High-Protein Shawarma Power Bowl Recipe

Slice the chicken into thin strips or bite-sized pieces.

In a large bowl, mix the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, allspice, cardamom, cayenne, salt, and pepper.

Add the chicken and toss until every piece is coated.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. If you have time, marinate it for 4 hours or overnight.

Do not stress if you only have 30 minutes. This is dinner, not a sacred ceremony. But longer marinating gives the chicken more flavor.

When ready to cook, heat a large skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat.

Add a little cooking spray or a small amount of oil.

Add the chicken in a single layer. Do not crowd the pan. If the pan is too crowded, the chicken steams instead of browns, and browned edges are where the shawarma magic lives.

In a bowl, mix Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and black pepper.

Add light mayo or tahini if using.

Thin with water until it reaches your preferred sauce texture.

Taste and adjust.

If you want it more garlicky, add more garlic.

If you want it brighter, add more lemon.

If it tastes too sharp, add a tiny bit more mayo, tahini, or olive oil.

This is not a traditional toum. Real toum is a glorious garlic emulsion that can make your breath legally significant. This is a higher-protein, easier, yogurt-based garlic sauce that gives you the vibe without using half a cup of oil.

Use chicken breast instead of thighs.

Use more chicken per bowl.

Use Greek yogurt garlic sauce instead of regular garlic mayo.

Add a side of Greek yogurt-based tzatziki.

Use a smaller rice portion and more chicken.

Add chickpeas if you want extra plant protein, though they also add carbs.

You can also use high-protein pita on the side if you want the wrap experience without turning the bowl into a full takeout platter.

The easiest high-protein move is simple: build the bowl around the chicken, not the rice.

Use chicken breast.

Use cauliflower rice or lettuce instead of all rice.

Use nonfat Greek yogurt for the sauce.

Skip or reduce olive oil in the sauce.

Use pickles, cucumber, tomato, lettuce, onion, and herbs for volume.

Go easy on tahini, mayo, hummus, and extra oil.

This is where shawarma bowls can get sneaky. A bowl can look healthy because it has vegetables, but sauce, oil, tahini, rice, hummus, and pita can stack up quickly.

None of those foods are bad.

Slice the chicken into thin strips or bite-sized pieces.

In a large bowl, mix the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, allspice, cardamom, cayenne, salt, and pepper.

Add the chicken and toss until every piece is coated.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. If you have time, marinate it for 4 hours or overnight.

Do not stress if you only have 30 minutes. This is dinner, not a sacred ceremony. But longer marinating gives the chicken more flavor.

When ready to cook, heat a large skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat.

Add a little cooking spray or a small amount of oil.

Add the chicken in a single layer. Do not crowd the pan. If the pan is too crowded, the chicken steams instead of browns, and browned edges are where the shawarma magic lives.

In a bowl, mix Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and black pepper.

Add light mayo or tahini if using.

Thin with water until it reaches your preferred sauce texture.

Taste and adjust.

If you want it more garlicky, add more garlic.

If you want it brighter, add more lemon.

If it tastes too sharp, add a tiny bit more mayo, tahini, or olive oil.

This is not a traditional toum. Real toum is a glorious garlic emulsion that can make your breath legally significant. This is a higher-protein, easier, yogurt-based garlic sauce that gives you the vibe without using half a cup of oil.

Use chicken breast instead of thighs.

Use more chicken per bowl.

Use Greek yogurt garlic sauce instead of regular garlic mayo.

Add a side of Greek yogurt-based tzatziki.

Use a smaller rice portion and more chicken.

Add chickpeas if you want extra plant protein, though they also add carbs.

You can also use high-protein pita on the side if you want the wrap experience without turning the bowl into a full takeout platter.

The easiest high-protein move is simple: build the bowl around the chicken, not the rice.

Use chicken breast.

Use cauliflower rice or lettuce instead of all rice.

Use nonfat Greek yogurt for the sauce.

Skip or reduce olive oil in the sauce.

Use pickles, cucumber, tomato, lettuce, onion, and herbs for volume.

Go easy on tahini, mayo, hummus, and extra oil.

This is where shawarma bowls can get sneaky. A bowl can look healthy because it has vegetables, but sauce, oil, tahini, rice, hummus, and pita can stack up quickly.

None of those foods are bad.