Chicken Shawarma Grain Bowl with Tzatziki

I would like to say that the shawarma is the star of this bowl but I cannot lie. I have not stopped thinking about the tzatziki for days. It's hooked itself into my brain like a cool, creamy, cucumbery little hookworm. Wait, those might hook into your gut, not brain. I don't know. The tzatziki is fire though.

Chicken Shawarma Grain Bowl with Tzatziki

Serves: 4

Active Time: 20 minutes

Marinating Time: 30 minutes- overnight

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Total Time: (excluding marinating time): 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

For The Chicken Shawarma Marinade

• 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into one inch cubes
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp. ground cumin
• 1 tbsp. smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
• 4 cloves finely minced garlic
• Juice of half of a lemon
• 1 tbsp. kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 yellow onion sliced
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh dill
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

For The Tzatziki

• 1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup grated seedless cucumber pressed in paper towel to eliminate as much moisture as possible
• 3 cloves garlic finely minced
• Zest of one lemon
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh dill
• 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

For Cucumber salad:

• 1 chopped mini seedless cucumber
• 5 chopped grape tomatoes
• 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste
Serve over your favorite grain- I prefer garlic and basil flavored quinoa. Optional garnishes: feta cheese, high quality extra virgin olive oil, fresh chopped parsley, mint or dill.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix all marinade ingredients together in a gallon sized zip lock bag. Squish contents together until all pieces of chicken are coated and the spices are evenly mixed with the yogurt. Let this sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
2. While the chicken marinates, cook your grain of choice according to package directions.
3. For tzatziki, mix together all ingredients and stir until everything is well combined and set aside.
4. For the cucumber salad, mix together all ingredients and set aside.
5. Once the chicken is done marinating, heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil and allow this to heat. Once the oil is heated, add the marinated chicken to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is cooked through (about 8 minutes.)
6. Plate the chicken on top of the grain of your choice and top with tzatziki and cucumber salad. Garnish as desired.

Sparkling
Rosé

MY RECOMMENDATION:

Chandon California Rosé Sparkling Wine- find it at Total Wine

WHY IT WORKS:

• Rosés, sparkling wine and white wine all pair well with shawarma. They have bright acidity and most importantly-bubbles!
• Sometimes foods that have a lot of different spices can be difficult to pair because of all the strong flavors. Bubby wine is always a good fall back when you aren’t sure what to pair with a dish.
• This wine has notes of strawberry, raspberry, citrus, grapefruit and lemon
• The bright acidity and bubbles compliment the freshness of all of the herbs in the grain bowl.