one-pan meal

Sheet pan chicken and vegetables shawarma

I should start this entry with “…this sheet pan shawarma” so I respect the SEOs be-all and end-all rules. I don’t live by the rules, but I tend to not break them. Although, I should add sheet pan shawarma in every sentence I write here I’m not about keyword stuffing. My writing is already crappy enough for you to stick around so this is the last sheet pan shawarma mention you will read in this text entry.

I’m still under the full-time working mama spell and making simple dinners that can be easily heat up or thrown together on any giving week night is a must in this household. One of my main weekend goals is to have at least three prepared family meals by the end of Sunday. And, between you, me, and the rest of the world, as much as I love cooking, it is a challenge. Easy to prep and fast to make meals are essential!

So, it goes without saying that this recipe fits right in the quick-easy-versatile category that you can make ahead and eat it in so many ways. This ridiculously flavorful dish is made on a ONE sheet pan, cooks in less than 30 minutes, and you can serve it over rice or stuffed pita bread or in salad. Seriously, you can even eat it just straight out of the sheet pan – which I highly recommend.

 I started by mixing the spices, which is a recipe I always double or triple so I have some left for other dishes. I use this shawarma spice mix in roasted veggies and even as basmati rice seasoning.

After mixing the spices, reserve some to sprinkle over the chicken and veggies before sending them to the oven. I tossed the chicken in the same bowl I mixed the spices in, adding olive oil and lemon juice. I marinated the chicken for one hour for even more flavor, but you can totally skip this step.

Everything else after this is easy. Get the chicken from the fridge, toss the vegetables and chicken together adding an extra splash of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil to freshen it up.  Place it all on the sheet pan and sprinkle the remaining spice blend all over. Don’t forget to line the sheet pan with foil for easy clean-up!

To the oven it goes until all the juices clear- about 30 minutes- and there you have it.

We had the shawarma on top of Naan bread (always keep some in my freezer) because I had no pita and no time to make rice. Finished it with a drizzle of tahini sauce for the win. It was dealicious!

Notes:

  • Although I used chicken tenders cut in stripes for this recipe, you can use chicken breast or chicken thighs cut into small pieces (about 2-inch pieces).
  • Use any vegetable you like! Zucchini, yellow squash and mushrooms are great with this spice blend.
  • Add extra cayenne pepper to make kick up the heat!
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One pan curried couscous with broccoli rabe, chicken, and lime-yogurt sauce

It has been a while since my last recipe post. Life, once again, got in between my stove and I. I’ve gotten back to work full-time and it has been a tough adjustment. I’m trying to keep up with the domestic duties and mother responsibilities (not always in that order) and let me tell you this working mom thing is no joke.

Meal prep on weekends has become mandatory. If there are not at least a couple of meals ready to heat and eat during the week I’m a warrantied a hot mess. On top of that, if I don’t pack my own lunch every day, I’ll surrender to all the office junk food, snacks, and endless lattes.

My meal plan has been working so far. I make two to three dishes ahead and have ingredients ready for a couple of dinners that are easy to throw together just like this one-pan curried couscous with  broccoli rabe, chicken, and lime-yogurt sauce. It is so easy to make and turns out good every time. It takes very little effort and the couscous cooks in 5 minutes.

This one-pan curried couscous is packed with greens – I used broccoli rabe but spinach, kale, or any vegetable would work too. The lean chicken breasts are the perfect pairing for an easy to cook protein.

I seared the chicken breasts on both sides and set aside. I used the SAME PAN to cook the veggies on the chicken broth! Yes, same PAN. Then I added the curry powder, place the seared chicken breast on top, covered the pan, and let the chicken finish cooking in the broth. Everything simmered together for about 10 quick minutes.

Once the chicken was cooked through, I removed it and added the couscous which soaked up all the ‘dealicious’ flavors. The raisins are my favorite part of this dish. I added them right into the couscous- they plumped and gave the couscous a sweet contrast.

The lime yogurt sauce cools off the dish and adds a creamy tang touch. I only had Greek yogurt available this time so I had to water it down a bit in order to drizzle the sauce.  Drizzles or dollops don’t pass on the yogurt sauce. It brings this dish to the next level.

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