Trader Joe’s Baladi Egyptian Sourdough Pocket Bread (pita)

19 Aug 2025 10 Comments

by promacnyc in All Natural, baked, Blog, bread, fresh, frozen, hot sauce, New, News, Pantry, Trader Joes, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: Arab, Arabic, bread, Cooking, dinner, Egyptian, Food, gluten, healthy, Levant, Middle Eastern, no preservatives, pita, pocket, product, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, review, Trader Joes, vegan, vegetarian, viral

(Scroll to end for latest update on the status of these which have been MIA for months!)

RAVE

“Perfect for hummus and dips and for sandwiches. Heat and enjoy!” (frozen)

I really love good pita bread. The fresh “pita bread original pockets” at Trader Joe’s have been OK in a pinch but its far from what I would call good pita (not too mention they used to give you 6 and now its just 4! Shrinkflation in action)

This “original pita bread” ($1.59) Trader Joe’s is fairly large, and on the thin side. I’ve always found these quite not sturdy enough to count on to make a pocket in, and hold the food. They kind of tend to fall apart when you fill them with ingredients as you are eating them.

This has changed with this new pocket bread/pita.

With the new Egyptian Baladi sourdough pocket bread Trader Joe’s finally has an excellent and authentic pita which is sturdy enough to split open and make a pocket that will hold ingredients, for say a falafal sandwich. And it’s Delicious. The BALADI SOURDOUGH POCKET BREADS are made by an Egyptian bakery for Trader Joe’s. So the real McCoy. These say “Product of Egypt”. Baked, then frozen, so as close to fresh as possible.

Trader Joe’s says: “We now offer Trader Joe’s Baladi Egyptian Sourdough Pocket Bread in our freezers. Made for us by a supplier in Egypt, these versatile (vegan) Baladi Pocket Breads take only a matter of minutes… to heat… before they’re puffed up, toasty, and ready to eat. Once heated, they have a tasty, slightly tangy Sourdough tinge to their flavor profile, and are ideal for stuffing with your favorite fillings. We’re partial to going with a classic combo of Falafel, chopped cucumbers, and our Garlic Spread-Dip, though they’re equally excellent when stuffed with our Gyros or Shawarma Chicken Thighs, too. And, of course, you can just serve them for dipping in hummus or tahini, as they do in Egypt.”

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/baladi-egyptian-sourdough-pocket-bread-078015

Here is my honest review of Baladi Pocket Bread. Wow. These are EXCELLENT. A great product. I was so impressed at how good these are and found them these pita breads to be so tasty and satisfying. They were even delicious just eaten simply with butter on them too as bread with our meal. Versatile. Between this new Baladi pocket bread and TJ’s Lavash I am super happy to have these Middle Eastern bread options.

Nice light whole wheat flavor. Natural ingredients. No preservatives. They come frozen in a resealable bag, with 5 breads inside the package and cost just $2.29. What a great deal. They are soft, fluffy inside yet sturdy enough for a pocket, or to use to scoop up any dip like hummus or what have you, pick up foods, hold up to falafal, or use for any sandwich, or even I think used as the base for mini pizza (see below).

Match these with your favorite hummus for sure!

HEATING: I took them out for about 10 minutes, left them out on the counter to defrost a bit (optional). I heated them, trying two ways; in the oven and on top of the stove in a covered pan. About 4-5 minutes. Both methods worked fine. In a pinch you could nuke them from frozen, but I think they will still benefit from a few seconds over the burners turning and flipping for the best texture like they just came out fresh from the oven they were baked in.

Trader Joe’s Introduces Egyptian Baladi Bread to American Shoppers

180 calories per bread. 7g protein

UPDATE 2 – MID OCT 2025 – HURRAY! THESE ARE FINALLY BACK!!

