Chicken Shawarma
Chicken Shawarma, all shawarma, has its roots in Turkey and is now found throughout the Middle East. You will find them in Lebanese, Israeli and other Middle Eastern restaurants, and even some Greek restaurants if their offerings span the entire Mediterranean region. They are similar to Greek Gyros, as they both cook their meats on a vertical rotisserie cone. But, since most of us don’t have a vertical rotisserie, our recipe is an easy and delicious way to make them at home.
Our Shawarma Seasoning has just the right balance of spices whether you make yours with chicken, beef or other meat. The Yogurt Garlic Sauce and a variety of toppings let you and your guests customize your own sandwich. You can also use the shawarma meat as a salad topping. Enjoy!
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
1 to 1 ½ Pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, Thighs or Mixed
4 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
4 Cloves Garlic, Minced
2 ½ Tablespoons Sheffield’s Shawarma Seasoning
Greek or Lebanese Pita Bread, or other flatbread bread for serving
Toppings:
Tomatoes, Diced
Red Onion, Thinly Sliced
Persian or English Cucumbers, Diced
Yogurt Garlic Sauce
Yogurt Garlic Sauce:
1 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt (Thicker, strained works the best.)
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
½ Teaspoon Garlic, Minced
¼ Teaspoon Sea Salt
¼ Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
Put all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk well until combined. Cover and place in refrigerator until needed.
Directions:
Slice your chicken into ½” thick strips. Pat with a paper towel to absorb and excess moisture. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oil, lemon juice, garlic and Shawarma Seasoning. Whisk well. Add the chicken strip and toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour to let the flavors develop. Overnight is even better if you have the time.
Heat oven to 400ºF. Line a shallow rimmed baking tray with foil. Lightly spray with cooking spray. Arrange the chicken on the tray in one layer. Cook for 12 minutes. Check for doneness. Cook another 2 to 3 minutes if needed. Don’t overcook or the strips will dry out. Remove from the oven and lightly cover with foil to keep warm while you’re assembling the sandwiches.
While the chicken is cooking, prepare the Yogurt Garlic Sauce.
To assemble the Shawarma Sandwich, place the pita breads in the warm oven for a couple minutes to warm them up and make them softer to wrap around the ingredients. On each pita, add some chicken strips, yogurt garlic sauce and toppings of our choice. Use them all for the best flavor. Enjoy!