Liven up dinner tonight with Chicken Shawarma Fries with Mediterranean Salsa and Garlic Sauce! This fresh and zesty meal is full of craveable textures and flavors, served in an exciting way.
“This was FANTASTIC!! I appreciate that I could prep everything ahead of time. My only regret is that I didn’t double it. I will be adding this to our meal rotation!”
Is dinner getting boring? Switch things up with Chicken Shawarma Fries with Mediterranean Salsa and Garlic Sauce!
This bright and festive platter of food is packed with tongue-tingling flavor. It couldn’t be simpler to make, plus the seasonings and spices will bring a new taste experience to your kitchen.
Chicken Shawarma Fries
Chicken Shawarma is a Middle Eastern dish that combines herbs and spices, plus lemon and fresh garlic to season chicken which is baked then chopped.
We take things a step further by topping homemade french fries with the chopped Chicken Shawarma then adding scoops of fresh Mediterranean Salsa plus a drizzle (read: POUR) of homemade garlic sauce.
This is a french fry platter that’s going to leave you feeling light and satisfied instead of greasy and weighed down. I LOVE this flavor combination!
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Pin ItHow to Make Chicken Shawarma
Start by marinating the chicken, which you can do 1 hour or up to 12 hours before cooking.
To a large Ziplock baggie add fresh lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, garlic cloves, cumin, paprika, turmeric, allspice, plus cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and salt to taste.
Next slice chicken breasts into 5-6 pieces each then add to a Ziplock bag and squish to evenly coat.
Spread the chicken out on a foil-lined, nonstick-sprayed baking sheet then bake for 12-15 minutes at 400 degrees, flipping halfway through. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, cut into thin slices then wrap in foil to keep warm.
Chicken Shawarma = done! Told you it was easy!
How to Make Homemade French Fries
While the chicken is baking, cut Russet potatoes into fries then spread onto another foil-lined, nonstick-sprayed baking sheet. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and a generous amount of salt and pepper then toss with your fingertips to evenly coat.
Turn the heat up to 425 then roast the potatoes for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through.
While the potatoes are crisping, make the two Chicken Shawarma Fry toppers aka total scene stealers.
- Fresh Mediterranean Salsa starring chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, garlic, and lemon juice.
- Garlic Sauce: mayonnaise thinned out with lemon juice and a ton of fresh garlic.
Of course you could always serve the chicken over rice with the fresh salsa and garlic sauce, though I think the french fry platter is a fun way to change things up. It’s a great way to introduce little ones to new flavors too.
Your children/new flavor-adverse spouse/roomies might not recognize Chicken Shawarma, but I bet they recognize french fries! ;)
I hope you feel inspired to try a new dish and flavor combination in your kitchen tonight. Enjoy!
More Easy Family Favorite Recipes
- Cheeseburger Quesadillas
- Thai Sticky Chicken Fingers
- Skillet Tater Tot Casserole
- BBQ Cheddar Mini Meatloaves
- One Pot Chicken and Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- pinch cinnamon
- pinch cayenne pepper
- salt
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed then peeled
- 2 chicken breasts, ~1lb, each sliced into 5 or 6 strips
- 1-1/2 lbs russet potatoes, ~2 large potatoes
- hot sauce, I like Lola's
For the Mediterranean Salsa:
- 2 vine-ripened tomatoes, seeded then chopped
- 1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded then chopped
- 1/4 small red onion, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup packed parsley, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 lemon
For the Garlic Sauce:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise, I like Hellman’s EVOO mayo
- 1 – 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons pressed or microplaned fresh garlic, from ~4 cloves garlic
- salt
Directions
- Add lemon juice, 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, spices, and smashed garlic cloves to a large Ziplock bag then squish to combine. Add chicken, squish to coat, then marinate for 1 hour or up to 12 hours in the refrigerator.
- Slice potatoes into fries. Can be cut up to 12 hours ahead of time – store completely submerged in a glass bowl of water in the refrigerator, then drain and pat very dry with kitchen towels.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees then line a baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with nonstick spray. Spread chicken out on baking sheet then bake for 12-15 minutes, or until cooked through, flipping halfway through. Remove to a cutting board then thinly slice once cool enough to handle. Cover with foil to keep warm.
