Chicken Shawarma Orzo with Yogurt Sauce
Updated Nov 28, 2025, Published on May 31, 2024
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This Chicken Shawarma Orzo with Yogurt Sauce is a flavorful weeknight dinner inspired by classic shawarma wraps but made easy in pasta form. Tender seasoned chicken, warm spices, orzo, leafy greens, and a creamy garlic yogurt sauce come together in one pan for a cozy and satisfying meal. Everything cooks quickly and is ready in under an hour.
Looking for more chicken and orzo recipes? Try my One Pan Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Orzo or my One Pan Chicken Thigh Orzo with Leeks next.
🐝 Quick Look: Chicken Shawarma Orzo with Yogurt Sauce
- ⏱ Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 🔥 Cook Time: 40 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 1 hour (plus 2 hours marinating time)
- 🍽 Serves: 4
- ⚡ Calories: ~532 per serving
- 🍳 Cook Method: Chicken and orzo in pan, baked finish
- 🧂 Main Ingredients: Chicken thighs, red onion, garlic, orzo pasta, yogurt, lemon
- 👩🍳 Flavor Profile: Warm spices, tangy lemon, creamy yogurt
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy to moderate. Hands on searing with a mostly hands off bake.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This Chicken Shawarma Orzo is flavorful, satisfying, and perfect for any night of the week. Warm spices, tender chicken, and a creamy yogurt sauce come together in a cozy bowl that delivers big flavor with simple, fresh ingredients.
- Full of bold flavor from a homemade shawarma spice mix that seasons the chicken and the orzo similar
- Creamy yogurt sauce for balance with bright lemon and garlic that gives this dish the same tangy freshness you find in my Sugar Snap Peas with Sizzled Scallion Oil and Lemony Yogurt
- One pan orzo base that absorbs all the chicken drippings and spices which keeps cleanup simple like my One Pan Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Orzo
- Loaded with greens from the spinach arugula mix for color and nutrition similar to the fresh additions in my One Pot Spicy Italian Sausage Orzo
Table of Contents
Recipe Ingredients
See the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients with exact quantities.
- Orzo Pasta: Orzo cooks quickly and becomes tender while absorbing all the warm shawarma flavors in the pan. It creates a cozy, pasta-style base instead of a traditional shawarma bowl.
- Chicken Thighs: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are ideal for shawarma because they stay juicy and flavorful, even after high-heat cooking.
- Plain Greek Yogurt: You’ll use this for the creamy lemon yogurt sauce that balances the warm spices. I used 0 percent fat, but higher-fat Greek yogurt works great and makes the sauce even richer and creamier.
How to Make Chicken Shawarma Orzo with Yogurt Sauce
See the recipe card below for full instructions and exact amounts.
- Combine the shawarma spices in a small bowl.
- Add the chicken, olive oil, lemon juice, and half of the spice mix to a zip top bag and marinate for at least 2 hours.
- Sear the marinated chicken thighs in a large sauté pan until browned on both sides.
- Sauté the onions in the same pan, add garlic, stir in the orzo, water, remaining spice mix, and greens. Add back the chicken and bake in the oven.
- Gather the yogurt sauce ingredients including yogurt, lemon, garlic, and sumac. Mix together the sauce.
- Serve the cooked orzo and greens topped with chicken thighs and a dollop of yogurt sauce.
Chicken Shawarma Orzo FAQ’s
Boneless skinless chicken thighs work best because they stay tender and juicy during marinating, searing, and baking. They also pick up shawarma spices beautifully. If you prefer a lighter option, boneless skinless chicken breasts will work, but reduce the oven time so the chicken doesn’t dry out.
Yes. This recipe is designed to be mostly one pan. The chicken is seared first, then the onions, garlic, spices, and orzo cook in the same pan before finishing in the oven. You’ll only need a small bowl to mix the yogurt sauce. If you love simple one-pan meals, try my One Pan Sun Dried Tomato and Boursin Cheese Orzo.
The chicken can be marinated up to 24 hours in advance for even deeper flavor. You can also prep the yogurt sauce and keep it chilled for up to four days. You will have the best results if you cook the chicken and orzo just before serving.
