Kate Lyman Nutrition

View Original

EASY MEAL PREP LUNCH: TRADER JOE’S SHAWARMA CHICKEN SALAD

Whitney Landon-Berg

I’ve been doing Sunday meal prep for well over a decade at this point, so I’m always looking for ways to keep my meals interesting without creating additional work or increasing the amount of time I spend in the kitchen.  Using pre-made ingredients and components can really streamline your kitchen process and help you experiment with new foods and flavors without having to resort to complicated or time consuming recipes. 

Introducing a favorite of mine: this ridiculously easy, high protein, veggie-packed chicken salad.

TRADER JOE’S SHAWARMA CHICKEN SALAD

PREP TIME:  10 minutes || COOK TIME:  15-20 minutes || Makes 4-5 servings

WHAT YOU NEED:

  • Trader Joe’s Shawarma Chicken Thighs

  • Pre-chopped/washed lettuce or salad greens

  • Salad veggies of choice (I recommend cucumbers & tomatoes)

  • ½ red onion, thinly sliced

  • Feta cheese (omit for dairy-free version)

  • Trader Joe’s Tzatziki, or Vegan Tzatziki Dip (for dairy free)

NOTES:

  • The vegan tzatziki dip is pretty thick – thin it out with a little water to use as a dressing.

  • Soaking your red onion slices in ice water for at least 10 minutes will mellow their flavor. 

WHAT TO DO:

  1. Preheat conventional oven to 400 degrees or preheat grill to cook chicken.  Oven roasting takes ~20 minutes, grilling takes 5-8 minutes per side, depending on how thick each thigh is.

  2. While the chicken cooks, chop your salad vegetables,

  3. Once chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees (or appears fully cooked through when cut into), remove from heat and let rest for at least five minutes.

  4. Assemble salad greens and veggies, top with red onions, 120 grams of sliced or chopped chicken thigh, 30g feta (if desired), and 45g tzatziki for dressing.

GIVE IT A TRY:

  • Need more carbs? Add chickpeas or your favorite grain.

  • This also makes a great rice bowl.  I like to serve this rice bowl with roasted red onions, tomatoes, and chickpeas (still topped with tzatziki!)

MACROS PER SERVING: 31P/15F/14C

Find more macro-friendly recipes here or grab our free cookbook Everyday Macros here for simple and streamlined meal prep recipes and ideas.