Trader Joe’s Whole Wheat LAVASH FLATBREAD

16 Jul 2025 4 Comments

by promacnyc in All Natural, baked, bread, cheese, condiments, fresh, New, News, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, review, snacks, Staple, Trader Joes, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: air fryer, Armenian, bread, breads, Flatbread, Food, healthy, hummus, Levant, low carb, Middle Eastern, no preservatives, pizza, product, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, review, Trader Joes, vegetarian, versatile, whole grains, Whole Wheat

“Trader Joe’s authentic Lavash Flatbread is a delicious and versatile alternative to sliced bread for sandwiches. Use for wrap sandwiches, burritos, soft tacos or flatbread pizza”

What’s Lavash? Its a traditional Armenian / Middle Eastern flatbread. In 2014, lavash was added to UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, highlighting its cultural significance

https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/lavash-the-preparation-meaning-and-appearance-of-traditional-bread-as-an-expression-of-culture-in-armenia-00985

I’ve been wanting to try TJ’s Lavash for awhile and finally got around to it. In short, I really liked Trader Joe’s LAVASH. This bread is a great Trader Joe’s product. I give this a big thumbs up.

As you can see in the picture, it’s a thin flatbread. It comes in a large square and is soft and flexible, especially after warming. Its good for many things, like making sandwich wraps or roll-ups, thin sandwiches, tacos, burrito type dishes or just using it to scoop up hummus or any kind of dip or pieces of food for that matter. Grilled meat or chicken? Great as a base for little cheese bites. Wrap some grilled halloumi cheese up in this. You could use it to make a Club Sandwich as they suggest on the package. This bread can even used as the base for making a thin pizza. (someone left a Comment here that they make pizza in the Air Fryer with this lavash) Again, this stuff is really versatile.

https://foodaciously.com/recipe/lavash-wrap

The Lavash becomes better warmed up a little bit. It will get more flexible and softer, so easier to roll. To warm it, I usually just put it right on the burner for about 10 seconds moving it around and flipping it. Or sometimes I warm in a pan or griddle, covered.

Once warm eat right away or keep the lavash warm as you would tortillas when you serve.

The sheets are large but are scored in the middle so they can be torn in half easily. To store it more than a day or two I keep the Lavash in the freezer, tightly sealed. It’s so thin it can defrost in just a few minutes and I am usually tossing it on a burner or into a pan to warm it.

It you baked it it would get crispy enough that it could be like a pita chip.

I like the Egg Burrito suggestion they have on the package: warm the lavash, add scrambled eggs and grated cheese and roll up like a burrito.

Its made with Whole Wheat so healthy. It’s low fat as it is so thin and low cal. A 1/2 flatbread has only 90 calories, yet has 5 gr of Protein and is a good source of fiber. It is also LOW CARB as its so thin.

Lavash is quite versatile, and as you explore using it, you will find many ways to use this interesting tasty flatbread. Again,perfect for scooping up hummus and middle eastern mezze or other dishes. Use it like Naan with Indian foods.

TIP: The lavash paired perfectly with Trader Joe’s Middle Eastern BEEF KEBABS. I cooked the kebabs, and put them in warm lavash with a garlic yogurt sauce with arugula; Or use the Tzaziki. Yum!! Basically a 2 ingredient meal….

lavash pizza (mozz, goat cheese, tomatos, red onion, olive oil, herbs)

The Best Lavash Pizza (Ready in 15 Minutes)

Trader Joe’s Whole Wheat Lavash Flatbread, $2.99 (10.5 oz, 295g)

4 large squares per package (or 8 half squares)

I would buy it again

Trader Joe’s MIDDLE EASTERN BEEF KEBABS

01 Dec 2023 2 Comments

by promacnyc in All Natural, Asian, DIY, frozen, General, hot sauce, New, News, Prices, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, review, spices, Trader Joes, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: Arabic, dinner, frozen, Levan, Middle Eastern, prepared foods, Products, Rave, review, Trader Joes, yemeni

RAVE

I was pleasantly surprised by Trader Joe’s frozen “Middle Eastern Style Kebabs, Seasoned Beef Patties” at how good these are. I thought these are good enough that one could imagine either you made them yourself or from a Middle Eastern joint. I found these quite tasty. Flavorful with lots of nice spices. These are what you would call KOFTE kebabs. Ground meat with veggies and seasonings. Now, I’ve made these style of kebabs myself in the past often, and honestly TJ’s version almost tasted like something I might have made myself.

