Meal Prep-Friendly Chicken Shawarma Recipe

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Packing lunches in the morning can seem overwhelming, especially on top of getting everyone ready for school and getting yourself off to work. Much of the time, you might find yourself throwing together a disappointing sandwich that isn't satisfying, tasty, or nutritious. If you haven't already realized the value of meal prep, you might want to get on board. Planning your meals in advance is a great way to save time — and money if your default is to order food when you're tired or in a rush. With a bit of time and forethought early in the week, you can set yourself up with lunches so full of flavor and variety that you find yourself looking forward to them all morning. 

This meal prep-friendly chicken shawarma, courtesy of Daily Meal recipe developer Kate Shungu, layers on all of the sharp, strong flavors and contrasting textures you love in a classic shawarma sandwich in convenient packed-lunch form. Grilled chicken that has been marinated in a zesty, earthy, herby, piquant sauce of Greek yogurt, cumin, cinnamon, oregano, and lemon is combined with a bright, fresh tomato, onion, and cucumber salad, tangy, briny feta, garlicky hummus, and turmeric rice. "I love getting ahead for the week, and this simple recipe will leave you with five ready-to-go lunches in just 40 minutes," Shungu explains, "It's the perfect mix of protein, carbs, and veggies to fuel your afternoon, with lots of flavor to boot." No sad desk lunches to be seen around here!

For this recipe, you'll need full-fat plain Greek yogurt, lemon juice, salt, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, and oregano. Next, get boneless, skinless chicken thighs, long-grain white rice, water, and turmeric. Finally, get grape tomatoes (halved), diced cucumbers, diced red onion, olive oil, hummus, and crumbled feta.

In a large bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1¼ teaspoons salt, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, and oregano.

Add the chicken thighs and toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

Preheat a grill to medium high heat.

Place the rice, water, turmeric, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.

While the rice is cooking, remove the chicken from the marinade, and place it on the grill. Grill for 3–4 minutes, or until the chicken releases easily from the grill.

Flip and continue cooking for an additional 3–4 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Place the chicken on a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes. Slice into ¼ inch strips.

Fluff the rice with a fork.

In a medium bowl, toss together the tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, olive oil, and remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice.

Set out 5 meal prep-style containers.

Place a heaping ½ cup rice in each of the containers. Top with ½ cup chicken.

Place silicone baking cups in the containers, next to the rice and chicken.

Divide the hummus between the cups, pushing it to the side of each cup.

Divide the tomato mixture between the cups, placing it next to the hummus.

Top each cup with about 1 tablespoon of feta.

Cover the containers and store in the refrigerator until you're ready to eat.

To serve, remove the silicone baking cup and heat the chicken and rice until warmed through. Serve with the tomato/cucumber mixture and hummus.

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This meal prep chicken shawarma recipe is a great jumping-off point for experimentation. To start, if your spice cabinet isn't usually stocked with all the herbs and spices called for here, Shungu recommends using a premade shawarma seasoning blend. Meanwhile, if you prefer white meat, she suggests, "use chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs." Folks with dairy sensitivities can use a lactose-free Greek yogurt — Shungu recommends Fage Best Self. White rice is a great base for the turmeric seasoning, but if you want to switch it up, Shungu tells us, "sub brown rice for the white rice (the cooking time will be longer) or even use a microwaveable rice pouch to cut down on the cooking time." 

Meanwhile, the side tomato and cucumber salad can be swapped for lettuce or mixed greens, though to prevent the leaves from wilting, you'll want to pour in the dressing only once you're ready to eat. Finally, if you like this framework but want to try out a different vibe from week to week, Shungu suggests, "Change up the flavors entirely with a burrito-bowl style meal, using taco seasoning for the chicken, and storing pico de gallo and sour cream in the little cup on the side."

The right recipe is one component of successful meal prepping, but the right container is a close second. Shungu offers some tips to ensure your meal is properly stored without sacrificing portability. "The container depends on what you're making, but we find that two-compartment containers are easily transportable and leave you with enough variety on your plate to keep from getting bored," she recommends. In this case, this format is ideal since it allows a division between the cooked and raw ingredients.

Avoiding a mess is obviously important, too, as is being able to reheat the meal in the container in question. "These plastic containers have a tight seal to prevent any leakage into a bag or briefcase. They're also very sturdy and microwave- and dishwasher-safe," Shungu comments. They also stack well, which makes them convenient for storage in the cupboard or fridge. Meanwhile, smaller vessels for fresh ingredients or to divide parts of a meal are also useful. "These silicone muffin cups are great as a divider for foods that don't do well sitting together for a long time, or for portions of the meal that don't need to be microwaved," Shungu recommends.

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