Chicken Shawarma Rice Bake with Garlic Yogurt Sauce

When the foil comes off, the rice should be tender underneath a layer of deeply spiced chicken, with the broth gone and no scorched bits at the bottom. That one-pan…

By Julia • November 8, 2026 • Reading time: 9 min

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When the foil comes off, the rice should be tender underneath a layer of deeply spiced chicken, with the broth gone and no scorched bits at the bottom. That one-pan finish is what makes this chicken shawarma rice bake worth keeping in the weeknight rotation: the rice cooks beneath the thighs and picks up their seasoning as everything bakes together.

I season the rice and chicken separately, so the warm spices reach every part of the dish instead of sitting in one concentrated layer. The garlic yogurt sauce gets mixed first and chilled while the bake cooks; its cool tang is a welcome contrast to the cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, and allspice. Spoon it over the chicken and rice just before serving, and you get a full plate from one baking dish.

Why the Foil Seal Matters as Much as the Broth

Rice in a covered bake depends on trapped steam, not just the measured broth. The foil holds that steam around the grains while the chicken cooks above them. If the dish isn’t covered tightly, moisture escapes before the rice has time to soften, and the top layer can turn out firm even when the bottom is nearly done.

That sealed environment also keeps the chicken from drying out as quickly as it would if it were exposed to the oven for the full bake. Use a sheet of foil that reaches across the entire 9×13-inch dish and crimp it around the rim. If the rice is still firm and liquid remains when you check, cover it again rather than leaving the dish uncovered to finish; the rice needs the steam to cook through. The goal is tender grains with the liquid absorbed, not a dry surface that has been baked hard.

How the Rice, Chicken, and Yogurt Sauce Each Earn Their Place

• Long-grain white rice — It cooks up with separate, distinct grains that hold their shape under the chicken. Rinsing removes loose surface starch; other rice varieties don’t necessarily cook on the same timing or absorb the broth in the same way.
• Boneless, skinless chicken thighs — Thighs stay tender through the covered bake and bring their seasoned juices into the rice. Keep them in one layer so they cook evenly. This method is built around thighs, rather than leaner cuts that can dry out before the rice is ready.
• Low-sodium chicken broth — Broth gives the rice savory flavor as it cooks, while the lower sodium level leaves room for the kosher salt in the seasoning. Warming it before it goes into the dish helps the bake heat evenly.
• The divided spice blend — Cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, and allspice season both the rice and the chicken. Dividing the spices means the grains aren’t left plain beneath a strongly seasoned topping.
• Whole-milk Greek yogurt and fresh dill — Thick yogurt makes a creamy sauce that stays on the chicken when spooned over the bake. Fresh dill gives it a clean, herbal note; finely grating the garlic distributes its bite throughout the sauce instead of leaving larger pieces in one spoonful.

Building the Bake in Layers Before the Oven

Stir Together the Cool Garlic Yogurt Sauce

Combine the Greek yogurt, finely grated garlic, lemon juice, water, and chopped dill in a small bowl. Stir until the garlic and dill are spread evenly through the yogurt, then cover and refrigerate it while you prepare the bake. Chilling gives you a ready-to-serve sauce without taking attention away from the oven steps later.

Prepare the Dish and Rinse the Rice

Heat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear, then drain it well. Don’t skip rinsing: excess loose starch can leave the finished grains stickier than you want.

Season the Rice Base

Stir the rice and finely chopped onion together in the prepared dish with the warmed broth. Add the first portions of cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and black pepper, and mix so the seasoning is distributed through the liquid and grains. Spread the rice into an even layer before adding the chicken, so it cooks in a consistent depth of broth.

Coat and Arrange the Chicken

Toss the chicken thighs with the remaining olive oil and the rest of the spices, salt, and pepper. Turn each thigh through the seasoning so there aren’t bare patches. Arrange the thighs in one layer over the rice; overlapping them can make the chicken cook unevenly.

Bake Covered, Then Let the Rice Rest

Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the rice is tender, the liquid is absorbed, and the thickest part of a thigh reaches 165°F. If the rice is still firm or the chicken needs more time, re-cover the dish and bake in 5-minute increments. Rest the finished bake, still covered, for 10 minutes; that pause lets the rice settle before you fluff it around the chicken with a fork. Serve with the chilled garlic yogurt sauce.

Two Small Changes for a Different Shawarma Rice Bake

Questions That Come Up When Making This Chicken and Rice Bake

Chicken Shawarma Rice Bake with Garlic Yogurt Sauce

Chicken shawarma rice bake cooks spiced chicken thighs and long-grain rice together in one 9x13-inch dish. Serve it with a cool garlic yogurt sauce for a creamy, tangy contrast.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Resting 10 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Calories: 590

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Garlic yogurt sauce

• 1 cup Greek yogurt plain whole-milk
• 1 cloves garlic small, finely grated
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp fresh dill chopped

Rice bake

• 1 tbsp olive oil divided
• 2 cups white rice long-grain
• 1 yellow onion medium, finely chopped
• 3 cups chicken broth low-sodium, warmed
• 2 tsp ground cumin divided
• 2 tsp paprika divided
• 1 tsp ground coriander divided
• 1 tsp ground turmeric divided
• 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon divided
• 0.5 tsp ground allspice divided
• 1.5 tsp kosher salt divided
• 1 tsp black pepper divided
• 1.5 lb chicken thighs boneless, skinless

Equipment

• 1 9x13 inch baking dish

Method

 

Make the garlic yogurt sauce

1. Stir together the yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, water, and dill in a small bowl.
2. Cover and refrigerate the sauce while you prepare the bake.

Assemble and bake

1. Heat the oven to 375°F.
2. Use 1 teaspoon of the olive oil to grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
3. Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear, then drain well.
4. Stir the rice, onion, warmed broth, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon coriander, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon allspice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in the prepared dish.
5. Toss the chicken thighs with the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, remaining 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon coriander, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon allspice, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
6. Arrange the chicken thighs in one layer over the rice.
7. Cover the dish tightly with foil.
8. Bake covered for 45-55 minutes, until the rice is tender, the liquid is absorbed, and the thickest part of a chicken thigh reaches 165°F; if needed, re-cover and bake in 5-minute increments.
9. Let the bake rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
10. Fluff the rice around the chicken with a fork.
11. Serve with the garlic yogurt sauce.

Notes

For the best texture, keep the dish tightly covered while baking and check that the thickest part of a thigh reaches 165°F. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days; freezer-friendly. For a dairy-free option, use plain dairy-free yogurt in the sauce.