Chicken shawarma is one of those comforting meals you eat in the early morning hours after a big night out or as a greasy takeout dinner option. Typically, it's made with chicken thighs that has been roasted on a rotating spit over an open flame and served on a thick pita wrap with a rich greek yogurt sauce. It can be challenging to prepare an authentic version of this dish at home, however, this lightened-up version is perfect for ww with low points and high in flavor.
Chicken Shawarma Lettuce Wraps for Weight Watchers
This ww friendly recipe for chicken shawarma is a healthy way to indulge in the Middle Eastern flavors you love without all of the carbs and fat of the traditional version. Very similar in preparation to my Chicken Fajita Lettuce Wraps, these wraps are perfect for meal prep lunches during the week or as a nice easy dinner after a busy day.
Can I serve Chicken Shawarma on a pita bread and still be low in points?
That's a great question, and the answer is YES! Joseph's Pita is WW friendly at only 1 point. I usually find it at my local Walmart, but they are also available on Amazon.
Can I Freeze This in Advance?
Absolutely! Once you have the chicken in the marinade, you can absolutely freeze this in an air tight ziploc bag until you are ready to make it. In fact, you could even put it into a crockpot and instead of slicing the chicken to serve it, you can shred it instead. Then just serve it the same way you would if you made it in a saute pan.
Can this chicken be grilled?
I'm really lucky to live in Florida where using my grill is pretty much a year round option. To really get the most authentic flavor of shawarma, skewering the chicken and grilling them will bring out the smokey taste of being roasted over the open flame.
What side dishes can I serve with Chicken Shawarma?
One of my favorite ways to present this Chicken Shawarma is like I would a fajita or taco bar. I put out a bunch of different toppings and dips and then hand out plates with carrot sticks, cucumber slices and lettuce cups to fill. I would highly recommend looking at my recipe for Turkish Carrot Dip, also known as Carrot Tarator. This chilled dip is made with sauteed carrots, nonfat greek yogurt, spices and walnuts for a tasty treat. I also recommend my Mediterranean Quinoa Salad or my Low Point Garlic Hummus.
Can I make a Shawarma Spice Blend in bulk?
When I find a blend of spices that I really like, I try to make a LOT of it at once so that it's always easy for me to grab and use. If you have an empty mason jar around, you can easily make this spice blend ahead of time. Make sure you pin this to your spice board! This would make a great gift for the holidays.
- 1/3 cup ground coriander
- 1/8 cup ground cumin
- 1 1/2 tbsp allspice
- 2 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 2 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/3 cup smoked paprika
This will make enough of the spice blend to make this recipe about 10 times.
How Do I Make Healthy Chicken Shawarma?
How Many Points Are In This Recipe?
With the new Plan, points can vary for those with diabetes. Check your zero point foods. Points can also vary with different brands. Please use your recipe maker to determine your exact points.
Are You on WW Connect?
Find me on WW Connect @Sassycooking_Alyssa to see my full recipe list!
Chicken Shawarma Lettuce Wraps
Savor the irresistible blend of bold Middle Eastern flavors with succulent marinated chicken, nestled in crisp lettuce leaves and topped with a tangy Greek yogurt dressing – the ultimate feast for your senses!
Ingredients
Marinade Ingredients:
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1½ tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp allspice
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1½ tsp smoked paprika
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
For chicken:
- 6 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- extra virgin olive oil spray
Greek Yogurt Dressing:
- 1 cup non fat Greek yogurt
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried dill week
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
To serve:
- Bibb or Romaine lettuce leaves
- Tomato slices
- Cucumber slices
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine garlic, spices, lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and whisk to combine.
- Pound out the chicken breasts to about 1 inch thick filets. In a large, sealable plastic bag and pour marinade mixture on top. Seal the bag and gently turn to thoroughly coat chicken. Place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
- To prepare the yogurt sauce, combine all ingredients in a glass or other non-reactive bowl and stir to combine. Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Heat a large skillet with olive oil spray over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from bag and discard remaining marinade. Add the chicken to the hot skillet and brown on each side, approximately 2 minutes per side. Season with additional salt and black pepper, if desired.
- Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking until chicken is cooked through, approximately 6-7 minutes per side. Remove from heat and let cool for several minutes.
- Slice chicken and arrange on lettuce leaves and top with tomatoes and cucumbers. Drizzle with Greek yogurt dressing and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1 gramsAmount Per Serving Calories 316Total Fat 14gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 10gCholesterol 104mgSodium 205mgCarbohydrates 5gFiber 1gSugar 2gProtein 42g
*This is an automatic calculation by a third party app*
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