Recipe: Chicken Shawarma with a Spine

AFS Education

This dish was inspired by an AFS Family member, who loves shawarma like the rest of the world. She sent me the recipe, and we both put our own little spin on the mix! I added tarragon, onions and garlic to the boiling grains to give them a little more flavor. Not needed, but definitely a plus!

Chicken Shawarma

INGREDIENTS

·       12 oz chicken breast, cubed or shredded (about 3 cups)

·       2 teaspoons olive oil

·       3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

·       1 Tbsp cumin, divided

·       1/4 teaspoon paprika

·       1/2 cup plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt

·       1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

·       1 tablespoon tahini (sesame seed paste)

·       1 teaspoon minced garlic

·       1 (8.5-oz.) pkg. Farro

·       2 cups chopped cucumber

·       2 cups halved cherry tomatoes

·       1 (15-oz.) can unsalted chickpeas, rinsed and drained

·       2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)

·       1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1.    Place chicken in a large bowl. Combine 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 Tbsp cumin, and paprika in a bowl and add spice mixture to chicken; toss to coat.

2.    Cook chicken in skillet with 2 tsp olive oil until completely cooked.

3.    Combine remaining 1/4 tsp salt, remaining 1/4 Tbsp cumin, yogurt, lemon juice, tahini, and garlic in a small bowl. Set aside.

4.    Heat farro according to package directions. Place 1/2 cup farro in each bowl. Top each bowl with about 3/4 cup chicken mixture, 1/2 cup cucumber, 1/2 cup tomatoes, about 1/3 cup chickpeas, and 2 1/2 tablespoons Greek yogurt mixture. Top with parsley and black pepper (optional)

Lisa Baumgarten

Looks good. Don't regularly see Farro at the store. Can I substitute Quinoa?

Beth Manoogian

@Lisa Baumgarten yes you can use quinoa or brown rice or couscous or other grain of your choosing. I usually find farro in the rice/quinoa section of my local Busch’s grocery store if that’s helpful.