Chicken Shawarma and Turmeric Rice

This is the third shawarma recipe on Cukzy after the Lebanese Chicken Shawarma Wrap and Spicy Chicken Shawarma. As I had mentioned earlier, I experiment different recipes of a dish and, if I love it, I put up here for you. Shawarma is the most sought after dish from the Middle Eastern or Mediterranean cuisine – mildly spiced meat grilled just enough to be soft and succulent. Pair this recipe with Tzatziki Sauce or Hummus.

Turmeric Rice:

1 cup rice

1 tbsp turmeric

2 tbsp butter

2 cups chicken broth/ water

1 minced garlic clove

Salt and pepper to season

Method For Turmeric Rice:

1. Melt the butter in a sauce pan and add the garlic and turmeric powder. Sautée for a few seconds.

2. Add the rice and mix well to coat.

3. Add the chicken broth or water to cook the rice. Season with salt and pepper.

Chicken Shawarma:

1 pound boneless chicken breast cut into strips

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tsp olive oil

3/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp cumin powder

1/2 tbsp coriander powder

3 garlic cloves, minced

Method For Chicken Shawarma:

1. Marinade the chicken for at least half an hour. Overnight marination works best.

2. Heat a grill pan on medium and place the chicken pieces. Turn the pieces every 5 minutes. Cook till the chicken is done.

4. Remove and place the chicken on  a dry chopping board. Roughly slice the chicken pieces into thin strips or shred with a sharp knife.

For the Yogurt Sauce:

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 tsp Tahini

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

1 garlic clove, minced finely

Method:

1. Combine the yogurt sauce ingredients. Tahini (sesame paste) adds a smooth texture and consistency and gives the dip a light nutty flavor. It’s an optional ingredient so even if you don’t have it, you’ll have a delicious yogurt sauce.

Serve the chicken shawarma with warm turmeric rice and cooled yogurt dip. I like to drizzle a teaspoon of the yogurt sauce on the chicken.