The Trader Joe’s Beef Kebabs are well seasoned with an authentic Middle Eastern style flavor – they have coriander, cumin, allspice, cloves plus other spices.

The ingredients listed in these are nice and simple, and sound pretty much like what I would use if I made them:

ING: Ground beef, onions, eggs, breadcrumbs, parsley and seasonings (salt, sugar, paprika, garlic powder, allspice, pepper, coriander, cloves, cumin, nutmeg, black pepper).

I was even surprised that my wife , who is really tough on Trader Joe’s frozen foods, liked these! She said they were tasty. In fact she even asked if I had made them or bought them from TJ’s (hah!) That’s a good review.

Wrapped up in the LAVASH flatbread, with a yogurt garlic sauce, lettuce and onions…..

COOKING: Personally I think they benefit from a getting nice and browned up. As brown as possible. I cooked them in a pan on the stove – in spite of them not even listing this as way to make them. Trust me you can cook these in a pan which for me its the best way, especially as I cooked other things at the same time in the same pan. I added a handful of sliced onions and a tablespoon of olive oil. Some sliced garlic will not hurt!

When it was all done I I warmed up my flatbread in the same pan after I took everything out.

Other ways they list are oven, grill and air fryer too and microwave ( I say don’t just nuke it!)

I just put a little olive oil in a pan and cooked them on medium low until they were hot and nicely browned, which took maybe 7-8 minutes per side. You can also make them in the oven or in an air fryer or on a grill. Microwave? I wouldn’t though the package says so. Reason being I think they will be far better getting a bit more browning from actual cooking.

These can be a great lunch or dinner. I served the kebabs on flatbread with veggies and a sauce. Actually the first time I used flour tortillas as my flatbread and those work fine or serve them with Pita or Naan or best perhaps might be TJ’s LAVASH flat bread. I topped them with thinly sliced red onions, tomatoes and parsley. Then put sauce on top. Cucumbers, red or yellow peppers, or some greens all will work great with these kebabs.

SAUCE: I made an easy sauce of Greek yogurt and garlic – or just use use TJ’s Tzaziki sauce which is basically that with a little cucumber added. Or spread your bread with TJ’s yummy garlic spread. A few drops of lemon too will send these skyward.

On the side, I made some a delicious Yemeni rice dish, a recipe I found on YouTube, which I put below if you want to try that. It tastes amazing with these kebabs but even just some Basmati or Jasmine rice will be great as well.

I think these are one of the better frozen foods I’ve found at Trader Joe’s, along with many of the frozen Indian dishes.

They were about $6.50 (12 oz) with 6 kebabs in the bag (update: about $7.49 now)?

These would be great to have in the freezer to come up with a quick dinner easily.

I would buy them again.

Want to try your hand at making these style of “kofte kebabs”. Here’s a recipe for a Lebanese beef kofte. You might even use the Organic Ground Beef if you made them yourself.

Lebanese Beef Kebabs with Garlic Cream Sauce

Trader Joe’s GREEK CHICKPEAS with parsley and cumin

18 Jun 2022 1 Comment

by promacnyc in All Natural, can, General, News, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, snacks, spices, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: Food, greek, healthy, hummus, mediterranean, Middle Eastern, no preservatives, Pantry, product, Products, Rave, review, side dish, Trader Joes, vegan gluten free, vegetarian

Absolutely great pantry item. For something that just comes out of a can, I have to say this chickpea dish is really tasty. Super easy. Pretty cheap! This can even become dinner in a snap.

The Greek flavors here are all good, with lemon, parsley, cumin, garlic and black pepper and as this is sitting, marinating, the seasonings have permeated into the chickpeas so they are way more tasty than if you just these on poured.

