Description
Healthy, satisfying, & mega-flavorful Hummus Bowls! A grain bowl centered around creamy, dreamy hummus, piled high with homemade chicken shawarma (see Recipe Notes for a vegan roasted veggie shawarma option!), & finished with whatever toppings you love most – quinoa, cabbage, feta, pickled red onions, & more. The perfect easy weeknight dinner & great for meal prep. Easily vegetarian, vegan, & dairy-free.
Ingredients
Scale
for the hummus bowls:
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless thighs (see Recipe Notes for plant-based substitute)
- 1 cup hummus (see Recipe Notes)
- 1 ½ cups cooked quinoa (½ cup dry cooked according to package directions)
- ¼ cup feta, crumbled
- for serving, as desired: thinly sliced cucumbers, shredded cabbage, extra virgin olive oil, lemon wedges, thinly sliced basil, pickled red onions, warm pita or naan, etc.
for the shawarma marinade:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey (or pure maple syrup or agave)
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon ground turmeric
- optional: ¼ – ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, as desired
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: Place the chicken in a large Ziplock bag or baking dish. Add the olive oil, honey (or maple), lemon juice, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, cinnamon, ginger, oregano, turmeric, cayenne, kosher salt, & ground black pepper. Toss to combine, coating the chicken evenly in the shawarma marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F, arranging the oven racks such that one is in the center of the oven & one is 4-6 inches under the broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil for easy clean up & set aside.
- Roast the chicken shawarma: Transfer the chicken to the prepared baking sheet, shaking off any excess marinade. Bake on the center rack for 15-18 minutes, depending on the thickness of your chicken thighs. The chicken should be nearly cooked through. Remove the chicken from the oven, meanwhile preheat the broiler. As the broiler preheats, thinly slice the chicken. Transfer the sliced chicken back onto the baking sheet. Place the baking sheet under the broiler. Broil 4-5 minutes, turning the pan halfway through, until the chicken shawarma is browned & caramelized.
- Assemble the hummus bowls: Add a large spoonful of hummus to the bottom of a large, shallow bowl. Use the back of a spoon to swoop the hummus across the bottom of the bowl. Add in the quinoa & chicken shawarma or veggie shawarma. Finish with pickled red onions, thinly sliced cucumbers, shredded cabbage, crumbled feta, and a sprinkling of fresh basil, & other toppings as desired. Serve immediately with a spritz of lemon and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Can I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead? Yes. I prefer thighs since they’re flavorful & stay really nice & juicy through roasting + broiling, but you can swap them out with breasts if you prefer. Either pound the breasts out flat or cut them in half lengthwise (butterflied) to ensure they roast up evenly. Skip broiling (Step 3), as the breast meat will dry out.
- Vegan hummus bowls: These shawarma hummus bowls are easily made vegetarian & vegan by replacing the chicken shawarma with roasted veggie shawarma. Swap the chicken thighs with ½ small head cauliflower (cut into bite-sized florets), 1 large sweet potato (diced into ½-inch cubes), & one 14-ounce can chickpeas (drained, rinsed & patted dry). Prepare the shawarma marinade as described (be sure to use pure maple syrup or agave in place of the honey for a vegan marinade). Divide the mixture on to two baking sheets. Roast at 450 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, shaking the pans halfway through, until the cauliflower & sweet potato are tender with crispy, browned edges. Assemble the hummus bowls as described in Step 4.
- Hummus: You can use whatever hummus you like best. If there’s a hummus recipe you absolutely love, feel free to make homemade hummus. These bowls are also just as good with store-bought hummus! My favorite right now is Ithaca Lemon Garlic Hummus – yum!
- 10-Minute Meal Prep: Nearly all of the active prep work for these hummus bowls come from prepping the shawarma marinade. Whisk it up at the beginning of the week according to Step 1 of Recipe Directions, above. Pour over the chicken (or veggies) & marinate in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. At dinnertime, simply pop the chicken in the oven & get the rest of your toppings prepped while it roasts. Easy!
- Note: This recipe has been updated since its original publish in April 2018. If you are looking for the original recipe, which included grill preparation & a quick lemony cabbage slaw, click here to download a printable version!