- Turn heat up to 425 degrees then line another baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with nonstick spray. Add potatoes to baking sheet then drizzle with remaining 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Toss with your fingers to coat then spread potatoes out evenly and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring halfway through.
For the Mediterranean Salsa:
- Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl then stir to combine and set aside. Can be made a day ahead of time.
For the Garlic Sauce:
- Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl then stir to combine and set aside. Can be made up to 5 days ahead of time.
Assembly:
- Scoop fries onto a serving platter or plates then top with chicken, Mediterranean Salsa, Garlic Sauce, and hot sauce, and then serve.
Notes
- You will need 2 lemons total for this entire recipe.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
This meal was seriously DELICIOUS! I saw your post earlier this week and couldn’t wait for Friday to roll around so that I had time to make it. It’s a great combination of satisfying + healthy! This will be a repeat recipe :)
I can’t wait to try this! I’m wondering – if I make just the chicken shawarma (without the fries), would you have any recommendations as to what to serve it with? Rice?
Yep! Jasmine or basmati rice would be delicious. :)
I’m seriously running to the store right now to get the ingredients I need for this because I NEED to make this! So delicious dear! Hope you are having a fabulous week! XOXO
This looks like an awesome recipe! As far as wall coverings go, one can never go wrong with traditional tapastries.
Made the chicken for dinner tonight and it was delicious! I didn’t read the recipe all the way through (shame on me!) and cut my chicken much smaller before marinating so I decided to make mine on the stovetop. It was totally enjoyable and meant I didn’t have to turn on the oven. I put the chicken over some rice that I made with carrots, celery and onion. Just delicious!
Hello! This recipe looks wonderful. Do you think sweet potatoes would be a good instead of regular potatoes?
Instead of using mayo for the garlic sauce, could you use yogurt?
First, I am so glad that I hadn’t finished my menu plan for this coming week because this needs to be part of my world…soon.
Second, when this came up on my FB feed, I missed who posted the picture and thought for a moment it was from Splendid Table. (I think it would be something that Lynn would be good with.)
Wallpaper, I guess I am of two minds. My bathroom has a non-design wallpaper that I am okay with. My mom did a two paint sponge technique in her downstairs bath that was cool. (She had a third paint that had a bit of gold in it that made it quite pretty.)
We used the Martha Stewart faux beadboard wallpaper for an accent wall in our bedroom. We intended on painting it dark grey to boot (everything else is bright white), but haven’t gotten around to it yet (and it looks mighty fine just plain white)…
It was idiot-proof and it’s paintable. I want to put it on all my walls!! There are other textures/patterns in this line of paper too.
Oh my! This looks so mouthwatering good!
Authentic Middle Eastern garlic “sauce” is called toum and is just garlic, oil, and lemon juice. It’s like the texture of mayonnaise and ridiculously delicious! Also dairy free, which is nice. Quite a bit thicker than yours, but a nice option if you want to try it.
Making toum was what I was referring to as my “extremely unsuccessful” attempts at making garlic sauce. I could NOT get the oil to emulsify! Thank goodness for mayo. ?
Yeah, you probably need one of those super high speed professional food processors to get it that light and fluffy!Enough garlic in anything renders in amazingly good though. :)
Do you think it would be possible to substitute yogurt or something else for the mayo?
I tend to think the flavor would overpower the garlic, but I might try it mixed with a little sour cream and garlic, leaving the lemon juice out.
So, just ignore my question! I should have checked the comments first :P
Wallpaper scared me off so I’m going to use wall stencils to achieve the same look. Look at Cutting Edge Stencils online for some inspiration. Plus, it’s cheap and I love a bargain. Sometime, when you are back in Minnesota for a visit, you must try Wally’s in Minneapolis and have their chicken Shawarma sandwich. It is in my top 10 sandwiches of all time. They don’t do theirs like any others I’ve had. It’s chicken, garlic mayo, French fries and pickles. If you can handle any amount of spice, ask for it spicy (they add chili garlic sauce). It is salty, a little spicy, and it.is.perfection.