Enhance Meal: 8 Tasty Sides for Chicken Shawarma

If you’ve ever wondered what the food named Chicken Shawarma is, why it tastes delicious and what you can serve with it for a complete meal experience, we’re here to give you the deets and hook you up.

Firstly, the history of the Chicken Shawarma is somewhat unknown, but it is believed to have originated in the Middle East.

It consists of pieces of chicken meat cut from a large cone-like loaf of meat placed on a vertical rotisserie, which slowly cooks and bastes the marinated chicken with its juices as it turns.

The marinated chunks are then shaved off and wrapped in flatbread, usually with other veggies.

Its sweet and savory flavors make it an outstanding dish that’s finger-licking good.

The flavor of Chicken Shawarma is irresistible, and the crispiness of the outer part makes your taste buds go crazy for more.

During its marination, a special blend of spices is used to give this dish its distinct flavor.

The spices include salt, cumin, cardamom, garlic powder, and pepper.

Chicken shawarma is a dish served with various veggies, including lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers.

It can also be served with pita bread, French fries, or rice.

One thing’s for sure, though; it’s never complete without this amazing garlic sauce that goes perfectly well with it.

In this article, we will introduce eight tasty sides that will go perfectly well with this amazing Middle Eastern dish.

Why Consider Serving Side Dishes for Chicken Shawarma?

Chicken shawarma is a Middle Eastern dish that features grilled chicken wrapped in pita bread with veggies, tahini sauce, and other side options.

It’s delicious but easy to get tired of eating for every single meal if you’re not careful.

Fortunately, there are ways to mix up Chicken shawarma and keep it just as delicious without feeling too bored of it.

First, you can switch up the veggies and try different ones like jalapenos, olives, and red onion instead of just cucumber and tomatoes (which is a pretty standard side for this dish).

You could even add some feta cheese to make Greek chicken shawarma.

Similarly, when you’re eating chicken shawarma on its own, you can make it a little more exciting by adding different sauces and spreads to the mix.

For example, some people put hummus in their chicken shawarma while others enjoy garlic sauce.

Not only does this give your chicken shawarma a variety of flavors and nutrients, but it also makes it easier to stick to your low-carb or keto diet since you can find what works best for you.

So, why consider serving side dishes for chicken shawarma? Because it will keep your meals exciting and delicious.

What to Serve with Chicken Shawarma? 8 BEST Side Dishes

Many sides work well with chicken shawarma, but these are the eight best options for various reasons.

1 – Corn on the Cob

Corn is a great option to serve with chicken shawarma – you can cook it right in the husk, and it’ll retain all of its nutrients and flavor.

This is best steamed or boiled so that your corn doesn’t lose any of its crispness, which gives it an advantage over other side dishes like salad.

You can also take it one step further and make sure you’re cooking something hearty for dinner once your guests start to fill up on the side dishes.

Topping your corn with fresh herbs and spices is a great way to give it even more flavor.

2 – Salad

Salad is a great option for sides, and it’s one of the most popular.

There are three different types of salads that we recommend: pasta, potato, and green.

A pasta salad with chicken shawarma is a delicious balance to all of the savory dishes you’re serving alongside your main dish.

Potato salad goes well with chicken shawarma because you can put all the chicken together in one bowl and serve it alongside your potato salad.

And lastly, green salads are great to serve with chicken, especially if they’re mixed greens or spinach since they go quite well with pita bread.

Another reason why salad is a great option is that it’s so versatile.

You can serve it with whatever you’ve got – chicken, egg, tuna, or any other type of protein.

3 – Grilled Vegetables

Grilled vegetables are another great option to serve with chicken shawarma. Yum.

They’re super flavorful and go quite well with the tahini sauce.

The most popular grilled vegetables to serve alongside chicken shawarma are zucchini and eggplant, but you can also use beets or asparagus if you’d like.

This is a great option because it’s super easy to make, making for a quick side dish, and they’re relatively healthy compared to other options.

4 – Pita Bread

What better side dish for chicken shawarma than pita bread?

It’s a staple in Middle Eastern cuisine, and it’s easy to make at home (take some regular dough and roll it out into flat pockets).

You can serve any type of sauce alongside the pita bread.

Some people enjoy garlic sauce, others hummus, and some people prefer to have it plain.

If you’re cooking for a crowd, then you can cut up the pita bread into pieces or triangles so that your guests don’t have to rip the bread off of their plates.

Another reason why pita bread is a great choice is because it goes perfectly with the rest of your chicken shawarma platter.

It can even serve as a good replacement for your wrap in some cases, especially if you’re having a hard time finding the bread to make the wrap or if you’ve already run out of bread.

5 – Roasted Potatoes

If you love sweet potatoes, then this is the side dish for you.

When roasted, they’re extra sweet and bring a distinct flavor that complements chicken shawarma well.

You can bake them or fry them – season them with salt, pepper, olive oil, and your choice of spices to give it an extra kick.

This is another great side dish for chicken shawarma because it’s easy to make and can even serve as a main course if you’re serving small portions of all the sides.

6 – Rice Pilaf

Rice pilaf is another great option to serve along with your chicken shawarma.

And if you’ve already served rice with some of your main dishes, then rice pilaf is a good choice because it’s colorful and has a lot of herbs and spices to give it an extra kick.

This is another side dish that can serve as a main course if you’re serving small portions along with your chicken shawarma.

So how do you make rice pilaf?

Well, it’s pretty simple – all you have to do is sautee onions and garlic in oil before adding the rice.

You can also add some salt, pepper, or thyme to give it an extra kick.

Then cover the rice in water and boil it for a while until the rice is cooked.

Once that’s done, mix some veggies into it to give it an even stronger flavor.

7 – Tahini Sauce

Tahini sauce is one of the most popular sauces served alongside chicken shawarma platters, and it’s super easy to make.

It consists of sesame seeds and garlic, and it typically goes very well with pita bread, but you can also serve it alongside your chicken shawarma – mix in some salt and pepper for an extra kick.

This is another great sauce because you probably already have the ingredients in your kitchen, and it’s super easy to make.

You can also use it as a dip for vegetables or pita bread, making it a great choice if you’re serving small portions.

8 – Hummus

Hummus is a great choice if you’re looking for something that’s both healthy and filling.

It has a lot of protein in it, which makes it good to have when you don’t know what else to serve with your chicken shawarma platter.

It also goes quite well with pita bread, so if your pita bread is running low, then you can always fill up on hummus.

If you’re wondering how to make it, all you have to do is blend some cooked garbanzo beans (chickpeas), tahini sauce, lemon juice, salt, and garlic.

You can also add your spices like cumin and paprika to give it an extra kick.

Conclusion

Chicken shawarma is a pretty versatile dish, so it would go well with any side dish you put alongside it.

You can serve anything from pita bread to roasted potatoes and rice pilaf, but whatever side dish you choose, make sure it complements the shawarma well.

So if you haven’t chosen what food to serve with your chicken shawarma platter yet, then these eight delicious side dishes are definitely worth giving a try.

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