Easy Trader Joe’s chicken shawarma bowls with fluffy lemon rice, crunchy cabbage, and creamy feta sauce. Fast, flavorful, and perfect for weeknights!
Trader Joe’s Chicken Shawarma with Lemon Rice
Trader Joe’s Chicken Shawarma + Lemon Rice Is a Thing To Behold
Do you guys know Naf Naf grill? This is a Naf Naf bowl, made at home! Using TJ’s chicken shawarma! Lots going on here!
This bowl is a power combo. It’s loaded with:
- Lemon rice (lightly scented, fluffy, and gorgeous)
- Crisped, golden chicken shawarma
- Cabbage slaw that’s almost pickled
- A tangy, creamy feta cucumber sauce
I am a huge fan of shortcuts cheesy smile so I am regularly using the chicken shawarma from Trader Joe’s for these bowls.
If you’re looking for the fastest possible path to a meal, just make the chicken and lemon rice, and pile on some store-bought tzatziki and/or fresh cucumbers! The chicken and lemon rice make such a solid base.
And if you’ve got it in you to make the cabbage and feta cucumbers, you’re in for a big big treat.
The first time I made this, I knew it would end up as a recipe on the blog. And then when I made it for a final test with my friend Amanda, we were just losing our minds. This combo is just SO GOOD.
Amanda actually pointed out that the leftovers would also be amazing in a wrap?! and now I can’t get that out of my mind. Can someone make that happen?
Hope you guys love it. Cheers to shortcuts! And feel-good food!
If you want to make the chicken shawarma from scratch – this is my go-to marinade for chicken breasts for recipes like this!
Chicken Shawarma with Lemon Rice
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Description
Easy Trader Joe’s chicken shawarma bowls with fluffy lemon rice, crunchy cabbage, and creamy feta sauce. Fast, flavorful, and perfect for weeknights!
Ingredients
Units
Chicken Shawarma:
- 1 package Trader Joe’s chicken shawarma (or see notes making the chicken from scratch!)
Lemon Rice:
- 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
- 1 teaspoon each onion powder and garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon chicken base
- 2 1/4 cups water
- zest of 1 lemon
Cabbage Salad:
- 2 cups finely shredded purple cabbage
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon each salt and sugar
Feta Cucumber Sauce:
- 1/2 cucumber, grated and water squeezed out
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or mayo
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 1 teaspoon dried dill, or 3 tablespoons fresh dill
Instructions
- Make Lemon Rice: Sauté rice, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt. Add bouillon and water; bring to a simmer. Cover the pot, and keep it on a very low simmer for 18 minutes. When it’s done, add lemon zest; fluff with a fork.
- Toss Cabbage Salad: Toss together cabbage, white vinegar, water, olive oil, salt, and sugar; taste and adjust. Let it rest while you finish up.
- Make Feta Cucumber Sauce: Stir together grated cucumber, Greek yogurt, olive oil or mayo, feta cheese, garlic, and dill; taste and adjust.
- Air Fry Chicken Shawarma: I do this last so it’s hot and fresh! Air fry the chicken at 390 degrees F for 9-10 minutes, until 165 degrees and deeply browned on the outside. (You can also cook the chicken on a sheet pan in the oven – place rack in the top 1/3 of your oven. Bake chicken at 450 degrees F for 15 minutes, then broil on low for 3-5 more minutes, until browned). Let rest a few minutes. Chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Serve: Plate rice with the chopped chicken shawarma, a scoop of the cabbage, and a dollop of the feta cucumbers.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Air Fry
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Keywords: chicken shawarma, chicken recipe, air fryer chicken
Frequently Asked Questions For This Chicken Shawarma
If I don’t have access to Trader Joe’s, how should I make the chicken?
I love the marinade used in this chicken pitas recipe and it would be a great fit here as well!
Can you use store-bought tzatziki?
Yes! And you can get tzatziki from Trader Joe’s as well!
Can I make this vegan?
Replace the chicken with something plant-based, like: falafel (from Trader Joe’s too!), marinated chickpeas, air fryer tofu, or roasted veggies. Trader Joe’s also sells a vegan tzatziki that’s fantastic!
How long do leftovers last?
This will keep for 3-4 days as leftovers! I like to keep all the ingredients separate so I can still warm the chicken and rice before adding the cabbage and sauce. Just a heads up that the cabbage will pickle more as it sits!
Three More Trader Joe’s Shortcut Recipes
Filed Under: Air Fryer All Recipes Bowls Dinner Gluten-Free Healthy Meat and Chicken Quick and Easy Recipes Rice
January 12, 2026
Nice to meet you!
I’m Lindsay and I ♡ FOOD. I used to be a teacher, and now making food and writing about it online is my full-time job. I love talking with people about food, and I'm so glad you're here.
Did you make a recipe? Tag @pinchofyum on Instagram so we can find you!
Hi Lindsey, where are the notes to make the chicken from scratch?
Thanks,
Jo
There is a link to her chicken pitas recipes in the frequently asked questions section. 🙂
Here you go!
I LOOOOVVVEE Naf Naf, and can’t wait to try this. Your next assignment is to figure out how they make their insanely fluffy pita!
Is the chicken shawarma you are using the package found in the meat section (shawarma chicken thighs) or is this one in the frozen food section?
Hello! It is in the refrigerated meat section at Trader Joe’s.
The second I got this email I swung by trader Joe’s since their shawarma is my absolute favorite quick protein. I made these bowls tonight and they were so fresh and delicious!! My husband polished off any hope of leftovers. My toddler and 6 year old liked many of the components as well. Total win.
So glad your family enjoyed it!
This looks super tasty. I don’t own an air fryer so will follow the oven directions for cooking the chicken; is total oven time really only 10 minutes?
This was easy and super delicious. Toddler, husband, and first trimester pregnant lady approved!
Very tasty! I did use TJ’s tzatziki, which made it super easy. Have you ever tried freezing the shawarma meat? Also, what else would the lemon rice go with–I’m thinking shrimp? Thanks for another winner.
Hi Mary! The meat would freeze well. And shrimp would be great with the rice!
Just a heads up, the oven cooking method didn’t get my chicken anywhere close to 165 degrees. It needed significantly longer, which is inline with the TJ’s packaging. Any chance the directions as written are a typo?
Hi, thank you for noting! We did miss mentioning that the chicken should be on the top rack in the oven, and added a few more minutes.
Just made this tonight. Followed the marinade recipe for chicken (used thigh meat). I also subbed apple cider vinegar for white vinegar for cabbage and it all was so good! Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it!