We have decided to start a new series on the blog for those nights when you want to get a good dinner on the table but are short on time. Even those of us that love to cook and entertain have those days where spending even an hour in the kitchen is too much. “Semi Homemade Mondays” are meals that combine a few pre-made ingredients from the store and a simple homemade addition to reduce your overall cooking time but still have a balanced meal for dinner. For this first Semi-Homemade Monday we have made Chicken Shawarma Bowls by using chicken shawarma, hummus, and pitas from Trader Joe’s. We’ve added cooked quinoa and an easy cucumber tomato salad to complete the meal and have dinner on the table in less than 25 minutes. 

Semi-Homemade Chicken Shawarma Bowls 
Makes: 4 servings 
Total Time: 25 minutes 

Ingredients for Bowl: 

• 1 package (1.5 lbs) Trader Joe’s Chicken Shawarma 
• 1 container hummus 
• 1 package pitas, warmed for a few minutes in the oven 
• 1 1/2 cups quinoa 

Ingredients for Cucumber Tomato Salad 

• 1 cucumber, ends removed, cut in half horizontally, and sliced 
• 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved 
• 1/4 of a red onion, thinly sliced 
• 2 tbs fresh dill, minced 
• 1 clove garlic, minced 
• 3 tbs olive oil 
• 1 tbs red wine vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste 

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees**. 
2. Lay the chicken in a baking dish or on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the thighs are cooked through and the juices are clear. 
3. While the chicken is cooking, pour 3 cups of water into a medium pot. Add the quinoa, bring the water to a boil, and cook over medium-high heat for about 15 minutes, or until the quinoa has popped. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper. 
4. To make the cucumber salad, combine the remaining ingredients (cucumbers – red wine vinegar) in a small bowl. Gently toss to combine and season with salt and pepper. 
5. When the chicken has finished cooking, remove it from the oven and let it sit for a few minutes before slicing. 
6. Assemble each bowl with a swipe of hummus, about 1/2 cup – 3/4 cup quinoa, the sliced chicken shawarma, and a good helping of tomato cucumber salad. Serve with warm pitas for the ultimate semi-homemade dinner. 

** This chicken is great on the grill too- the char from the grill is addicting! Cook for about 6 minutes per side on a hot grill, or until the juices run clear and the chicken is cooked through.