Shawarma-Spiced Chicken Couscous Bowls with Roasted Veggies and Harissa Yogurt

These shawarma-spiced chicken couscous bowls are a vibrant, satisfying meal packed with bold flavors and textures. Tender chicken cutlets are seasoned with a warm shawarma spice blend, then paired with roasted carrots, crispy chickpeas and sweet bell pepper. A bed of pearl couscous studded with dried apricots adds a touch of sweetness, while quick-pickled red onion and fresh cilantro bring brightness. The finishing touch is a creamy harissa yogurt sauce that adds a smoky, spicy kick.

This recipe is perfect for a weeknight dinner that feels special but comes together easily. The components can be prepped simultaneously and the final assembly is a beautiful bowl that’s as pleasing to the eye as it is to the palate. Feel free to adjust the harissa powder to your preferred spice level.

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Ingredients

1 unit Veggie Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1.5 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 unit Red OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit ChickpeasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Pearl CouscousView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon YogurtView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Shawarma Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 ounce Dried ApricotsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

12 ounce Chicken CutletsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Harissa PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

9 ounce CarrotView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Bell PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Garlic PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.13 teaspoon (tsp) SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Adjust oven racks to middle and top positions and preheat to 425°F. Wash and dry produce. Trim, peel and cut carrots on a diagonal into ½-inch-thick pieces. Drain, rinse and pat chickpeas very dry with paper towels. Halve, core and thinly slice bell pepper into strips.
2. On a baking sheet, toss carrots with a large drizzle of oil, 1 tsp Shawarma Spice Blend (2 tsp for 4 servings), salt and pepper. On a second sheet, toss chickpeas on one side with a large drizzle of oil, 1 tsp Shawarma Spice Blend (2 tsp for 4), salt and pepper. Toss bell pepper on the empty side with a drizzle of oil, salt and pepper.
3. Roast carrots on middle rack and chickpeas and bell pepper on top rack until veggies are browned and tender and chickpeas are crispy, 18-22 minutes. Check after 18 minutes; if carrots finish first, remove and set aside.
4. Meanwhile, halve, peel and thinly slice half the onion (save the rest for another use). Quarter lemon. Finely chop cilantro. In a small bowl, combine onion, juice from two lemon wedges, a pinch of sugar and salt. Set aside to pickle. In a separate small bowl, combine yogurt, sour cream, ¼ tsp garlic powder (½ tsp for 4 servings), a squeeze of lemon juice and as much harissa powder as you like. Add water 1 tsp at a time until drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Melt 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add couscous and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, 2-3 minutes. Add stock concentrate, ¾ cup water (1½ cups for 4), remaining garlic powder and a big pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until couscous is tender, 6-8 minutes. Keep covered off heat. While couscous cooks, pat chicken dry with paper towels; season all over with salt and pepper. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook until browned and cooked through, 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board to rest.
6. Once veggies and chickpeas are done, stir apricots into couscous; season with salt and pepper. Divide couscous between bowls; arrange chickpeas, bell pepper and carrots on top in separate sections. Drizzle with yogurt sauce. Top with cilantro and as much pickled onion (draining first) as you like. Serve with any remaining lemon wedges on the side. Slice chicken crosswise; serve atop bowls.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different protein instead of chicken?

Yes, you can substitute the chicken with tofu, tempeh or extra chickpeas for a vegetarian version. Adjust cooking time as needed.

What can I use instead of pearl couscous?

Regular couscous, quinoa or rice can be used. Note that cooking times and liquid ratios will vary.

How do I store leftovers?

Store components separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently before serving.