If had any complaints about this my only very small complaint would be the oil as of course, this has soybean oil (cheap) as opposed to olive oil (expensive) to cut down the cost. However this is easily fixed – Just add some of your own good olive oil.

I poured off most of the sauce and added a glug of good Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which improved it, of course. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice too while you are at it, which will brighten it up so it tastes like you almost made it yourself. This would be great for say a picnic. We ate it as a side dish with some Falafel and thats a good match. Or add a can of this on top of salad greens to add some bean protein. Trader Joe’s describes this as kind of a “deconstructed hummus” as it has many of the same ingredients in it as hummus does. In fact I served it alongside some hummus and even put a bit of this on top of the hummus which is a typical serving style to put a few chickpeas on top.

So useful. I consider this a must have item in the pantry.

A can is $1.99. PRODUCT OF GREECE.

I would buy this again.

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/greek-chickpeas-with-cumin-and-parsley-060205

Trader Joe’s ROASTED GARLIC HUMMUS

03 Jun 2022 4 Comments

by promacnyc in All Natural, fresh, General, Pantry, Prices, Products, spices, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: Food, healthy, Middle Eastern, no preservatives, product, Products, Rave, review, Trader Joes, vegan gluten free, vegetarian

Of all the different kinds of hummus Trader Joe’s sells, I wanted to try this one for awhile. When I finally tasted it, I was pleasantly surprised at how good it is. In fact the ROASTED GARLIC HUMMUS just became my new favorite of all the hummus I tried. Though this can change weekly!

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/roasted-garlic-hummus-029911

This one just has that little extra something from the roasted garlic which makes this one standout. It’s delicious and has just the right amount of the mellow roasted garlic flavor that blends perfectly with but does not overpower the overall flavor of the hummus. It was ~~$1.99~~ for years but has gone up to ~~$2.29~~ (8 oz) Yes, all of TJ’s hummus has gone up, sigh! Try this with TJ’s PITA CHIPS which are go great with hummus or eat the hummus with your favorite chip, crackers, or warm naan or pita bread.

FRESH STEAMED CHICKPEAS, WATER, SESAME TAHINI, SUNFLOWER OIL, GARLIC OIL, ROASTED GARLIC, SEA SALT, CITRIC ACID, CUMIN, GUAR GUM

NEED SOME SERVING IDEAS….?

What to Eat with Hummus: 16 Delicious Ways Besides Crackers and Pita Bread

Trader Joe’s SHAKSHUKA STARTER (bring your eggs)

24 Mar 2021 1 Comment

by promacnyc in DIY, frozen, General, Prices, Products, Rave, Trader Joes, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: DIY, eggs, Middle Eastern, spicy

RAVE

Ever hear of SHAKSHUKA ? It’s become kind of cool and trendy in the US. Shakshuka is a popular dish all over the Middle East and North Africa, consisting of peppers and onions in a spicy tomato sauce in which eggs are poached in the sauce. Eaten with fresh pita / bread, it can be breakfast, lunch or dinner! It’s delicious and one currently see’s it in trendy restaurants around the US.

In this version found in TJ’s frozen section they have come up with a “Shakshuka starter” kit meaning this is the base sauce to which you add at an egg or two to finish it, and possibly some other things optionally. I took the package, ran some hot water on the bottom to loosen it up and then slid the contents into a pan (personally I like to cook with fire, I’m not big on microwave). I used my trusty, small black cast iron pan. Add 2 tablespoons of water, cover the pan and cook for about 6-7 minutes till nice and bubbly. When ready, make indentations with the back of a spoon, and carefully slide the eggs into the depressions. If you are talented, you can crack your eggs directly in. If not crack them into a little cup first, then pour them in. Whatever you do try not to break the yolks. The runny yolks will be important to the final dish. Put a cover back on the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Ideally we want the yolks runny. Well at least I do. I also added some cubes of Feta Cheese sprinkled around the top before covering the pan, which adds some great flavor.

