Description
This One Pan Shawarma Chicken & Rice recipe combines tender, marinated chicken thighs with aromatic spices and fluffy basmati rice cooked together in a single pan for a flavorful and convenient Middle Eastern-inspired meal.
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 blend (or ground cinnamon, turmeric, garlic powder, black pepper mixed)
- 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 under cold running water until the water runs clear to remove excess starch. Soak the rice in water while you prepare the other ingredients. Combine all the ground spices in a small bowl for easy use later.
- Marinate: Place the chicken thighs in a medium bowl. Add ¼ cup Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and half of the prepared spice mixture. Mix everything thoroughly until the chicken is fully coated in the marinade.
- Sear Chicken: Heat the avocado or olive oil in a large heavy-duty pan over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until the chicken is nicely charred. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside. In the same pan, add the diced onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until wilted. Then add minced garlic and sauté just until fragrant, about a few seconds.
- Cook Rice: Drain the soaked rice and add it to the pan with the onions and garlic. Stir the rice with the remaining spices and sauté for about 2 minutes to coat it well in the flavors. Pour in the chicken stock or water. Return the seared chicken along with any juices back into the pan. Bring everything to a boil, then cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Let the rice and chicken cook undisturbed for 20 minutes to absorb the steam and fully cook through.
- Smoke: After 20 minutes, turn off the heat but keep the pan covered. Let it sit for an additional 5 minutes to finish cooking with residual heat. For an authentic smoky aroma, heat a charcoal piece until 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 it, and immediately cover the pan to trap the smoke. Allow this to infuse the rice with a smoky flavor for 5 minutes.
- Serve: Remove the lid and fluff the rice gently with a fork. Garnish the dish with freshly chopped cilantro or parsley. Serve alongside a shawarma sauce and your favorite fresh salad such as Shirazi salad or Mediterranean cucumber salad. Pickled turnips or pickled red onions make excellent accompaniments as well.
Notes
- Do not open the pan while the rice is cooking to ensure proper steam cooking.
- Using bone-off, skin-on chicken thighs yields juicy, flavorful meat with crispy edges.
- Soaking the basmati rice removes excess starch and yields fluffy, separate grains.
- For a more intense smoky flavor, adding hot charcoal inside the covered pan infuses the dish beautifully.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop with a splash of water or stock.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
