Chicken Shawarma with Tumeric Rice and Garlic Yogurt Sauce

I liked the look of the Lebanese pita bread I saw on King Arthur, so I started thinking about what to eat with it. I came up with Chicken Shawarma with Tumeirc Rice and Garlic Yogurt Sauce on a bed of fresh spinach.

Ingredients:

Chicken and Veggies:

• 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp allspice
• 3/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• Pinch of cayenne
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 pound of boneless chicken 
• 1 sweet onion, cut in wedges
• 1/2 to 1 bell pepper, cut into small pieces (slices and then halved)

Rice:

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 cups long-grain or Basmati rice
• 14 ounces chicken broth + 2 ounces water
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper  

Garlic Sauce:

• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar (or lemon)
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 cloves garlic, diced fine (or 1/4 teaspoon powdered garlic for less sharp taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon dill

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil and all the spices.
2. Slice the chicken breasts into 5-6 pieces each. Place them in a gallon zip-lock bag
   (you can use a class dish, but the marinade may stain a plastic container.)
3. Spread the marinade over the chicken pieces - make sure all the chicken pieces are evenly coated in the marinade.
4. Seal the chicken and place in the refrigerator. Let it marinate at least 1 hour, perhaps up to 4 hrs. 
5. For the garlic sauce: While chicken is marinating, make up garlic sauce. In a mini blender, combine the yogurt, sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, and other spices. Refrigerate until needed.
6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 11 x 17" baking sheet with parchment paper.
7. For the rice: Start the rice just before you put the chicken in the oven. 
1. Melt the butter over medium heat in a large Dutch oven. 
2. Add the turmeric and cumin and cook until fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute.
3. Add the rice and stir to coat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the rice is lightly toasted, about 4 minutes. 
4. Add the chicken broth and water. Bring broth to a boil. 
5. Cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes without disturbing. 
6. Remove from the heat and allow to rest until the water is completely absorbed and the rice is tender.
8. Place the chicken pieces on the sheet, evenly spaced. Place the onion and pepper slices on the pan as well.
9. Place the chicken in the oven. Let it roast for about 15 minutes till cooked through, turning the chicken pieces once with tongs halfway through cooking.
10. Take the pan out of the oven and remove the chicken to a plate and let cool slightly.
    (You might want to roast the peppers and onions a bit more, but with small pieces they were done enough for me.)
11. Use a sharp knife to slice the meat into small, thin pieces.
12. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a skillet over medium. Place chicken into the skillet and saute for 3-4 minutes till the smallest pieces of chicken turn brown and crisp.
    
    
    
    
13. Serve warm over rice and diced spinach (or lettuce) with a garlic sauce drizzle and with pita bread. Or serve in the pita breads!

Carole's Notes:

We liked this! The chicken shawarma had lots of interesting flavors melding together. Since we pan to eat this as leftovers 2 days later, I would use the powdered garlic next time in the garlic sauce.

The recipe is adapted from
http://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/2012/08/chicken-shawarma/
and
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/12/serious-eats-halal-cart-style-chicken-and-rice-white-sauce-recipe.html