Take off your cover and tuck in. You can bring the pan to the table and eat it right out of the pan – typical for shakshuka – or carefully spoon it with the whole egg onto a plate. Drizzle on some very good virgin olive oil, maybe add some chopped parsley, and break the yolks so they run all over. Mop up the eggs and sauce with a spoon and lots of bread like Pita bread (or Naan). This amount is only 9 oz, so say one portion. So you should probably make one for each person. YUMMY!

OPTIONS: you can sauté up some more red peppers and garlic in olive oil if you like and add them in. As noted, cheese such as FETA is very nice addition too. Something spicy like HARISSA, BOMBA, OR GREEN DRAGON sauce to give it some kick is a must IMO. This is not spicy as is. It’s only $1.99. Worth a try.

Here’s a NY Times piece on Shakshuka by Melissa Clark with her recipe (may need registration to read)

Trader Joe’s (spicy!) ZHOUG SAUCE

16 Apr 2019 21 Comments

by promacnyc in All Natural, fresh, General, hot sauce, New, Prices, Products, Rave, spices, Staple, Trader Joes, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: Food, fresh, healthy, israeli, Middle Eastern, no preservatives, product, Products, Rave, review, sauce, spicy, Trader Joes, vegan gluten free, vegetables, vegetarian, yemen, yemeni

RAVE

Trader Joe’s ZHOUG SAUCE is a very delicious, traditional Yemeni green hot sauce. It is taking the internet by storm. Warning, when it says “very spicy” here, Trader Joe’s is not kidding. It is SPICY! But it is delicious, not just “spicy”, it’s so flavorful if you try this, you may fall in love with it too, as I have. This sauce is a must have for me in the fridge always. For me, this is a Top 10 Trader Joe’s product.

Trader Joe’s ZHOUG (sometimes written ZHUG) is a thick green, herbal sauce originating from Yemen, made from cilantro, jalapenos and chile flakes, wonderfully seasoned with garlic, cumin and cardamon. It’s popular in the middle east. TJ’s ZHOUG is simply one of the the most bloody wonderfully unique condiments you may ever taste. I’ve tried it on just about everything you can think of…chicken, tofu, eggs, fritattas, pasta, fish…. you name it. It makes almost any food better. You can’t go wrong with this on just about anything you put it on, it will make you smack your lips, yum. I suspect it would be good on shoe leather. You can use just a little bit and get a lot of flavor, and you will probably use this in small amounts, just a few dashes as its so spicy. A little goes a long way. Also you can “tame” it easily by mixing it with some yogurt, or mayo. Frankly this was even a bit too spicy even for me, kind of a rare statement. So unless you are a total chile-head, capsaicin obsessed, death-head sauce freak, you might want to “tame” this sauce a tiny bit, as I tried and did easily. I just added some olive oil and lemon juice to cut down the heat ever so slightly by dilution. It was still excellent this way. I have also use it mixed into Greek yogurt (or regular yogurt) with great success. In fact, Yogurt and Zhoug are an excellent combo and make a wonderful, easy creamy variation. Adjust the ratio of yogurt to zhoug till its perfect for your personal taste. I actually like the Zhoug tamed a wee bit. As is out of the container just a few small dollops is enough to make your mouth on fire. Again if you’re a chile-head you will love that, so pour it on. How long does it last in the fridge? I’ve found it lasts for quite some time, maybe a month. I also have found if I cover it with olive oil, the oil will help it last even longer, maybe up to 2 months.

You will find TJ’s ZHOUG SAUCE in the refrigerated section in an 8 oz container which is $2.99. Frankly this is a steal (but don’t tell TJ’s lest they raise the price) update: They did raise it a bit!

Seriously you should try this. IMHO this is a Top-10.

ZHOUG matches wonderfully with grilled SHAWARMA CHICKEN!

