Chicken Shawarma Grain Bowl
Charred, spice-crusted chicken fanned over nutty farro, tahini running in thick ribbons, and bright pink pickled chillies catching the light against the rocket.
Ingredients
Serves 4- 700gchicken thigh fillets
- 3garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
- 1large lemon, 45ml juice divided
- 2 tspground cumin
- 2 tspsmoked paprika
- 1 tspground turmeric
- 1 tspground coriander
- ½ tspground cinnamon
- 3 tbspolive oil
- fine salt
- black pepper
- 200gfreekeh, dry
- 240gdrained chickpeas (about 1 × 400g tin), rinsed
- 60grocket
- 200gcherry tomatoes, halved
- 200gcucumber, diced
- 80gtahini
- 60mlwater
- 60gpickled chillies, drained (optional)
- 4small flatbreads, about 240g (optional)
Method
- Bring a pan of water to the boil. Add the freekeh and simmer for the packet time, usually 20–25 minutes, until tender with a little bite. Cook the chicken and prepare the dressing while it simmers, then drain the freekeh well.
- Measure 45ml lemon juice. In a large bowl, mix 30ml of it with the garlic, cumin, paprika, turmeric, coriander, cinnamon, olive oil, a good pinch of salt and plenty of black pepper.
- Add the chicken and turn until coated all over. Leave it coated while preparing the tahini and bowls; no separate marinating wait is needed.
- While the chicken marinates, whisk the tahini with the remaining 15ml lemon juice, water and a pinch of salt for 1 minute until smooth and loose enough to spoon.
- Divide the cooked freekeh between four bowls. Fold in the chickpeas and rocket, then scatter over the tomatoes and cucumber loosely, leaving their colours visible.
- Heat a heavy frying pan over a high heat for 3 minutes until very hot and just beginning to smoke. Cook the chicken in two batches for 5 minutes per side until charred in patches and steaming hot throughout, with no pink remaining. The thickest part should reach 75°C for 30 seconds.
- Transfer the chicken to the board and rest for 5 minutes until the juices settle back into the meat. Slice thickly across the grain.
- Lay the chicken over the bowls and lightly spoon over the tahini dressing. Serve the pickled chillies and flatbreads alongside, if using.
Per serving
- kcal
- 708
- protein
- 50g
- fibre
- 15.2g
- carbs
- 57.9g
- fat
- 31.1g
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