Name: Chicken Shawarma
Yield: 4-6 servings
Ingredients: *For the chicken:**; 2 lbs (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 3 tablespoons plain yogurt; 4 cloves garlic, grated; 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 1 tablespoon ground cumin; 1 tablespoon smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon ground coriander; 1 teaspoon ground turmeric; ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon; ½ teaspoon ground allspice; ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom; ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1½ teaspoons salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; *For the garlic sauce (toum):**; 1 cup (240 ml) plain Greek yogurt; 3 cloves garlic, finely grated; 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 2 tablespoons tahini; 2 tablespoons olive oil; ½ teaspoon salt; Pinch of sumac (optional); *To serve:**; Warm pita bread or flatbread; Sliced tomatoes; Sliced cucumber; Pickled turnips (or any pickled vegetables); Thinly sliced red onion

Chicken Shawarma

Cultural Context: Walk through any street in Beirut, Amman, or Istanbul and you'll find shawarma — stacked, spiced meat rotating on a vertical spit, shaved to order, tucked into warm flatbread. At home, we can't replicate the vertical spit, but we can nail the spice blend and the cooking technique.

4-6 servings

Yield

30 minutes active (plus at least 2 hours marinating)

Time

Marinated raw chicken keeps 2 days in the fridge. Cooked chicken keeps 4 days refrigerated and reheats well in a hot skillet. The garlic sauce keeps 5 days refrigerated. Don't freeze assembled wraps — freeze the cooked chicken separately for up to 2 months.

Keeps

Ingredients

*For the chicken:**
2 lbs (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons plain yogurt
4 cloves garlic, grated
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
*For the garlic sauce (toum):**
1 cup (240 ml) plain Greek yogurt
3 cloves garlic, finely grated
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
Pinch of sumac (optional)
*To serve:**
Warm pita bread or flatbread
Sliced tomatoes
Sliced cucumber
Pickled turnips (or any pickled vegetables)
Thinly sliced red onion
Fresh parsley and mint
Hot sauce (optional)

Method

**Marinate the chicken.** Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, and all spices. Add the chicken and turn to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours (overnight is ideal).
**Make the garlic sauce.** Whisk together all sauce ingredients until smooth. Taste and adjust lemon and salt. Refrigerate until serving.
**Cook the chicken.** You have two excellent options:
*Oven method (recommended for best results):** Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F). Lay marinated chicken thighs in a single layer on a foil-lined sheet pan. Roast for 20 minutes, then switch to broil for 3-5 minutes until the edges are charred and crispy. Watch carefully under the broil — it goes from perfect to burnt quickly.
*Grill method:** Preheat grill to medium-high. Grill chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until charred and cooked through (74°C (165°F) internal). The yogurt in the marinade will char beautifully.
**Rest and slice.** Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then slice into thin strips against the grain.
**Build the wraps.** Warm the pita bread. Spread garlic sauce generously on each flatbread. Layer on the chicken, then pile on the vegetables, pickles, onion, and herbs. Drizzle with more sauce and hot sauce if desired. Wrap tightly.
*Storage:** Marinated raw chicken keeps 2 days in the fridge. Cooked chicken keeps 4 days refrigerated and reheats well in a hot skillet. The garlic sauce keeps 5 days refrigerated. Don't freeze assembled wraps — freeze the cooked chicken separately for up to 2 months.