Chicken Shawarma With Baked Rice

Chicken shawarma with baked rice and vegetables — a flavorful meal the whole family will love. This is part of my high-protein and fiber meals series.

Jump to: ℹ️ Overview | 🛒 Ingredients | 📷 How To Make | 📹 Watch The Video | 👩‍🍳 Recipe Tips | 🥗 Serving Suggestions | 📝 Full Recipe Card | 🍽 More

In this chicken shawarma recipe, tender, spiced chicken sits on a bed of rice that’s baked with chickpeas and colorful vegetables, giving you a balanced, comforting meal. The rice is soft and fluffy with a hint of yellow color from turmeric, the chickpeas add great fiber, and the quick pan‑fried chicken stays juicy with browned edges.

I also make the shawarma sauce in the same pan as the chicken — it turns into this slightly tangy, savory drizzle that ties everything together. A fresh, creamy tzatziki on the side cuts through the spices beautifully. When served, you get a delicious chicken shawarma bowl that’s high in protein and fiber. This wholesome comfort food has become a weeknight staple in our house.

Macros highlight (per serving): ~450 cal, ~37 grams protein, ~6-8 grams fiber — so you’re getting good macros and plenty of volume and flavor. See the full nutrition label in the recipe card.

👉 You might also like these recipes from the series: baked chia oats recipe, Asian carrot salad (with chicken and edamame), healthy chicken taco soup, or my high-protein butternut squash soup.

What You’ll Need

Here is what you’ll need for this chicken shawarma with baked rice and veggies recipe. Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.

Chicken Shawarma Marinade

• Chicken thighs — juicy, flavorful base protein, use skinless and boneless thighs. Swap chicken thighs for breasts if you want leaner meat (just don’t overcook)
• Garlic, lemon juice, paprika, cumin, coriander seed and tomato paste — shawarma seasoning that builds bold flavor.

Baked Rice & Veggies

• Uncooked rice — use medium or long-grain rice here for the hearty carb base.
• Chickpeas — extra protein + fiber; canned chickpeas are fine.
• Green beans, bell peppers, carrot, red onion — color, crunch, fiber and nutrients.
• Chicken stock — infuses the rice with savory flavor.
• Garlic powder, paprika, lemon, salt and turmeric (optional for color).

Tzatziki

• Lebanese cucumber — cool, crisp freshness. No Lebanese cucumber? Regular cucumber works — just squeeze extra moisture out.
• Greek yogurt (high-protein, low-fat) — creamy and tangy with extra protein.
• Lemon + garlic — classic tzatziki zing.

To Serve

• Pickled turnip + pepperoncini — optional punchy toppings.
• Parsley + lemon wedges — bright finishing touches.

How To Make Chicken Shawarma With Baked Rice & Veggies

Find the full recipe and nutritional information below. Here are some handy step-by-step photos for chicken shawarma with baked rice and veggies. You can bake the rice first or do the chicken first, or in parallel.

• Marinate the chicken: Cut chicken thighs in half. Toss chicken pieces with shawarma spices, garlic, lemon and tomato paste. Let rest.
• Cook chicken: Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken 7–8 minutes on one side, flip and cook 2 minutes. Pour chicken stock around chicken and cook 5 more minutes to form a sauce. Remove chicken and slice.

• Tzatziki: Grate cucumber, squeeze dry and mix with yogurt, garlic, lemon and salt.
• Dice or slice pickled turnip and pepperoncini or hot pickled peppers (if using).

• Bake rice & veg: Rinse rice well; combine with chickpeas, vegetables, seasonings and stock in a deep tray. Cover with foil and bake ~35–40 minutes mixing half way through.

• Assemble: Fluff rice; top with sliced chicken, pour over pan sauce, dollop tzatziki, add pickles + parsley.

Watch The Video

Recipe Tips

• Make-ahead: Marinate the chicken up to 12 hours ahead — it only gets more flavorful. Tzatziki holds well in the fridge for 24–48 hours; great for meal prep.
• Storage: Refrigerate leftovers up to 3–4 days. Freeze portions (without tzatziki) up to 2 months. Thaw overnight and reheat covered.
• Variations: Add cauliflower florets or zucchini for more veg. Swap chickpeas for white beans or lentils. Sprinkle feta on top before serving for extra tang.
• Timing help: Rice done when liquid’s absorbed and grains are tender. Chicken is best juicy — don’t overcook, and let the pan sauce do its thing.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this chicken shawarma rice bake with a squeeze of fresh lemon, a generous dollop of tzatziki and plenty of parsley for brightness. A side salad or warm pita bread makes it feel luxe, or simply enjoy it straight from the tray — it’s one of those meals that’s beautiful either way.

💬 If you’ve tried this chicken shawarma with baked rice and veggies or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and or sign up to my Newsletter to see more of my delicious food.