If you’re a huge fan of chicken dishes like my family, you’ll sure love this chicken shawarma recipe.
Tender chicken thigh tossed and baked with aromatic spices, then wrapped in a tortilla that’s fully packed with fresh veggies, and finally dipped in mild and healthy tzatziki sauce. It’s truly the best of everything.
So follow me into the kitchen for a meal that you won’t be able to stop talking about!
What Is Chicken Shawarma?
Let’s get to know today’s recipe first. Chicken shawarma is a very popular and flavorful street food which originated in the Middle East. The meat is marinated in an aromatic spice mixture, and then layered on a spit, rotating and roasting for several hours until fully cooked. Besides, shawarma can be made with either chicken, turkey, beef, veal, or lamb.
What makes this dish so unique and lovable is the winning combination between tender meat, fragrant spices and crunchy vegetables – all wrapped in a warm pita or tortilla. I swear it’s one of the most satisfying dishes with an indescribable and complex flavor to devour!
I really wish I have a revolving spit so that I can roast the whole chicken the old-fashioned way for once. Well, no worries, for today’s recipe, we’re going to roast the chicken in an oven for a more convenient (and safer) way. It might not be authentic, but trust me, it’ll taste wonderful.
What To Serve With Chicken Shawarma?
The most common way to serve chicken shawarma is stuffing chicken in a pita bread, followed by fresh and crispy vegetables, then drizzled with yogurt sauce.
There are also other great methods to enjoy chicken shawarma: serve on basmati rice for a healthy meal, or serve with roasted vegetables to make it for a low-carb diet.
Whichever way you choose to get it on the table, chicken shawarma makes an incredible meals that is perfect for any night of the week. I hope you’ll love it like my whole family does. It’s one of our best-loved chicken recipes, beside honey butter chicken and chicken picatta. Happy cooking!
For more great tips, please visit: https://healthykitchen101.com/chicken-shawarma/
How To Make Chicken Shawarm
Chicken Shawarma Recipe
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 40 mins
Author: Luna
Yield: 2 servings
Though the pictures should have said tons about Chicken Shawarma, I must still make an affirmation myself that this dish just has me, from head to toe, nothing more. No matter if I’m demanding an effortless brunch or a wholesome and nutritious noon snack in hot summer days – it can be anything.
Join me to regret just none.
Ingredients
For the Shawarma spice:
- 1/4 tbsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tbsp turmeric powder
- 1/4 tbsp ground coriander
- 1/4 tbsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tbsp paprika
- 1/6 tsp ground cloves
For the chicken baking:
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, sliced into small pieces
- 1/9 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/6 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 1 large lemon juice
- Salt to taste
Serve:
- Pita pockets/pita breads, pasta or steamed rice.
- Arugula
- Olive oil
How to Make
Preparation
- Mix all the ingredients for the spice mix in a small bowl and set aside.
- Put the chicken breasts in a large bowl, season with the Shawarma spices, onions, lemon juice, olive oil and salt. Toss them all together to make sure the chicken pieces are evenly coated. Cover with a cling film and store overnight in the fridge (or at least 3 hours).
Instructions
- Remove the marinated chicken from the fridge, let it reach to room temperature.
- Spread the marinated chicken and the onions on the baking tray. Make sure all the chicken thighs are lying flat and not on top of each other. Put to bake in 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the sauce to your preferences. I myself used a simple Greek Tzatziki sauce to enhance the chicken’s flavor.
- I enjoyed my chicken shawarma in pita pockets, a few stems of arugula, and finally some drizzles of tzatziki sauce and olive oil. Be creative all you want.
Notes
- It is sure much more tasty if the chicken is marinated and let sit for 1 day beforehand in the fridge. Simply defrost it on the next day before cooking.
- The chicken can also be frozen in its marination – as long as the meat has not been previously frozen – for up to 3 months.