Chicken Shawarma Crispy Rice Salad (Printable)

Golden crispy rice meets spiced chicken with fresh vegetables and creamy yogurt dressing

# What You’ll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 ounces)

→ Grains

02 - 2 cups cooked basmati rice, preferably cold, day-old

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 large cucumber, diced
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Dairy & Dressing

06 - 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

→ Spices & Oil

07 - 2 tablespoons shawarma spice blend
08 - 4 tablespoons olive oil
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How-to Steps:

01 - Slice the chicken breasts into thin strips. In a bowl, toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, shawarma spice blend, and a generous pinch of salt. Set aside to marinate for at least 10 minutes.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. Remove from the pan and keep warm.
03 - Wipe the skillet, add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, then add the cooked rice. Press into an even layer and cook undisturbed for 4–5 minutes until the bottom is golden and crispy. Stir, then let crisp for another 2–3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
04 - In a large bowl, combine cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and red onion.
05 - Add the crispy rice and cooked chicken to the vegetables. Toss gently.
06 - Drizzle with Greek yogurt. Toss again or serve with yogurt dolloped on top.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The contrast between warm crispy rice and cool fresh vegetables makes every bite exciting
  • Seven ingredients deliver layers of flavor that taste like you spent all day cooking
02 -
  • Do not crowd the pan when crisping the rice or it will steam instead of getting that golden crunch
  • Let the chicken develop a good sear before stirring too much it needs that contact time with the hot pan
03 -
  • Make a double batch of the spice blend and store it in a jar for future shawarma cravings
  • If you want extra crispy rice try cooking it in two smaller batches instead of one large one

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