Low-FODMAP Slow Cooker Chicken Shawarma Bowls feature spiced, tender chicken thighs, a tomato-cucumber salad, and a creamy yogurt sauce over basmati rice.
Usually when I think of using my slow cooker it’s in the winter. I like to make stews and soups to warm us up on a cold night. Lately though, I’ve been using my crock pot in the summer a lot more. With the heat waves coming through, I don’t like to turn on the oven because it heats the whole house and makes the air conditioning work even harder than it already is. Slow cookers are great in the summer and this recipe has become one of our favorites. The chicken is so tender and flavorful. The yogurt sauce cools it down and the salad is a refreshing accompaniment.
Shawarma is a popular Middle Eastern street food, with spiced meat roasted on a vertical spit and thinly shaved. I’ve simplified it by cooking until it’s extra-tender in the crock pot. Normally it is served in a pita, but this recipe is a grain bowl, making it gluten-free. I hope you enjoy these Low-FODMAP Slow Cooker Chicken Shawarma Bowls as much as we do!
Notes on Certain Ingredients
Spices – All of the spices in the chicken are low-FODMAP! If cayenne pepper is too spicy for you, it can be replaced with ground black pepper. Mixing the spices with FODY Garlic-Infused Oil give a hint of garlic without the FODMAPs. (This post contains affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my Affiliate Disclosure page for more information.)
Yogurt – My favorite yogurt to use in this recipe is FAGE BestSelf Plain Lactose-Free Greek Yogurt. I love this yogurt! I have found it at my local grocery store in the health food section, my local co-op, and even at Target.
Scallions or Green Onions – Be sure to use only the green parts to make this tolerable and low-FODMAP.
Lettuce – I usually use a spring mix, but spinach or arugula is delicious too.
How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Shawarma Bowls
Time needed: 6 hours and 40 minutes
- Prepare spice blend.
Combine the garlic infused oil, salt, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric, paprika, cloves, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Place chicken, coated with spiced blend, in slow cooker.
Lightly coat the inside of a slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Place chicken thighs in the bottom of the slow cooker. Spread the spice mixture over the top of the chicken thighs. Add the Fody Chicken Soup Base to the boiling water and stir to dissolve; carefully pour this in and around the chicken thighs in the bottom of the slow cooker. Cover slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 6 hours.
- Make the Tomato-Cucumber Salad.
In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, and green onion. Add the extra-virgin oil olive, red wine vinegar, sugar, oregano, salt, and ground black pepper. Toss gently to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Make the Yogurt Sauce
In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, mayonnaise, and red wine vinegar. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Prepare Rice
About 30 minutes before chicken is done in the slow cooker, prepare the basmati rice according to package directions.
- Shred or Break Up Chicken
Before serving, shred the chicken into bite-size pieces with two forks. Lightly stir to let the chicken meat soak up the juices and to distribute the spices.
- Assemble Bowls
Place a serving of rice on one side of the bowl, and 1 cup lettuce on the other side. Top the lettuce with some of the tomato-cucumber salad, top the rice with some of the chicken, followed by a dollop of the sauce.
- Serve and Enjoy!
You may enjoy these other low-FODMAP grain bowl recipes:
Vegan Ratatouille Polenta Bowl
Low-FODMAP Slow Cooker Chicken Shawarma Bowls
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1.5 to 1.75 lbs)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Fody Garlic Infused Oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (or 1 teaspoon table salt)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or ground black pepper)
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 1/2 teaspoon Fody Chicken Soup Base
For the Tomato-Cucumber Salad:
- See recipe card below
For the Sauce:
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt, Greek if desired (lactose-free if needed)
- 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
For the Bowls:
- 6 cups spring lettuce mix (or other low-FODMAP lettuce of your choice)
- 1 ½ cups basmati rice, prepared according to package directions
Instructions
For the Chicken:
- Lightly coat the inside of a slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Place chicken thighs in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- In a small bowl, combine the Fody Garlic Infused Oil with 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (or 1 teaspoon table salt), cumin, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric, smoked paprika, cloves, and cayenne pepper (or black pepper). Spread this spice mixture over the top of the chicken thighs.
- Add the Fody Chicken Soup Base to the boiling water and stir to dissolve; carefully pour this in and around the chicken thighs in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Cover slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 6 hours.
- Before serving, shred the chicken into bite-size pieces with two forks. Lightly stir to let the chicken meat soak up the juices and to distribute the spices.
For the Tomato-Cucumber Salad:
- See recipe card below. I recommend making the salad and sauce right after starting the slow cooker so the flavors and ingredients have time to mingle and chill while the chicken cooks.
For the Sauce:
- In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, mayonnaise, and 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar. Mix well.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
For the Bowls:
- Half an hour before the chicken is done, make basmati rice according to package directions.
- Place a serving of rice on one side of the bowl, and 1 cup lettuce on the other side.
- Top the lettuce with some of the tomato-cucumber salad (about 1/2 cup for a low-FODMAP serving), top the rice with some of the chicken, followed by a dollop of the sauce.
Tomato-Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 2 medium Roma tomatoes, chopped
- 1 medium cucumber, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 2 green onions/scallions, thinly sliced (green parts only)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or 1/4 teaspoon table salt)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, and green onion. Add the extra-virgin oil olive, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, sugar, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or 1/4 teaspoon table salt), and ground black pepper. Toss gently to combine.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Serve over your favorite bed of lettuce or in the Chicken Shawarma Rice Bowls recipe above.
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