And if you want to try your hand at making ZHOUG yourself here’s a DIY recipe for it I found online

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/diy-trader-joes-zhoug-sauce_n_5b96758ce4b0511db3e480d0

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/059192

“Zhoug likely originated in Yemen, and is now popular throughout the Middle East. It’s a cilantro-based sauce/condiment that’s been likened to “Middle Eastern pesto,” but we think that description shortchanges the originality of this spicy, fragrant, fabulously flavorful culinary creation. It’s a sauce that’s taking the internet by storm – from food blogs to social media feeds, Zhoug is having its moment in the digital sun. This really is the ideal time to introduce Zhoug to our stores.

Trader Joe’s Zhoug Sauce comes to us from a California vendor well-versed in the art and science of Middle Eastern foods. Here, they’ve put together a very straightforward collection of ingredients – cilantro, canola oil, jalapeño peppers, chile flakes, garlic, cardamom, sea salt, and cumin seeds – to create a sauce/dip/spread/ condiment that bursts with vibrant flavor and color. We call it “very spicy” on our label, and some will find it “very spicy.” Those more into spicy foods may find it only moderately spicy. Everyone who tries it will be impressed by how the flavor of every ingredient comes through, even as the flavors blend beautifully into the finished product.”

from Trader Joe’s site

Trader Joe’s SHAWARMA CHICKEN THIGHS

02 Apr 2019 12 Comments

by promacnyc in New, Products, Rave, spices, Trader Joes, update, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: chicken, healthy, homemade, Middle Eastern, no preservatives, product, Products, Rave, review, SHAWARMA

SHAWARMA SPICE MARINATED BONELESS SKINLESS CHICKEN THIGHS

RAVE

(update: I still give this a Rave but I do have a Rant about the continuous price increases since I originally wrote this post. (from $4.49/lb-> to currently 6.99)

I don’t know about you but it’s pretty rare for me to buy pre-marinated meats. Generally I will just make my own and marinate it myself.

Still when I first saw Trader Joe’s “Shawarma Chicken Thighs” I was intrigued enough to buy it, because I happen to LOVE Shawarma. In NYC we have quite a few Mediterranean style restos that sell it.

So I gave this a try and in short, not only did I like TJ’s Shawarma Chicken way more than I expected to, I liked it so much that since that first time, I’ve bought it over and over again. So if you don’t want to read this whole piece and just want to know if this is worth buying, the answer is a Yes. But if you want to know more, read on dear reader (including how to make a marinade so you can do these on your own for way less…. )

SHAWARMA CHICKEN THIGHS are flavorful having been deeply imbued from many “Shawarma spices” they use which include: “Onion, garlic, sea salt, cumin, cinnamon, coriander, paprika, turmeric, annato, parsley, lemon, vinegar, rosemary…”. This ready-to- cook chicken is convenient. Pretty much toss it into a pan. In less than 20 minutes you can have a tasty dinner ready with the addition of a few sides (Naan, maybe some rice/grains, veggies). The unopened package can easily stay a week or so in the fridge. They say way longer but personally I find TJ’s “good until” dates are way too generous. Naturally you can freeze it for longer than a week or two, and if you do, I suggest a slow 24hr defrost in the fridge.

Cut the bag open (carefully!) You’ll immediately smell the wonderful “Middle Eastern Shawarma” style spices (Be aware the Turmeric and Anatto in the marinade are natural dyes and can stain things easily, even a cutting board. If so use diluted bleach later to clean up).

If there is any fat on the chicken, it will melt during cooking and it keeps the meat moist so I say don’t trim it off. I do make a few shallow slashes in the thickest parts of the thighs to help even out cooking with the thinnest part. Optional: blot the chicken with a paper towel to dry them a bit before adding to the pan. TIP: I actually sprinkle on more spices (Smoked Spanish Paprika, Ajika, another sprinkle of ground cumin, etc) as more dry spices on the surface will make it brown better).

