Chicken Shawarma
It was love at first bite.
Chicken Shawarma is hella versatile. It can disguise itself as a healthy dish or represent itself as sinful street food. Basically, chicken shawarma can be whatever it wants to be and why the hell not? This dish is mad cool. The flavors are insane, there are 10 spices in the marinade, such as cinnamon and cardamon. I use chicken thighs because of the fat content making it more flavorful than a breast, period. This dish is super easy to put together and cook. Once the chicken has been marinated, it only needs to spend 20 minutes in a hot oven. The juicy chicken is then laid on the pita and topped with various fresh vegetables and sauces.
This is the perfect dish for a small get together. The chicken can be marinated the day before. The day of your gathering, bake the chicken, prep some fresh vegetables, and pull together a quick sauce for drizzling. Once you have gotten your platter on and laid all of the ingredients out, guests can compose their own wraps, salads or grain bowls.
CHICKEN SHAWARMA 101
Chicken: I will ALWAYS advocate for using the chicken thigh. The thigh has more flavor because of the higher fat content. More fat equals more flavor, period. A chicken breast will work as well š .
Marinade: The combinations of the different spices are really what makes this recipe. The flavor profile is bold and delicious. If you are extra, grind your own spices. If you are really fancy, you can bloom your spices in oil. The citrus helps the marinade penetrate the chicken.
Toppings: Think fresh veggies. Chicken Shawarma packs a punch and the veggies support the star. I would recommend cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, and lettuce to add freshness and crunch.
Cheese: Level up and add some crumbled feta cheese for a little extra flavor.
Sauce: This is optional. You can use hummus, doctor up greek yogurt or tahini with garlic, lemon juice, fresh herbs, and a bit of salt and pepper.
Equipment: Measuring Spoons | Bowl | Jar | Reusable Bags | Spoon | Knife | Sheet Pan | Cast Iron
Related Recipes: Greek Salad | Tzatziki
Serving: Team Pita 100%, although Iām not mad at lavash. You can also eat Chicken Shawarma on a bed of greens or on top of rice. So many options, try them all.
Chicken Shawarma
Ingredients:
- 1 Pound Boneless Chicken Thighs
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- Ā½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon sumac
- Ā¼ teaspoon cayenne
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- pita bread, warmed
- cucumber, sliced
- tomato, sliced
- pickle
- feta cheese, crumbled
Instructions:
- Combine spices , olive oil, lemon juice and garlic in a large bowl.
- Whisk all ingredients in a large bowl.
- Add the chicken thighs make sure they are well coated.
- Transfer to a reusable bag.
- Cover and chill for at least 3 hours or overnight.
- Line a baking sheet with foil and a wire rack.
- Place chicken in a cast iron pan.
- Bake chicken on 1 side for 10 minutes.
- Flip the chicken and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
- Rest the chicken for 5 minutes before handling.
- Warm pitas in warm oven for a few minutes.
- Slice the chicken and transfer to the pita.
- Serve with desired toppings.
