Shawarma Chicken Salad
By Henny Shor, Jerusalem Post, June 20, 2026
https://www.jpost.com/food-recipes/article-899866
Shawarma chicken is so easy to make, and it is perfect in a salad. With a lemony tahina dressing on top, it really brings everything together and tastes like shawarma in a bowl.
You can cut up some pita and add it right into the salad or serve the salad inside a pita. Either way, it is fresh, filling, and very easy to put together.
Boneless chicken works best here. Since the chicken is served with a cold salad, it does not need to be hot, which makes this a great make-ahead meal. I like to make extra chicken and even freeze some for the next time I want an easy shawarma salad.
Yields 4-6 servings.
Ingredients:
For the chicken:
- 6 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 2 tsp. cumin
- 2 tsp. paprika
- 2 tsp. turmeric
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- Juice of ½ lemon
For the salad:
- Romaine lettuce, shredded
- 3 cucumbers, diced
- 3 tomatoes, diced
- 1 red onion, sliced, or 1 shallot, sliced
- 2 pickles, sliced
- 3 pitas, cut into small pieces
For the lemony tahina dressing:
- ½ cup tahina
- 1/3 to ½ cup water, as needed
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, crushed, or ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. cumin
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2 Tbsp. chopped parsley, optional
Directions:
Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F. Place the chicken on a lined baking sheet. Add the olive oil, salt, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, black pepper, and lemon juice. Mix well so the chicken is fully coated, then spread it out in one layer.
You can season the chicken right before baking or marinate it the night before and keep it covered in the fridge until ready to bake.
Bake uncovered for 35 minutes until the chicken breast is cooked through and slightly golden.
Let the chicken cool slightly, then slice or cut into cubes.
To make the dressing, mix the tahina, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, and salt in a small bowl. Slowly add the water, mixing until smooth and pourable. Add the chopped parsley if you are using it.
Place the shredded romaine lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion or shallot, and pickles in a large bowl or on a serving platter. Add the shawarma chicken on top.
Add the pita pieces right before serving so they stay a little crisp, then drizzle with the lemony tahina dressing. You can also keep the dressing and pita on the side and let everyone build their own salad.
Tip: The chicken marinade and tahina dressing can both be prepared ahead of time. Marinate the chicken the night before, mix the dressing, and keep it in the fridge, and then dinner comes together in minutes.
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