Chicken cooked halfway, with added onion and garlic

Cooked, sliced up and put back in the pan (with some arugula)

COOKING: I grill in a cast iron or non-stick pan. I add 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil (or better still, an oil/butter mix; the butter adds flavor and browns up well). Grill the the first side on medium heat for about 7-8 mins on the first side until deeply seared and browned. Turn and cook about another 6-7 minutes. Your kitchen will smell great cooking these from all those nice Middle Eastern spices. TIP: I let the thighs cook without touching or moving them until they get a good sear on them (see picture) Totally optional but adding sliced onion and garlic about half way during cooking will make for great additions (and possibly green/red/yellow peppers).

If you can grill these on a real grill with wood or charcoal of course and they would probably taste even better. Baking in the oven may work too for 20 minutes on high heat (450). You could even bake this as a Sheet Pan Supper with veggies for an easy one-pan dinner. Some people do these in an Air Fryer.

This marinade is not spicy so if you want a little heat just add something like Bomba or Zhoug goes especially well with these, with a bit brushed on at the very end and/or served on the side after cooking. Cooking veggies in the same pan on the side (onions, peppers, cherry tomatoes…) is good.

Pan grilling is my my preferred method as it browns great this way and seals in juices. The good thing about chicken thighs is they are way harder to overcook than breasts which as you know can dry out pretty easily (side note, I have a pretty foolproof method for cooking juicy boneless chicken breasts if you want to check that out here): (juicy chicken breasts).

Shawarma chicken, served on TJ’s Garlic Naan with Tzaziki, and veggies. Super yummy!!

When the thighs are done cooking, i would let them rest a few minutes before slicing (resting meat keeps in juices). Slice them however you like. One guy I saw online recommended cutting it into “french fries” size pieces. I put the sliced chicken back in the pan with the cutting board juices and mix it in with the grilled onions or veggies. Chopped fresh cilantro, parsley or arugula, is nice for some green color.

SHAWARMA SANDWICH ASSEMBLY – warm your naan or pita or tortilla. Place the sliced chicken down the center, top with sauce (TJ’s TZAZIKI sauce is perfect). Add a few veggies. To eat, you fold gently and eat it taco style. Or use knife and fork if you are fancy. Now no one says you must make it into a shawarma sandwich; you can just put the chicken on top of a salad or rice or noodles or what ever you wish.

As mentioned I find these go great with TJs’ “ZHOUG” spicy sauce which matches perfectly for a spicy Yemeni flavor. To tame the Zhoug you can mix Greek Yogurt and some Zhoug together 50/50 to make it less spicy. You can serve the chicken many ways but a great way of course is as SHAWARMA wrap with Naan or other flatbread. Use flatbread, warm pita or TANDOORI NAAN (it’s perfect for this) or even TJ HABANERO LIME TORTILLAS as a wrap …. add chopped veggies (tomato, cukes, shredded lettuce, scallion, parsley…) Top with sauce, a tahini or yogurt garlic sauce (TJ’s tzaziki sauce is perfect). These are messy to eat but oh so good. Your family will love them. Basmati Rice on the side, or as a bed, would be a great match with this.

Another Shawarma meal: this a DIY version from scratch on whole wheat pita bread with sauce and veggies

Shopping list : Shawarma Chicken, Tzatziki, Naan or Pita, onion, garlic, veggies…..

https://gimmedelicious.com/the-best-ever-shawarma-white-sauce/

The second dish I made with these chicken thighs was to use them for Chicken Tacos / Fajitas. Despite the cultural melange (middle east/mexico) the chicken works great for Tacos or Fajitas. Sidenote: Of course you knew that Lebanese immigrants to Mexico had a big part in Mexican food culture and even created the famed Tacos Al Pastor! Green Dragon hot sauce with it’s tomatillo and cilantro flavor went really well and was perfectly Mexican on our chicken shawarma tacos.

