Mediterranean Chicken Shawarma, Hummus & Fresh Salad

Serves: 4
Prep: 30 minutes + 2–12 hours marinating
Cook: 20–25 minutes
Difficulty: Easy–moderate

1. Chicken shawarma
Ingredients

1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp paprika
1½ tsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground allspice
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
½ tsp cayenne or chili flakes, optional
½ tsp smoked paprika, optional
Method

Slice the chicken thighs into large bite-size pieces.
Mix olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and all spices.
Coat the chicken thoroughly.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
Heat a heavy skillet or grill pan over medium-high/high heat.
Cook chicken in batches so the pan doesn’t become crowded.
Sear for about 4–5 minutes per side, or until deeply browned and cooked through.
Let rest for 5 minutes, then cut into smaller pieces.
For the characteristic charred edges in the photograph, return the pieces to the very hot pan for another 1–2 minutes.
Chicken shawarma recipes commonly use chicken thigh, lemon, garlic and warm spices; sesame is also a common allergen when tahini/hummus is included.
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menus.princeton.edu

2. Creamy hummus
Ingredients

1 can (15 oz/425 g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
⅓ cup tahini
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 small garlic clove
2–4 tbsp ice-cold water
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp salt
Optional: pinch of paprika or sumac
Method

Blend tahini and lemon juice for about 30 seconds.
Add chickpeas, garlic, cumin and salt.
Blend while gradually adding ice water.
Continue blending until extremely smooth.
Taste and adjust lemon, salt and water.
Spread onto the serving plate with the back of a spoon.
Make a shallow well in the center.
Pour in olive oil and sprinkle with paprika, chili flakes or sumac.
Tip: For exceptionally smooth hummus, simmer the canned chickpeas for another 10–15 minutes before blending.

Tahini is made from sesame, so hummus and tahini should be treated as sesame-containing foods. Commercial allergen documentation likewise identifies sesame in tahini and hummus.
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Tahini’s

3. Cucumber-tomato herb salad
Ingredients

2 large Persian/mini cucumbers, or 1 large English cucumber
1½ cups cherry tomatoes
½ small red onion
½ cup fresh parsley
¼ cup fresh mint
1 small handful fresh cilantro, optional
1½ tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
½ tsp sumac
¼ tsp cumin
Salt and black pepper
Method

Cut cucumber into chunky pieces.
Halve the cherry tomatoes.
Finely slice the red onion.
Roughly chop the herbs.
Combine everything in a bowl.
Add lemon juice, olive oil, sumac, cumin, salt and pepper.
Toss immediately before serving.
For the appearance in your picture, keep the vegetables chunky rather than finely diced.

4. Optional spicy herb sauce
Mix:

3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 small garlic clove
½ tsp chili flakes
½ tsp paprika
Pinch of salt
Spoon this over the chicken just before serving.

5. Assembly
On a large rectangular plate or shallow bowl:

Put a generous mound of hummus on one side.
Spread the cucumber-tomato salad beside it.
Arrange the hot shawarma pieces along the other side.
Drizzle hummus with olive oil.
Sprinkle the hummus with chili flakes/sumac.
Scatter chopped parsley over the chicken.
Add a little extra paprika and lemon juice.
Finish with a few drops of olive oil.
For an even closer visual match, keep the chicken pieces piled vertically along one side, with the hummus forming a large round pool on the opposite side.

Nut information & allergens
Is this recipe nut-free?
It can be made completely free of tree nuts and peanuts.

There are no peanuts or tree nuts required in the basic recipe.

However, there is an important distinction:

Ingredient Allergen concern
Chicken No major nut allergen
Chickpeas Legume; not a tree nut
Tahini SESAME
Olive oil Generally not a nut allergen
Cucumber No
Tomato No
Herbs/spices Generally no
Lemon No
Chili flakes No

Tahini is sesame paste, not a nut butter. Sesame is nevertheless a major food allergen in many jurisdictions.

If someone has a severe allergy, check the labels of tahini, hummus, spice blends and packaged ingredients for cross-contact warnings. Commercial food-service allergen information can also include soy, wheat/gluten, milk and other allergens depending on preparation and facility.
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Tahini’s

Nut-free hummus
If sesame is also a concern, replace the tahini with:

2 tbsp extra olive oil
1–2 tbsp additional lemon juice
1–2 tbsp cold water
You’ll get a good hummus-style dip without sesame.

Approximate nutrition
For a generous serving containing chicken, hummus and salad, the exact numbers depend heavily on the amount of oil, tahini and chicken used.

A reasonable homemade estimate is approximately:

Per serving

Calories: 550–700 kcal
Protein: 40–50 g
Carbohydrates: 25–35 g
Fat: 30–40 g
Fiber: 7–10 g
The biggest calorie variables are olive oil, tahini and the amount of chicken. Published restaurant nutrition information illustrates how dramatically sauces and portion sizes can change the final numbers.
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Tahini’s

Q&A
Q: Can I use chicken breast?
Yes. Chicken thighs are juicier and give a more authentic shawarma texture, but breast works. Reduce cooking time to prevent drying.

Q: Can I cook the chicken in an air fryer?
Yes. Cook around 400°F/200°C until the thickest pieces reach 165°F/74°C, then give them a short high-heat finish for browning.

Q: Can I make this ahead?
Absolutely. Marinate the chicken overnight and prepare the hummus a day ahead. Keep the salad separate until serving.

Q: What gives the chicken its dark red appearance?
Paprika, turmeric, chili, browned spices and high-heat caramelization. A little tomato paste can also deepen the color.

Q: Why use chicken thighs?
They contain more fat than breast and tolerate high-heat cooking better, producing the juicy, charred pieces seen in the photograph.

Q: Is hummus healthy?
It can be a nutrient-dense component of the meal, providing chickpea protein/fiber and fat from tahini and olive oil. Portion size matters because tahini and oil are calorie-dense.

Q: Is this keto?
It can be relatively low-carb if you keep the hummus portion moderate and omit pita/rice, but it isn’t strictly zero-carb because chickpeas, tomatoes and other vegetables contain carbohydrates.

Q: Can I make it vegetarian?
Yes—replace chicken with roasted cauliflower, falafel, mushrooms or crispy chickpeas.

Q: What should I serve with it?
Warm pita, rice, pickled turnips, olives, tabbouleh, garlic sauce, tzatziki or extra tahini all work well.

Q: Can I freeze the chicken?
Yes. Freeze cooked chicken in an airtight container for up to about 2–3 months for best quality. Hummus can also be frozen, although its texture may become slightly less smooth.

Q: What is the best way to get restaurant-style char?
Use a very hot cast-iron or heavy skillet, cook in small batches, and don’t move the chicken constantly. A final 1–2 minute high-heat sear creates those dark caramelized edges.

Q: Does the pictured dish contain nuts?
From the photograph alone, you can’t reliably determine allergens. The visible hummus is likely to contain tahini (sesame), but the presence or absence of peanut/tree-nut cross-contact cannot be established from an image. Always verify the actual ingredients if this is for someone with a serious allergy.

Author
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Sara Mitchell

Sara Mitchell is an expert restaurant content creator who writes easy-to-read guides about CAVA and other Mediterranean fast-casual chains in the United States. She covers locations, menus, prices, and hours, making it simple for visitors to find nearby restaurants and what to order quickly.

With years of experience in restaurant research and local SEO, Sara creates accurate, user-friendly guides that work for both people and search engines. Her goal is to help users go from search results to their nearest restaurant or menu choice with as few clicks as possible.