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Meet your new Sunday routine: juicy shawarma-spiced chicken, oven-crisped sweet potato fries, and a cool, herby yogurt sauce. Build the bowls once, enjoy happy lunches all week.
Everything gets prepped on a couple of pans, then layered with greens and grains for color, crunch, and staying power. Cozy flavors, simple steps, very make-ahead friendly.
Watch the How To Video Here:
They have texture, layers of flavor, and SO much color. A few months ago when I was writing the HBH cookbook manuscript, there was day after day of non-stop writing. No joke, non-stop writing. Typically, my days are filled with cooking and writing at night, so this was a bit of an adjustment for me, since I was basically doing zero cooking all week-long. This is when I turned to Sunday meal prep. That way, come lunch and dinner, I actually had food other than avocado toast and eggs to eatโฆnot that thereโs anything wrong with avocado toast and eggs, but you know, variety is occasionally needed in oneโs diet.
Iโm not sure why it took me so long to do something like this, but honestly, I am so excited about it! I love the idea of making a healthy delicious meal that can be enjoyed throughout the week.
OK, hereโs how this whole meal prep thing worksโฆor at least hereโs how I do it. First, I highly recommend investing in some pretty glass storage containers. Not only are these convenient, but for me, they make the process a little more fun. And yes, I am so weird, but I like pretty things! I just ordered these Rubbermaid Glass Storage Containersย on Amazon. I think they would be great for this recipe, and they clean up really nicely, which is always a huge bonus.
Second task, grocery shop! Look carefully at your recipe, read the ingredients closely, and then make your list! Once at the grocery store, try to physically cross off all of your items as you go. Most of us at one time or another, haveย gotten home only to realize that we forgot the most important ingredient! That is the worstโฆlike the worst.
Once home, put everything away, get organized and then it is GO time. To prep for this recipe, youโll need a couple of baking sheets and a pot for the couscous (or quinoa if thatโs more your thing). Pretty simple.
The first step is to marinate the chicken for half an hour or so. If youโre short on time, you can definitely skip marinating, but I find it really tenderizes the chicken, making it much more moist and juicy. <โsounds really weird saying that out loud, but itโs true. I always start with the chicken, then while itโs marinating, I prep all the veggies.
The next step is to arrange the marinated chicken on one sheet pan and the sweet potatoes fries and asparagus on another. Then throw them all in the oven and roast. While those are cooking, I like to make the couscous. Sometimes Iโll use quinoa, but couscous is very middle eastern, so it fits more with the this recipe and its middle eastern roots. During this time Iโll also make the garlic tahini yogurt and then gather all the toppings, storing each in their own little container for easy access. When everything is done cooking, I let it all cool, then store everything in separateย glass containers. I prefer to store ingredients separately so I can easily assemble my bowls when getting ready to serve. However, if youโre planning on taking these to work as lunch or you need your dinner completely assembled (maybe to take to a potluck), you can assemble the bowls like you see in the photos, just leave the avocado and lettuce off, as those are best to add right before eating.
Once everything is packed up, throw it in the fridge and DONE. How easy was that? Probably about an hour of work for a weeks worth of healthy lunches or dinners.
Um, yes please!
Honestly, these bowls saved the day while I was writing the book. Now I am kind of hoping they will save yours too! And guys, if youโre not into meal prepping and you are simply in need of an easy dinner, this recipe is pretty dang good for that too.
Swaps & Variations
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Protein: Chicken thighs โ breasts; tofu or chickpeas for a veg version (press tofu dry; roast chickpeas until light crackle).
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Carbs: Quinoa, farro, or cauliflower rice (lighter, less starchy) in place of rice.
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Sauce: Dairy-free? Use tahini + lemon + water to thin; extra herbs for brightness.
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Add-ins: Quick pickled onions, cucumber, tomatoes, or feta for crunch/zing.
FAQ:
Can I marinate the chicken overnight?
Yesโlonger marinating deepens flavor. Drain excess marinade before cooking to encourage browning rather than steaming.
Can I roast the chicken and fries on one pan?
Only if itโs a very large pan; crowding leads to pale chicken and soggy fries. Split across two pans or cook in batches for best texture.
Whatโs a good dairy-free sauce?
Whisk tahini with lemon, garlic, water, and salt until creamy; add chopped herbs. Itโs bright and nutty without the yogurt.
