Description
This One Pan Shawarma Chicken & Rice recipe offers a flavorful, aromatic, and easy-to-make Middle Eastern-inspired dish. Tender marinated chicken thighs are seared and cooked together with spiced basmati rice in a single pan, absorbing all the smoky, tangy, and savory flavors. Perfect for a quick weeknight meal or a festive family dinner, this recipe delivers restaurant-quality shawarma without the fuss of multiple pots and pans.
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 4-5 chicken thighs (bone off, skin on)
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon 7 spice (or ground cinnamon, turmeric, garlic powder, black pepper combined)
- 2 Tablespoons avocado or light olive oil
Rice and Aromatics
- ½ cup diced onion
- 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup Jasmine or basmati rice (uncooked)
- 2 cups chicken stock or water
Instructions
- Prep: Wash the basmati rice thoroughly under cold water until it runs clear to remove excess starch. Then cover it with water and let it soak while you get the rest of the ingredients ready. In a small bowl, mix all the spices together to form your shawarma spice blend.
- Marinate: Place the chicken thighs in a medium bowl and add the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and half of the prepared spice mixture. Mix until the chicken is completely coated in the marinade. Allow it to sit for at least 10 minutes to soak up the flavors.
- Sear Chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of avocado or light olive oil in a large, heavy-duty pan over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken thighs and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until they develop a nice char and are partially cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. In the same pan, add the diced onions and cook for 3-4 minutes until they soften and begin to wilt, then add the minced garlic and sauté briefly until fragrant.
- Cook Rice: Drain the soaked rice and add it to the pan with the onions and garlic. Sprinkle the remaining spice mixture over the rice and sauté everything together for approximately 2 minutes to toast the rice and spices slightly. Pour in the 2 cups of chicken stock or water, then return the chicken thighs to the pan along with any juices. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover the pan, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, and cook for 20 minutes without lifting the lid to allow the rice to steam properly.
- Smoke: After the 20 minutes of cooking, turn off the heat but leave the pan covered. Let it rest for 5 minutes to finish steaming. For an extra smoky flavor, heat a charcoal piece until red hot, place a small piece of foil on top of the rice inside the pan, place the hot charcoal on the foil, drizzle a little oil over the charcoal, and immediately cover the pan again. Allow it to infuse the rice with smoke for 5 minutes before removing the charcoal carefully.
- Serve: Remove the lid and gently fluff the rice with a fork. Garnish the dish with freshly chopped cilantro or parsley. Serve it alongside a shawarma sauce and your favorite salad, such as Shirazi salad or a Mediterranean cucumber salad. Pickled turnips or pickled red onions also make excellent accompaniments.
Notes
- Soaking the rice helps achieve fluffy, separate grains after cooking.
- Do not lift the lid during the rice cooking process to maintain steam for proper cooking.
- If you don’t have 7 spice, mix ground cinnamon, turmeric, garlic powder, and black pepper as a substitute.
- Bone-off chicken thighs with skin provide great flavor and remain juicy, but you can use skinless or bone-in depending on preference.
- Adding smoked charcoal is optional but enhances the authentic shawarma aroma.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated gently on the stovetop or microwave.
- Use chicken stock instead of water for richer flavor; vegetable stock can be used for a different twist.
