The final recipe in my ORZO RECIPE SERIES PART 3 has arrived: Chicken Shawarma Orzo with Yogurt Sauce! This dish is inspired by the flavors and ingredients in a well-seasoned chicken shawarma wrap full of onions, leafy greens, and a garlicky yogurt sauce...but it's in an orzo pasta form!

Also, find the other seven recipes from my orzo series here:

1. Italian Wedding Soup Orzo
2. Orzo alla Vodka
3. Spring Orzo Pasta Salad
4. Whipped Ricotta Lemon Orzo with Chicken Meatballs and Pesto
5. Roasted Red Pepper Sausage Orzo
6. Tomato, Boursin, and Shrimp Baked Orzo
7. Orzo al Limone with Crispy Parmesan Chicken

I'm a big fan of one pan chicken thigh and orzo recipes (Example 1 and Example 2) and this dish is no exception.

Let me show you how to make this flavorful chicken and orzo recipe!

Chicken Shawarma Orzo with Yogurt Sauce Ingredients

Shawarma Spice Mix

• 1 tbsp Cumin
• 1 tbsp Coriander
• 2 tsp Ground Cardamom
• 2 tsp Smoked Paprika
• 2 tsp Turmeric
• 1/2 tsp Cayenne
• 1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
• 2 tsp Kosher Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper

Chicken

• 1.5 lbs Chicken Thighs boneless skinless
• 3 tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 tbsp Lemon Juice

Orzo

• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1/2 Red Onion thinly sliced
• 3 cloves Garlic minced
• 1 cup Orzo uncooked
• 2 cups Water more as needed
• 5 oz Spinach Arugula Mix or all baby spinach
• Fresh Parsley optional; to serve

Yogurt Sauce

• 1/2 cup Plain Greek Yogurt I used 0% fat
• 1 clove Garlic grated; or finely minced
• 2 tbsp Lemon Juice adjust to taste
• 1/2 tsp Sumac adjust to taste
• 1/4 tsp Salt adjust to taste
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper adjust to taste
• 1 tsp Olive Oil

Recipe Instructions

Shawarma Spice Mix

1. Combine all shawarma spice mix ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside to use for the chicken and the orzo.

Chicken

1. In a large ziplock bag, add the chicken thighs, 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp lemon juice, and 3 tbsp (about half) of the shawarma spice mix.
2. Close the bag and massage the ingredients with your hands so everything is evenly distributed. Marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight if possible.
3. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large, high-rimmed sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the marinated chicken thighs in an even layer. Cook for about 4 minutes on the first side, flip, then cook for another 3 minutes on the other side. The chicken will finish cooking in the oven. Set aside on a plate.

Yogurt Sauce

1. Mix yogurt sauce ingredients together in a bowl. Taste and adjust as needed. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.

Orzo

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat the same pan used for the chicken over medium heat. Add another drizzle of olive oil if needed. Add the sliced red onions. Pour in about 1/4 cup of water if there is a lot of seasoning stuck to the bottom of the pan. Stir to combine and cook for about 5 minutes to soften the onions.
2. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute, stirring often. Add the uncooked orzo, stir to combine, and toast for 2 minutes. Pour in 2 cups of water and about 1 tbsp of the shawarma spice mix. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer. Stir in the spinach arugula mix.
3. Place the set aside chicken thighs and any juices from the plate on top of the orzo. Place the pan in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes or until the orzo is cooked through and most of the liquid is absorbed.
4. Divide the orzo among bowls to serve. Top each bowl with chicken thighs, a dollop of yogurt sauce, and fresh parsley.

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