A middle-eastern style of roasting meat, Shawarma is a blend of spices rubbed into the meat (i.e. lamb, chicken, beef) and grilled on a vertical skewer for a period of time. While no two Shawarma marinades are alike, most include cumin, paprika, and black pepper.
In true Shawarma-style grilling, the meat is shaved off vertical rotating skewers and served in a sandwich or wrapped in pita bread. While a sandwich is a quick lunch, we can easily swap out the bread for a bed of lettuce to make a Paleo salad variation.
While you may not have a vertical rotating skewer with an open flame at home, grilling on an outdoor grill will work, too. If possible, marinate the meat for roughly 2 hours. The longer you marinate the meat, the more tender it will be after grilling.
Chicken Shawarma Salad Recipe
Serves: 4 Prep: 50 min Cook: 15 min
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
- 4 to 5 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 cucumber, chopped
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
Shawarma Marinade Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp. lemon juice
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 1/4 tsp. turmeric
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Lemon-Garlic Dressing Ingredients
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
- In a small bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients.
- Place chicken in the marinade and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Grill chicken on the preheated grill for 10 to 15 minutes per side or until no longer pink.
- Remove chicken from heat and set aside.
- Combine all the ingredients for the dressing, and season to taste. Whisk until the dressing is well emulsified.
- Slice the chicken into thin strips.
- Assemble the salad in a big bowl, combining the romaine lettuce, cucumber, red onion, tomatoes, and lemon dressing; toss gently.
- Serve salad in platters topped with sliced chicken.
Chicken Shawarma Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts skinless and boneless
- 4 to 5 cups romaine lettuce chopped
- 1 cucumber chopped
- 1 red onion thinly sliced
- 1 cup grape tomatoes halved
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp. lemon juice
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 1/4 tsp. turmeric
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients.1/4 cup olive oil, 3 tbsp. lemon juice, 4 garlic cloves, 1 tsp. paprika, 1/4 tsp. turmeric, Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, 1 tsp. ground cumin
- Place chicken in the marinade and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.4 chicken breasts
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Grill chicken on the preheated grill for 10 to 15 minutes per side or until no longer pink.
- Remove chicken from heat and set aside.
- Combine all the ingredients for the dressing, and season to taste. Whisk until the dressing is well emulsified.3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 2 garlic cloves, Zest of 1 lemon, Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Slice the chicken into thin strips.
- Assemble the salad in a big bowl, combining the romaine lettuce, cucumber, red onion, tomatoes, and lemon dressing; toss gently.4 to 5 cups romaine lettuce, 1 cucumber, 1 red onion, 1 cup grape tomatoes
- Serve salad in platters topped with sliced chicken.