08/07/2026
This healthy chicken shawarma rice bowl is fresh, filling and packed with flavour — juicy shawarma chicken, golden turmeric rice, crisp sumac salad, and creamy garlic tahini sauce, all layered into one delicious bowl.
The chicken is cooked in the Optimum HealthyFry 3.0 Air Fryer until golden on the outside and tender inside, using less oil than traditional frying. It’s perfect for a healthy dinner, meal prep lunch, high-protein family meal or easy chicken rice bowl recipe.
Recipe by ❤️
Ingredients
Shawarma Chicken:
600g skinless chicken thighs, 1 tbsp lemon juice, drizzle of olive oil, plus shawarma seasoning: ½ tsp each cayenne and turmeric, 1 tsp each salt and cardamom, ½ tbsp each coriander, cumin, garlic powder and paprika.
Turmeric Rice:
1 tbsp light butter, 1 small brown onion, finely diced, 3 garlic cloves, minced, ½ tsp each turmeric, cumin and salt, 1⅓ cups rinsed basmati rice, 2 cups chicken stock.
Sumac Salad:
3 gherkins, sliced, 400g cherry tomatoes, halved, ½ red onion, sliced, 4 tbsp parsley, 2 tsp sumac, ¾ tsp salt, 1–2 tbsp lemon juice.
Garlic Tahini Sauce:
¾ cup Greek yoghurt, ¼ cup light mayo, 1 tbsp tahini, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp lemon juice, ½ tsp salt, 1–2 tbsp water.
Optional:
Toasted pine nuts and extra parsley.
Method:
1. Mix the chicken with lemon juice, olive oil and shawarma seasoning. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
2. For the rice, cook the onion in butter until soft. Add garlic and spices, then stir in the rice and toast for 2 minutes. Add stock, bring to a boil, cover and cook on low for 12–15 minutes. Rest for 5 minutes, then fluff.
3. Preheat the air fryer to 195°C for 3 minutes. Air fry the chicken for 16–17 minutes, flipping after 10 minutes, until cooked through. Rest for 5 minutes, then slice.
4. Toss all salad ingredients together.
5. Whisk the sauce ingredients with 1–2 tbsp water until smooth and creamy.
6. Serve the turmeric rice topped with shawarma chicken, sumac salad and garlic tahini sauce. Finish with toasted pine nuts and extra parsley.
Save this Healthy Chicken Shawarma Rice Bowl recipe for your next healthy air fryer dinner 😍