Chicken Shawarma Crispy Rice Salad

• servings: Makes 4 large servings

Ingredients

Crispy Rice⁣

2 cups cooked rice, cooled (I used jasmine rice)⁣

1 tbsp olive oil ⁣

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp garlic powder⁣

Chicken⁣

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2” pieces⁣

2 tbsp olive oil ⁣

2 tsp ground turmeric⁣

2 tsp cumin⁣

1 tsp cinnamon⁣

1 tsp garlic powder⁣

1/2 tsp black pepper⁣

Salad⁣

5 persian cucumbers, thinly sliced ⁣

1 cup baby tomatoes, halved⁣

1/2 red onion, finely sliced (1/2 cup)⁣

3 dill pickles, chopped⁣

1 bunch mint, chopped (1/2 cup)⁣

Creamy Lemon-Tahini Dressing⁣

1/2 cup Greek yogurt (or plain yogurt for a thinner texture)

1/3 cup tahini

1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

1/4 cup cold water, plus more if needed to thin

2 tablespoons olive oil (down slightly to reduce richness and heaviness)

1 small garlic clove, finely grated or minced (or 2 if you like it punchy)

3/4 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste

1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup, optional

Directions

First, prepare the crispy rice topping. Preheat oven to 400F. Add cooked and cooled rice to a baking sheet. Toss with the olive oil and seasonings. Bake for 30-35 minutes, tossing half way through (watch to make sure it doesn’t burn).

While the rice is in the oven, season chicken and coat well. Add olive oil to a skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, add chicken. Cook until fully cooked through, then remove from heat.

Remove the rice from the oven and set aside.

Next, chop/slice all of the ingredients for the salad and add to a large bowl. Add the chicken and crispy rice on top.

Dressing

In a bowl or blender, whisk or blend the tahini, lemon juice, and yogurt until smooth.

Add olive oil, garlic, salt, and sweetener if using.

Slowly whisk in cold water until the dressing loosens to a pourable consistency.

Taste and adjust salt, lemon, or sweetness as needed.