Baked Shawarma Chicken & Rice

Written By Karina Arora

with Cabbage Slaw & Yoghurt Sauce

Bowl of baked shawarma chicken and rice

Preparation time: 2 hours + 2 hours/ overnight marination | Serves: 4 people

A delicious combination of shawarma spiced chicken, and rice (cooked in the same spice mix) with veggies and chicken broth, baked in the oven until it comes out steaming, fluffy and extra flavourful with all the juicy drippings mixed into it.

I serve this one pot meal with a crunchy, tangy slaw, creamy yoghurt tahini dip, plenty of fresh mint and pickles.

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How to cook my Baked Shawarma Chicken & Rice -

This one pot, baked rice dish may look long and complicated, but it basically involves searing the chicken in an oven proof dish, frying onions, garlic, capsicum and the rice in the same pan with more shawarma spice mix.

Chicken broth is then poured into the dish and then it goes in the oven. The chicken finishes cooking on top of the rice, grilled for the last few minutes for that nice charred look and taste.

Why you should make this one pot Shawarma Baked Rice…

Frying the rice with spices and vegetables then cooking it with chicken gives it so much flavour, plus I love the slightly bite-y, bouncy texture of baked rice. It feels indulgent like a risotto, but when timed perfectly, retains its fluffy texture while infusing it with flavour.

Apart from the flavour, this is a great recipe for meal prep and work lunches. The chicken and rice are easy to reheat and the slaw stays fresh for days! It’s also healthy, affordable and can be scaled up to serve more people, whether you’re feeding a large family, entertaining or simply being prepared for a big week at work.

Ingredients

For the chicken & rice -

  • 2-3 tbsps. olive oil (divided)

  • 1 kg chicken thighs (trimmed)

  • 3 tbsps. shawarma spice blend (divided - see notes for recipe)*

  • 4 garlic cloves, smashed

  • 1 large onion, sliced

  • 2 red bell peppers, sliced (optional)

  • 2 cups long grain rice (I used basmati)

  • 3 cups chicken stock/ water

  • Salt, according to taste

For the slaw -

  • 1/4 red cabbage, shredded

  • 1 green apple, sliced into batons

  • 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (I use Pukara Estate)

  • 1 + 1/2 tbsp. red wine vinegar

  • 2 tsps. sumac (optional)

  • Salt, according to taste

To serve -

  • 1 cup Greek yoghurt

  • 2 tbsps. tahini

  • Salt and extra virgin olive oil. according to taste

  • Pickles

  • Fresh mint leaves

  • Lemon wedges and toasted almonds/ pine nuts

Method

Cooking the Chicken & Rice -

  1. Mix 2 tbsp. shawarma spice, ½ tbsp. salt and 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large bowl.

  2. Marinate the chicken in the mix for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

  3. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 180ºC.

  4. Heat a large, oven safe pot over medium heat and sear the chicken until golden-brown. Remove and set aside.

  5. Add the remaining oil to the same pot, scraping up the crispy bits from the chicken.

  6. Fry the onion, bell peppers and garlic for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the remaining shawarma spice and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

  7. Stir in the rice until coated, then add salt and 2 cups chicken stock or water (you’re looking for a 2 to 1 ratio of liquid to rice).

  8. Bake for 15 minutes.

  9. Remove from the oven, stir the rice, and pour in the remaining cup of stock/ water. Nestle the seared chicken on top.

  10. Return to the oven and bake for a further 15–30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender. For a charred finish, grill for a final 5 minutes.

To serve -

  1. Toss the ingredients for the slaw together in a large bowl.

  2. Mix the Greek yoghurt, tahini and salt together until smooth.

  3. To build your plate, serve the hot rice and chicken with the slaw, yoghurt sauce, sliced pickles and a handful of fresh mint.

  4. Squeeze over fresh lemon and top with toasted nuts for crunch and texture, if you like.