Chicken Shawarma Salad Meal-Prep Bowls

Serves 4 · 25 min prep · 20 min cook

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1.5 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 large head romaine lettuce
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1 English cucumber
• 1/2 medium red onion
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2-3 tbsp warm water
• 2 cups pita chips or warm pita wedges

Instructions

1. 1Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and place them in a large bowl or zip-top bag.
2. 2Mince the garlic and whisk it together with olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, smoked paprika, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, salt, and black pepper until a thick marinade forms.
3. 3Pour the marinade over the chicken and toss thoroughly so every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to overnight for deeper flavor.
4. 4While the chicken marinates, chop the romaine into bite-size pieces, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, thinly slice the red onion, and roughly chop the parsley. Divide the vegetables evenly among four meal-prep containers.
5. 5Heat a large cast-iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the marinated chicken in a single layer without crowding; work in batches if needed.
6. 6Cook the chicken 5–7 minutes per side until deeply browned with charred edges and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a cutting board and rest 5 minutes.
7. 7Slice or chop the rested chicken into bite-size strips and portion it over the prepared vegetable bases in each container.
8. 8In a small bowl, whisk Greek yogurt, tahini, garlic powder, salt, and enough warm water to reach a pourable sauce consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning.
9. 9Drizzle or portion the tahini yogurt sauce into small side containers so it stays fresh until serving.
10. 10Just before eating, warm the pita chips or wedges briefly if desired, then add them to the bowl for crunch.
11. 11Toss everything together with the sauce at lunchtime so the greens stay crisp.
12. 12Store assembled bowls (sauce separate) in the refrigerator up to 4 days for easy grab-and-go lunches.
13. 13For extra brightness at serving, squeeze a fresh lemon wedge over the top if you have one on hand.