(note: the price has gone up a few times since I wrote this!): TJ’s SHAWARMA CHICKEN THIGHS is ~~$4.49 a pound~~* (currently 6.99) The 1.5 lb package I bought was just over $6 and I got two meals out of it, with sides, so more than if you just bought plain chicken but not a bad deal. (Sidenote: same package now costs $11!) The marinated chicken is great for cooking in other dishes. I made an Arroz Con Pollo kind of dish with the chicken thighs and it came out terrific! (brown the meat with onions, throw in rice, cover with chicken broth, cook 18 minutes…)

TJ’s SHAWARMA CHICKEN THIGHS are a good product and worth trying and these are a TJ hit. If you want to save money, naturally you could buy chicken thighs and add your own blend of “middle eastern style” spices for a marinade and let it marinate a few days in the fridge (see tips below how to make this yourself for less)

(LINK) TJ’s ARCHIVED INFO PAGE FOR SHAWARMA CHICKEN THIGHS

DIY SHAWARMA – IT’S CERTAINLY POSSIBLE TO MAKE THIS YOURSELF FOR LESS . Buy boneless skinless thighs. Marinate in with yogurt and shawarma spices (from 2 hours to up to 3 days in the fridge) “Middle Eastern spices” – Ground cumin, fresh and/or dried garlic, ginger, onion salt, turmeric, black pepper, Ajika, Zhoug, Hatch Flakes... Trust me, your own DIY marinated Shwarma style chicken will be really good and cost about 1/2 of the premade one!

SHAWARMA SPICE MIX BLEND RECIPE here: https://mayihavethatrecipe.com/crazy-good-shawarma-spice-mix/

(LINK) Here’s A Recipe I found on TJ’s site with these for Shawarma Chicken Rice Soup

Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas

AUTHENTIC CHICKEN SHAWARMA COOKING ON A HUGE ROTATING SPIT. MEAT THEN SLICED OFF. If you ever get the chance, try it!

TJ’s WHOLE WHEAT COUSCOUS

03 Mar 2019 5 Comments

by promacnyc in All Natural, DIY, General, Pantry, Trader Joes Tags: carbohydrate, couscous, healthy, homemade, Middle Eastern, no preservatives, Pantry, product, Products, Rave, Staple, vegan gluten free, vegetarian, wheat, Whole grain

(UPDATE: This product is no longer available. It was replaced by “Organic Couscous“)

I always keep a box of TJ Whole Wheat Couscous in my pantry as it’s incredibly fast and easy to make staple, quicker to make than for example rice or even pasta. It’s versatile, healthy, and tasty. Couscous (“koos-koos”) is a pasta-like grain made from wheat that is a staple of North African cuisine, in Algeria and Morocco. It’s even part of Sicilian cuisine (Arab influence from the Moors)

Couscous is generally made out of semolina wheat. Trader Joe’s sells this whole grain version made from whole durum semolina. The box says PRODUCT OF FRANCE (yeah baby!) The French love couscous. I have lived in Paris where they have couscous restaurants almost like we have pizza places as there are so many people of Algerian and Morrocan origin.

One of the reasons I love couscous, is it its so fast and easy to make. It is ready in 5 minutes. Here’s the basic method: Put a cup of water in a pot. Bring it to a boil. Add Salt and Butter (or olive oil) Dump in a cup of this couscous (1-1 ratio). Turn off the fire, cover the pot, and let it sit for five minutes, then fluff it up with a fork. Thats it, done!

You can use couscous as a side dish, as you would rice or pasta. It really soaks up sauces or stews. Use it as a “bed” for your Main and add a bit of sauce on top. It’s a great base for a “protein bowl”. You can do other things as well with it like serve it as a salad or make a super healthy couscous tabouli salad hot or cold. A box of Trader Joe’s French imported Whole Wheat Instant Couscous sells for only $1.99 for 500 grams, (a bit over a pound). This is an excellent product to always keep on hand in your pantry and try. Here are some links related to peruse.

https://www.thespruceeats.com/simple-couscous-recipe-2355404

http://www.chefday.com/couscous-merguez

http://www.cliffordawright.com/caw/food/entries/display.php/id/58/

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/232205/whole-wheat-couscous-tabbouleh/

https://food52.com/blog/22956-sicilian-couscous-alla-trapanese-recipe-history-behind-it