Chicken Shawarma

Shawarma is a dish in Middle Eastern cuisine consisting of meat cut into thin slices, stacked in a cone-like shape, and roasted on a slowly-turning vertical rotisserie or spit. Originally made of lamb or mutton, today’s shawarma may also be chicken, turkey, beef, or veal.

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Rest Time 1440 mins

Total Time 24 hrs 20 mins

Cooking Method: Barbecuing and Grilling

Cuisine: Asia, Middle Eastern

Courses: Mains

Difficulty: Intermediate

Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 kg chicken thighs

Marinade

1 garlic clove
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground cardamom
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp salt
black pepper
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp olive oil

Yoghurt sauce

250 ml Greek yoghurt
1 garlic clove
1 tsp cumin
lemon juice
salt
black pepper

To serve

Lebanese pita or flatbread
1 cos or iceberg lettuce
tomato
1 red onion
cheese
hot sauce
cucumber

Instructions

1
Marinate the chicken as per the notes to make your life a whole lot easier or work with it fresh. Marinate 24 hours (minimum 3 hours).
Marinate in the refrigerator, not at room temperature. Keep the raw chicken and its marinade away from the yoghurt sauce, salad and other ready-to-eat ingredients.
2
Yoghurt Sauce: Incorporate the yogurt sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix. Cover with cling film and place in the fridge until required (it will last for 3 days in the fridge).
3
Preheat the oven to 220°C, or BBQ. Heat a large heavy based skillet with 1 tbsp oil over a medium high heat, or lightly brush a BBQ hotplate/ grills with oil and heat to medium high.
4
Cook the chicken by placing it in the skillet or directly on the grill and cook the first side for 4 to 5 minutes until nicely charred. Turn and cook the other side for 3 to 4 minutes, slight less time is required for the second side..
The stated times are a guide because thigh thickness and grill heat vary. Check the thickest piece is fully cooked with a clean probe thermometer before removing the chicken from the heat; do not rely on surface charring alone.
5
Remove the chicken from the grill and cover loosely with foil to rest for a few minutes and set aside.
Rest the cooked chicken on a clean plate, not the plate or tray that held it raw.
6
To serve: Slice the chicken and load a platter alongside the flatbread, salad and the yoghurt sauce or you could make your own dairy free Tahini sauce.
7
To create a wrap, grab a piece of flatbread and smear with the yoghurt sauce. Top with a bit of lettuce and tomato and the chicken. Roll it however you see fit and enjoy.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 6

Amount Per Serving
Calories 530.35kcal

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 25.30g39%
Saturated Fat 7.33g37%
Sodium 1207.68mg51%
Total Carbohydrate 44.41g15%
Dietary Fiber 4.23g17%
Sugars 6.32g
Protein 31.05g63%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

Make the marinade in advance and place it and the chicken in a ziplock or similar bag and freeze straight away. Then as it defrosts, it marinates. Cooking on a BBQ or stove is best to get the caramelisation. Baking doesn’t yield quite the same flavour - but still very good! Alternatively, bake at 220°C for 20 to 25 minutes until browned.