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This Crockpot Chicken Shawarma is a hearty meal packed with Mediterranean flavors. A quick slow cooker recipe, just dump and go. High protein and feeds plenty. Gluten Free + Low Calorie
So I get a lot of questions here on the blog and social media. Here's a few examples. "When should I drink apple cider vinegar, before or after I workout?" I answered this in this post. Apparently people take their apple cider vinegar seriously!
Then there was someone last week on Facebook group asking how a recipe with flour in it is gluten free? I responded the words "gluten free" before the word flour meant it is gluten free flour.
Then there was someone who asked what tahini was and where they could buy it. I answered the question in my email newsletter a few weeks ago because tahini is in many of my recipes including this Crockpot Chicken Shawarma.
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For those who don't know what tahini is, here's the skinny. Tahini is ground sesame. Same as when you grind peanuts to get peanut butter, only this is with sesame seeds. It has a similar consistency to nut butter with a more pungent flavor.
It's not something you would dive your spoon into and eat alone, but it does make the most delicious marinades and dips! You buy tahini at the grocery store. Even Walmart carries it. It's usually in the peanut butter aisle.
All these questions made me realize how far I've come with my own healthy eating. A few years ago, I would not have known what tahini is or thought about drinking apple cider vinegar. I knew what gluten free was, but didn't know how important it would become for managing my Hashimoto's disease.
Now for the STAR of the show... Crockpot Chicken Shawarma! Oh how I love Mediterranean food. I swear I could eat it everyday.
There use to be this Greek restaurant near my house that had the best chicken shawarma. Sadly, it closed down which forced me to make my own.
Creamy, warm spices bouncing off the tangy flavor of tahini, it's really a wonderful way to make boring chicken fabulous.
Even better, it's made EASY in the crockpot for a no brainer meal. Perfect for meal prepping or feeding a crowd!
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Crockpot Chicken Shawarma
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup chicken broth low sodium
- 1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon coriander
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the chicken thighs in a crockpot with extra virgin olive oil, lemon, salt, pepper, chicken broth, tahini, Greek yogurt, minced garlic, cumin, curry powder, garlic powder, paprika, cinnamon and coriander.
- Cook on high 3 hours (or low 6 hours). Check to see if chicken is ready. It is ready when it easily falls apart when you break it up with a spatula or spoon.
- Serve with brown rice, roasted zucchini slices and Greek yogurt as desired. Top with dried parsley.
Notes
- Nutritional data does not include brown rice or zucchini.
- For a Paleo option, serve with cauliflower rice and swap the Greek yogurt for coconut yogurt.
- Serving size is approximately 1 large cup.
- My Amazon shop has more products similar to those used for this recipe and that I recommend to my weight loss clients.
- If you love this recipe, check out my low calorie cookbook for more delicious recipes and weight loss tips!
Nutrition
What I Used For The Recipe
Wow, so flavorful! I added cooked spinach to sneak in greens for my family. Didn't need the broth as when it slow cooked in my Instant pot it produced its own broth. Kind of cross between Greek and Indian?
My whole family loved this recipe. I served it with riced cauliflower and asparagus.
I forgot to mention that I modified this by using breasts and making in the Instant Pot. I put all the ingredients in the pot except for the Greek yogurt, lemon juice,and the tahini and pressure cooked it. After I pressure cooked it, I stirred in the remaining three ingredients.
You never mention the lemon juice - adding it into the crockpot. Or is it just for the chicken afterwards?
Hi there! Everything is added to the slow cooker in step 1 with the chicken.
Hi I am just wondering if you could use breast instead of thighs
I'm sure you could!
I’d love to try this, but my son is allergic to dairy. I can’t find a dairy free Greek yogurt anywhere, could I substitute anything else for the Greek yogurt? I’m thinking plain dairy free yogurt or possibly dairy free cream cheese or sour cream?
Any of those could work. I don't find DF substitutes to be optimal though because of the chemicals they're made from. You can make a cashew cream from soaking cashews and blending with a bit of DF milk to achieve a creamy consistency like I did in this recipe. If I were to do it DF, that would be the route I'd take. https://skinnyfitalicious.com/brussels-sprouts-with-cashew-cream-sauce/
Not all dairy free substitutes are full of crap chemicals! There are several reputable, clean brands available. I made your recipe using Kite Hill plain almond yogurt, purchased at my health food store, and the meal turned out great. My whole family, including my son who is anaphylactic to all dairy (as well as 5 other foods), loved it.
I've made this several times and the whole family loves it. I'm going to a family reunion and it will be pretty big. I'm wondered if this would work in a big pot, not a crockpot and cooked slowly on low heat. I don't have enough crock pots to make this recipe 6 times!
Exciting! I'm happy you love it so much you want to share it with the rest of your family. I don't have experience cooking in a large pot actually, but if I were going to do it that's how! Let me know how it turns out!
A great recipe! I chopped the chicken up and served in pitas with veggies, a variety of middle eastern spreads, feta cheese and pickled turnips. Delicious and will definitely make again!
Thank you for sharing my husband from Baghdad love it.
That's amazing! Thanks for letting me know.
I've been looking for a way to use up all this tahini in my cabinet (I stocked up while it was on sale). Thanks!
Hope you enjoy!
I love hands off crockpot recipes, thanks for sharing.
Aww thanks lady. This one's a goodie!
Anything in the crock pot is a win!!!!!!
For sure!
We LOVE schwarma, so the fact that I could make it at home and have it be this easy? Totally saving.
Oh you must make!
Sounds delicious! I'm always looking for new, easy Crock Pot recipes. So many great flavors in this one!
Add it to the list. Thanks Blair!