Chicken Shawarma and Sweet Potato Fry Bowls
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size chunks
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt and pepper
- juice of 2 lemons
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 sweet potatoes, cut into matchsticks
- 1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed
- 4 cups cooked couscous or quinoa
- 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives and oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, oil drained
- crumbled goat cheese, shredded lettuce, avocado, sliced cucumbers, pickled red onions, pine nuts, lemons, mint, and or cilantro, for serving
Garlic Tahini Yogurt
- 1 cup plain greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- juice of 1/2 a lemon
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
Instructions
- 1. In a large gallon size zip-top bag, combine the chicken, honey, paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, lemon juice, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and 2 tablespoons olive oil, toss to combine. Seal and chill for 30 minutes or up to 12 hours.2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.3. Place the sweet potatoes on a large baking sheet and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper. Transfer to the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes, then flip and bake for 15-20 minutes more.4. Place the asparagus on a baking sheet and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, kosher salt and pepper. Transfer to the oven and roast for 10-15 minutes. 5. Place the marinated chicken on a large baking sheet and spread in an even layer. Transfer to the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. 6. Divide the couscous among 4-6 storage containers and arrange the chicken, sweet potatoes, asparagus, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes on top. Alternately, you can store the couscous, chicken, and veggies in separate containers and assemble when ready. Food will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week. 7. Before serving, warm each bowl if desired and top with garlic yogurt (see below) and your desired toppings.
Garlic Tahini Yogurt
- 1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. Keep stored in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
AND itโs healthy too. You see, the bestest!
ps. while naan is not pictured, I highly, highly recommend it along side these bowls.
These were great. A little labor intensive but SO good. I had them cold even, for lunch.
Hey Jessica,
Happy Sunday! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it turned out well!
I feel so dumb butโฆ 2 teaspoons of salt AND 2 teaspoons of pepper? Donโt normally see โ2 teaspoons of salt and pepperโ written that wayโฆ
Hi there,
You will want to use 1 teaspoon of each:) I hope you love the recipe! xx
Hi Tieghan! I love this recipe and make it at least once a week, so good and comes out juicy every single time. Do you have any additional seasoning combos you would reccomend? Thank you so much.
recommend**
Hey Bridget,
Thank you so much for trying this recipe, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed!! You can really do anything you like, I have a lot of other chicken recipes you might enjoy:) xTieghan
This recipe is to diiiiie for. I have been looking for a good chicken shawarma recipe, and this is absolutely it. And its nutrient dense to boot! Its THE ONE.
Hi Heather,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed!! xx
Love this recipe! Can you share how you make your pickled onions too? That would really help me elevate this dish!
Hey Amber,
Awesome!! I am thrilled that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Here is the recipe for the pickled onions:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/quick-pickled-veggies/
Have a great week:) xx
I make this at least once a month; so freaking delish.
Hi Katie,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Not sure if my oven just runs extra hot or maybe my sweet potatoes are too thin, but I’ve found both times I’ve made this recipe that putting them in for 15 mins on each side (and slightly shorter the second time) actually burned them. I’d recommend more like 5-10 minutes each side. But otherwise this recipe is AMAAAAZING (if you can’t tell from having made it twice in less than two weeks); I’ll definitely Lbe making this again!
Hey Lora,
Wonderful! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a lot for making it. Sorry to hear about your sweet potatoes, they could be too thin:) Have the best weekend! xT
This is by far one of my favorite recipes! Excellent!!!
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try! So glad you enjoyed it. xTieghan
This is one of my absolute favorite weekday meals. Marinating the chicken overnight makes all the difference to me! Thanks for a wonderful and healthy recipe
Hey Morgan,
Awesome! I am so glad that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try! xxTieghan
Delicious but the chicken tastes like fajitas … not shawarma…
Hey Kelsi,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try! xTieghan
The video doesn’t match the written instructions (which are a little complicated at first glance), but don’t let either of those things stop you from making this recipe! I’ve been making this for a couple years and love it. So much flavor and honestly tops a lot of the shawarma I’ve been able to purchase in my area. This is a classic dish I will continue to make for years to come. Thank you!
I am really glad this turned out so amazing for you, Dakota! Thank you so much for trying this one! xTieghan
Looks amazing, though I don’t know if I’d categorize this as American cuisine
Thank you Jon! xTieghan
I used this recipe for my meal prep this week and OMG it is sooooo delicious!!! First my husband sent me a text and said it was really good (before I had my lunch) and then finally when I did have a chance to eat it I wanted more! Canโt wait for lunch tomorrow! Such great flavors all around! I did not have any lemons on hand but ended up using lime but it still turned out amazing!!!!!! If you are contemplating this recipe donโt wait! Itโs so worth it!!!
Yes!! That is so great! Thank you for trying this Anne! xTieghan
Iโve never commented on a recipe before but have been coming to this site for a while now. Made this last night and it was amazing!! Subbed the goat cheese for feta and didnโt have tahini so just put little dollops of hummus and tzatziki.
Thank you for trying this and leaving a comment, Jaelyn! I am so glad you loved this! xTieghan