What’s On Your Plate Blog Challenge – Donna Is Away Edition

Gentle readers, do you remember our last Snack Box adventure? The one where Donna treated me to a wonderful chicken shawarma lunch? I enjoyed that lunch so much that I decided I had to try to recreate it at Chez Badass. There was just one teeny tiny problem. I couldn’t ask Donna for the recipe she used to create her slow-cooked shawarma because…

Waiting for the ferry to take them to the airport

…I had recently dropped Donna and Richard off at the ferry terminal, where they were about to start their journey to Prince Edward Island for their Canadian Camino adventure! You can (and should!) read all about it at Donna’s blog, here.

So I scoured the interwebs (as one does) for a suitably similar recipe. I didn’t find the exact recipe (it’s here , I found out later) but this one caught my eye and I had all the ingredients already in house so I was off to the races. I prepared the chicken in its spicy yogurt marinade and let it do its thing overnight in the refrigerator. Then the next day I slow-cooked it for 4 hours on low…counting the minutes until I could shred it up and assemble my pita!

Ready to go! I decided on only one condiment to go with the chicken and the veggies: my new favourite – baba ganoush. Hummus or tzatziki would make delightful additions as well.

I had spent the previous week scrubbing down and tidying up my balcony so I was ready to enjoy a meal outside at the first opportunity. And this was it!

So lovely to be able to comfortably sit on my balcony again. It’s been such a cold, damp spring here on the island.
Closeup of all that fresh deliciousness!

It’s hard to say which version of the slow cooker chicken shawarma I prefer, dear readers. They each have their merits. The yogurt marinade made the spices more mellow (I decided not to add back in more dry spice blend after cooking as the recipe suggested) and the chicken was very moist. Donna’s recipe had more of a punch, spice-wise…and was dairy-free (for those that would prefer this). Whichever recipe I use again, I think the next time I make slow-cooker shawarma I will make a double batch, and portion some out for the freezer as it is a quick and easy fair-weather meal. And very portable too!

I’m all by my little lonesome this month for WOYPBC as my co-host Donna has gone walkabout (see above!). Please let me know what’s on your plate at your house, in the Comments section. InLinkz hates doesn’t like me or my blog so I am not even going to try to set that up, for this month. Sigh…I am sure it is a case of user error again. Isn’t it always? 😉

Rock on,

The WB

52 thoughts on “What’s On Your Plate Blog Challenge – Donna Is Away Edition

  1. debscarey

    Adding in more dry spice after cooking? I’m so with you on deciding against it. I mean, it obviously can work, I just don’t find it works well. I used to add dry spice to yoghurt for a cucumber raita, but it’s so much more flavourful when I use fresh (or even preserved) coriander instead of dry. I find Cumin can work well, even when dry, especially if freshly ground.

    Chez Himself & Debs we’re currently on a minimal cooking regime, enjoying lots of fresh raw ingredients. There’s a 4-day holiday weekend coming up which means he’ll almost certainly get his cheffy self into the kitchen for something more involved. I’m a spoiled bunny I tell you! 😀

    1. The chicken smelled and tasted great coming out of the slow cooker so I decided to quit while I was ahead and not muck it up with more spices 😁. You ARE a lucky bunny! (Not spoiled at all). Thanks, Debs 💕

    1. It’s quite easy to up your game with this recipe, Ally. I like chicken too, but sometime I get tired of the same old flavours. This recipe makes good ol’ chicken taste fresh, I find. Thanks 💕

  2. m2muse

    I commend you for elevating your dining experience with a great recipe enjoyed on your balcony. So many people comment about my cooking for one. They will comment that it’s not worth cooking for themselves. I am definitely worth a good meal if nothing else! There’s almost always a pot of soup in the fridge. That morphs into more grilling and salads in the summer. A go-to salad has pasta, tuna, cooked green beans, peas, carrots, corn, green onions with a bottled roasted red pepper dressing – a meal in a bowl. Anyway, this past week a roasted chicken was turned into chicken noodle soup, chicken stir fry/rice and sandwiches. I’ve also been enjoying a sandwich with cheddar cheese, lettuce and jarred roasted red peppers. That would go well in a pita.

