Trader Joe's Chicken Shawarma Plate with Mediterranean Salad
This plate is my favorite kind of dinner because the store did most of the work before I got home. The Shawarma Chicken Thighs from the refrigerated section are already marinated in all the right spices, and the bagged Mediterranean salad is chopped and ready to dress, so the only real cooking is getting a good char on the chicken. I keep both in the fridge most weeks now. Ten minutes of active effort, and dinner tastes like you planned it days ago.
- Total
- 25 minutes, longer if cooking in batches
- Serves
- 3 to 4
Recipe
Trader Joe's Chicken Shawarma Plate with Mediterranean Salad
- Prep
- 5 minutes
- Cook
- 10 to 15 minutes
- Rest
- 5 minutes
- Total
- 25 minutes, longer if cooking in batches
- Serves
- 3 to 4
Ingredients
Chicken and salad
For serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Get ready
Keep the chicken refrigerated while you gather the salad and serving ingredients and start heating the pan. There is no need to bring the thighs to room temperature.
- 2
Heat the pan properly
Set a large cast iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes. Add a thin slick of olive oil. It should shimmer without smoking heavily.
- 3
Sear the chicken
Shake off the excess marinade and lay the thighs in without crowding. Cook 5 to 7 minutes per side, until deeply browned with some dark crispy edges. Work in batches if the pan feels crowded.
- 4
Check for doneness
The thickest part of each thigh should read 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. Color alone does not confirm doneness. If the outside is charring before the inside is done, drop the heat to medium and keep cooking until it reaches 165°F.
- 5
Rest and slice
Move the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest 5 minutes, then slice it into strips. This is the difference between juicy chicken and chicken juice all over the cutting board.
- 6
Plate it
Toss the salad with its dressing and toppings just before serving. Pile the sliced chicken over or next to a generous scoop of salad. Add warm pita or rice, a dollop of hummus or tzatziki if using, and a squeeze of lemon over everything. The salad's dressing mixes with the chicken drippings on the plate, and that's the bite you're after.
Estimated nutrition
Per serving (1 of 4)
- Calories
- 424 kcal
- Protein
- 33.5 g
- Carbs
- 8.3 g
- Fat
- 27.6 g
Calculated from the listed amounts. Optional or unmeasured additions are excluded; brands, substitutions, and cooking losses can change the result.
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Trader Joe's Chicken Shawarma Plate with Mediterranean Salad
Nutrition · Per serving (1 of 4)
- Protein
- 33.5 g
- Carbs
- 8.3 g
- Fat
- 27.6 g
424 Cal
Estimated · optional extras excluded
Trader Joe's Chicken Shawarma Plate with Mediterranean Salad
Get ready
Keep the chicken refrigerated while you gather the salad and serving ingredients and start heating the pan. There is no need to bring the thighs to room temperature.
All ingredients · 6
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Shortcuts and substitutions
From-scratch shawarma
Marinate 2 pounds of boneless, skinless thighs for at least 2 hours in ½ cup plain yogurt, 3 tablespoons olive oil, the juice of a lemon, 4 grated garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon cumin, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon coriander, ½ teaspoon turmeric, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, a pinch of cayenne, and 1½ teaspoons kosher salt. Then cook exactly as written above. It's better, barely, but it turns a quick dinner into a plan-ahead one.
From-scratch salad
Dice an English cucumber, halve a pint of cherry tomatoes, finely dice a quarter of a red onion, and chop a handful of parsley. Toss with a tablespoon each of olive oil and lemon juice plus a pinch of salt. Let it sit 10 minutes so the onion mellows. The bagged version saves maybe 10 minutes, so do whichever fits the evening.
Chicken breasts
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts work with the from-scratch marinade above. Cook to 165°F in the thickest part and check early so they do not dry out. Thighs forgive. Breasts do not.
Grill it instead
Medium-high heat, 5 to 6 minutes per side to start, with the grates well oiled. Cook until the thickest part reaches 165°F, then rest 5 minutes. The char is even better over a flame.
Feeding a crowd
Two packages of chicken feed 5 to 6 people comfortably. Keep finished batches warm in a 200°F oven on a sheet pan while you sear the rest, and don't skip the rest step even when people are hovering.
Recipe notes
Plan on about 25 minutes for a single batch, including the 5-minute rest. A crowded skillet means an extra batch and a longer dinner.
The estimate uses a 12.95-ounce Organic Mediterranean Style Salad Kit with its dressing and toppings, plus the chicken and an allowance for retained cooking oil. Nutrition is for 1 of 4 portions and excludes pita, rice, dips, sauces, and lemon wedges. Package sizes and product formulas can vary, so check your labels.
Hot pan, no exceptions
The whole appeal here is the contrast between the charred exterior and the juicy interior, and that only happens if the pan is properly preheated. A lukewarm pan steams the chicken and you lose the crispy bits.
Don't wipe out the pan
Those browned drippings are flavor. If you're serving rice, spoon a little of what's left in the skillet over it.
The salad container has a second life
If you don't finish it, the leftovers keep a day dressed and make a decent lunch scooped into pita with the leftover chicken.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this spicy?
Mild. The shawarma marinade has warmth from the spices but no real heat. Serve chili crisp or harissa at the table if anyone wants to turn it up.
Can I cook the whole package at once?
Only if your pan is big enough to hold the thighs in a single layer with room between them. Crowded chicken steams. Use two pans or work in batches. The extra 6 minutes are worth it.
Can I bake it instead?
Yes. 425°F on a foil-lined sheet pan for 18 to 22 minutes, flipping once, until the thickest part reaches 165°F. Rest 5 minutes before slicing. You lose some of the char but gain trivial cleanup, which is sometimes the right trade.
What else is good on the side?
Trader Joe's frozen garlic naan is a natural fit if you don't want rice or pita. Their tzatziki dip and some pickled onions round it out nicely.