Other Chicken and Orzo Favorites
Chicken Shawarma Orzo with Yogurt Sauce
Equipment
- Sauté Pan oven-safe
Ingredients
Shawarma Spice Mix
- 1 tablespoon Cumin
- 1 tablespoon Coriander
- 2 teaspoons Smoked Paprika
- 2 teaspoons Ground Cardamom
- 2 teaspoons Turmeric
- ½ teaspoon Cayenne
- ½ teaspoon Ginger Powder
- 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
Chicken
- 1 ½ pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
- 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
Orzo
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- ½ Red Onion, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 cup Orzo Pasta, uncooked
- 2 cups Water, more as needed
- 5 ounces Spinach Arugula Mix, or baby spinach
- Fresh Parsley, optional (for serving)
Yogurt Sauce
- ½ cup Plain Greek Yogurt, fat-free or full fat both work
- 1 clove Garlic, grated or finely minced
- 2 tablespoons Lemon Juice, adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon Sumac, adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt, adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper, adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
Instructions
Shawarma Spice Mix
- Combine the spices: Mix all spice blend ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside for the chicken and orzo.
Chicken
- Marinate the chicken: Add chicken thighs, olive oil, lemon juice, and 3 tablespoons of the shawarma spice mix to a zip top bag or large bowl. Massage to coat. Marinate at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Sear the chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large high-rimmed sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the chicken in an even layer and sear for 4 minutes, flip, then cook for 3 minutes more. Chicken will finish in the oven. Remove to a plate.
Yogurt Sauce
- Mix the sauce: Combine yogurt sauce ingredients in a bowl. Adjust lemon, salt, or sumac to taste. Chill until serving.
Orzo
- Sauté the onions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In the same pan used for the chicken, add a drizzle of olive oil if needed. Cook the sliced red onion for 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Toast the orzo: Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the uncooked orzo plus 1 tablespoon shawarma spice mix. Toast for 2 minutes. Add 2 cups water and bring to a simmer. Stir in the spinach arugula mix.
- Bake: Return the chicken and any juices to the pan. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the orzo is cooked and most liquid is absorbed.
- Serve: Spoon the orzo into bowls and top with chicken, yogurt sauce, and fresh parsley.
Notes
- Marinate the chicken for the best flavor. A minimum of 2 hours works well, but you can marinate the chicken for up to 24 hours in the fridge for deeper flavor and juicier results.
- Save extra shawarma spice mix. You will likely have leftover seasoning. Store it in a small airtight container or zip-top bag for future recipes.
- Use chicken thighs for best texture. Boneless skinless thighs stay tender and flavorful during the stovetop and oven cooking stages. Chicken breast will work but may dry out more easily.
- Yogurt sauce can be made ahead. Mix the yogurt sauce up to 4 days in advance and keep refrigerated. Stir before serving and adjust lemon or salt to taste.
- Add a splash of water as needed. The orzo absorbs liquid quickly. If the pan looks dry before the orzo is fully cooked, add a few tablespoons of water at a time.
- Spinach or arugula both work. Use a spinach arugula mix (as written), plain baby spinach, or even chopped kale.
- Use a large sauté pan for even cooking. A wide, high-rimmed oven-safe stainless steel or nonstick pan allows the chicken to brown properly and gives the orzo space to cook evenly.
- Adjust heat level to your taste. The spice mix includes cayenne, but you can reduce or omit it for a mild version. Add extra cayenne or crushed red pepper for more heat.
- Serve with extra lemon and herbs. Fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon brighten the dish and balance the warm spices.
- Leftovers reheat well. Store leftovers in separate airtight containers for up to 4 days. Add a splash of water when reheating the orzo if needed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I am a huge fan of chicken and orzo recipes and this one is no exception! Don’t skip the creamy yogurt sauce.
Made this tonight and husband said it’s one of the meals I’ve ever made! Great combination of flavors; special enough for company. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Wow, what a compliment! Thank you so much for sharing with me. I’m excited for you to explore more recipes 🙂