    1. Thank you for reminding me of roasted red peppers! I should have a jar languishing in the back of the fridge…if not, I will go get me some as I love them. When I was first widowed, my mom asked me if I was still cooking. She feared that I would become one of those women who thought “it’s not worth cooking for themselves”. Never fear, Mom! I do still cook, and most often I still cook as if for a family as I love having leftovers in the fridge or freezer for those days when I can’t be bothered to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Thank you, Mona 💕 We are definitely worthy of benefiting from our own cooking skills!

    1. Well, a warm balcony might have been a bit of a stretch that day. Warm enough to sit outside and enjoy a meal…with a sweater on 😁. But, better days ahead, I hope. Thanks, Kate 💕

  3. Yum! I love chicken Shawarma but, haven’t ever tried to make it myself. When we moved here where there are no Mediterranean restaurants in town we found we missed it so much we now travel almost an hour to a restaurant we found and love to get our Shawarma fix.
    We do the same for Indian cuisine too.

    Your version looks so tasty! I’ll look over the recipes and tuck them away…you never know I may want to try making it myself one day.

    1. It’s really easy to make. Not sure how “authentic” it is…it’s been a while since I had shawarma from a restaurant. But I found it quite tasty. Thanks, Deborah 💕

  4. Girl you are speaking my language today. I just made a shopping list and this will be on the menu very soon. Thanks for sharing!

  5. I was introduced to Chicken Shawarma by my older sister many years ago. Reading this post reminded me so much of her and her decision to ‘learn how to make it herself’. That meant I would be learning how to make it! LOL Still one of my all-time favorite meals. Thank you!

  6. I’ve never had this but seems easy and good. Strangely enough I’m not a slow cooker fan but did use it for a few recipes when I worked full time. Have not made any of those since I retired. Wonder– could I do this with a smoker and minimal chips… I hear you on the cold spring. It finally warmed up but the bloody wind won’t let up. Will try to pull together a post for your WOYP challenge.

  7. The Misadventures of Widowhood

    I wish reading cooking blog post like this was enough to inspire me to cook, but sadly it doesn’t work that way but please know you make my mouth water and I swear I can feel the crunch in my mouth.

    1. Hehehe! Nope, it doesn’t work that way. Nor does shopping for specific ingredients. I can’t tell you how many times I came across an unusual ingredient in my cupboards and I can’t remember what recipe inspired me to buy it 🤣. If I don’t cook with it right away, fuggedaboutit. Thanks, Jean 💕

  8. I’d never heard of this chicken dish, but you had me with your first photo. Looked up both recipes post haste. Yikes! Never heard of some of the spices! Can you really do chicken in a crock pot?! I’m in for that option as today it’s above 90 with high humidity. 🥵

      1. Bet chicken needs to be defrosted. My supply comes frozen… Wonder how much longer to cook. I’m off to do a bit of wandering around the online galaxy…. 🪐

  9. It looks delicious and well done on expanding your repertoire. I am Klutz with pita bread so I would replace that with a wrap, that I can wrap my hand around and hold it together plus there are varieties of wraps available. I didn’t understand the acronym WOYPBC, sorry. If you want a challenge – try to find a new recipe for breakfast next week and try it out. Take care – David

  10. That looks like something Paul and I would love… and you say it’s easy – BONUS! I would definitely make enough for several leftovers, though. Nothing makes me happier than knowing lunch or dinner is already made and only needs a quick turn in the microwave. Btw, I kind of like the links in the comments better, but maybe that’s just me.

    1. Thanks, Debbie 💕 Yes, looks like Donna had a fabulous time. I’m picking her and Richard up at the ferry later on today and am looking forward to hearing all about it! Loved your post, BTW. 😁

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  12. Thank you for hosting us, Deb! and for dealing with all the tech challenges! Sharing in your Comments section works just fine for me too!

    I love baba ganoush as well … we always keep some sort of dip ready because we use it in all our sandwiches as well. My new favourite: blitzed up black-eyed peas with avocado!

    Your stuffed pita looks sooo enticing!

    1. Thank you, Ju-Lyn 💕 Your black-eyed pea dip sounds wonderful – I wish I could eat more than a teaspoon of avocado before feeling ill. I love it but not what it does to me 😒.

  13. This looks delicious with the yoghurt. What’s on my plate? We have had a family birthday and the birthday girl requested an icecream cake. So I made one with marshmallows and maltesers. She loved it.

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