helps achieve that “broken rice” effect, where the grains don’t stick together.

White Sauce

  • In a bowl, mix the mayonnaise, Greek yoghurt, grated garlic, vinegar, and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Assembly

  • On a plate, add the rice, sliced cucumber, tomatoes, and red onion, then place the chicken on top and drizzle with the sauce! This is perfect for meal prep or just a casual hang with your friends.
Keyword chicken shawarma recipe, chicken shawarma rice, middle eastern chicken rice, oven baked shawarma chicken, shawarma rice bowl, white sauce shawarma, yellow rice shawarma