Ingredients
Ingredients
- 700 g boneless skinless chicken thighs unfolded
- 600 g cooked white rice kept hot; cooked weight, not dry
- 250 g plain Greek yogurt
- 300 g cucumber diced
- 300 g tomatoes diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil 27 g
- 45 ml lemon juice 3 tablespoons, divided
- 4 cloves garlic minced, 12 g, divided
- 4 g paprika about 2 teaspoons
- 4 g ground cumin about 2 teaspoons
- 4 g ground coriander about 2 teaspoons
- 2 g ground turmeric about 1 teaspoon
- 1 g ground cinnamon about 1/2 teaspoon
- 1 g ground black pepper about 1/2 teaspoon
- 4 g fine salt about 2/3 teaspoon, divided
- chopped parsley optional garnish, not included in nutrition
Equipment
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Wide heavy skillet
- 1 Instant-read thermometer
- 1 Clean cutting board
Instructions
Prepare and cook
- In a bowl, combine oil, 30 ml lemon juice, 9 g garlic, all spices and 3 g salt. Coat the unfolded thighs, cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. This is a skillet interpretation, not spit-roasted shawarma.
- Using clean utensils, mix yogurt with remaining 15 ml lemon juice, 3 g garlic and 1 g salt. Refrigerate separately. Dice cucumber and tomatoes on a clean board; keep chilled. Have 600 g cooked rice ready and hot.
- Heat a wide heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add thighs with their coating in a single layer, working in batches. Cook about 5–7 minutes per side, reducing heat if spices darken quickly, until each thickest part reaches 165°F (74°C). Thick thighs may need longer.
- Rest cooked chicken on a clean board 5 minutes, then slice across the grain. Divide rice, chicken, cucumber and tomatoes among four bowls. Add garlic yogurt and optional parsley. Discard any marinade left in the raw-chicken bowl.
Nutrition
Serving: 1portionCalories: 607kcalCarbohydrates: 59.1gProtein: 42.7gFat: 21gSodium: 617mgFiber: 4.7g
Video
Notes
Video reference: The Mediterranean Dish, originally published 2020-01-12. The demonstration cooks boneless chicken thighs in a skillet and serves them with cucumber and tomato salad and optional tzatziki. This written bowl adds cooked rice and a simple garlic-yogurt sauce instead of the arugula-based salad serving.
Nutrition estimate: ANSES Ciqual 2025 using raw skinless thigh weight, cooked white rice and generic Greek yogurt. All marinade oil and seasonings are counted, although some may remain in the bowl or pan. Yogurt brands vary in fat. Below-threshold values use half the threshold. Optional parsley, pita and pickles excluded. Source: ANSES Ciqual 2025 and the named manufacturer labels where specified.
Illustrative USD cost assumptions, not live prices: chicken $6, cooked rice $0.80, yogurt $1.50, cucumber/tomato $2.50, lemon/garlic $1.20, oil/spices $2.40 = $14.40. Local prices, package sizes and leftovers change costs.
Refrigerate promptly in shallow containers, use within 3–4 days allowing for the age of starting ingredients, and reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C).
