Description
Authentic Middle Eastern Chicken Shawarma featuring marinated, tender chicken thighs cooked to perfection on a stovetop or BBQ grill. This recipe delivers a fragrant blend of spices with a quick marinade, perfect for making wraps with fresh veggies and creamy yogurt sauce. Ideal for a flavorful, easy-to-make meal that's great for gatherings or family dinners.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 kg / 2 lb chicken thigh fillets, skinless and boneless
Marinade
- 1 large garlic clove, minced (or 2 small cloves)
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp ground cayenne pepper (reduce to 1/2 tsp for less spice)
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp salt
- Black pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp olive oil
To Serve
- 1 batch Lemon Yogurt Sauce
- 4 – 5 flatbreads (Lebanese, pita, or homemade soft flatbreads)
- Sliced lettuce (cos or iceberg)
- Tomato slices
- Red onion, finely sliced
- Cheese, shredded (optional)
- Hot sauce of choice (optional)
Instructions
- Marinate chicken: Combine all marinade ingredients in a large ziplock bag. Add the chicken thighs, seal the bag, and massage from the outside to evenly coat each piece. Refrigerate and marinate for at least 3 hours, preferably 24 hours for maximum flavor.
- Prepare yogurt sauce: Mix the lemon yogurt sauce ingredients in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until needed. It keeps fresh for up to 3 days in the fridge.
- Preheat cooking surface: Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of oil, or brush a BBQ grill with oil and heat it to medium-high. Optionally, for baking, preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Cook chicken: Place the marinated chicken pieces on the skillet or grill. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes on the first side until nicely charred. Flip and cook the other side for 3 to 4 minutes, as the second side cooks faster.
- Rest chicken: Remove chicken from heat and cover loosely with foil. Let it rest for 5 minutes to retain juices and develop flavor.
- Assemble and serve: Slice the rested chicken and arrange it on a platter along with flatbreads, lettuce, tomato slices, red onion, and yogurt sauce. To make a wrap, spread yogurt sauce onto flatbread, add chicken and vegetables, optionally cheese and hot sauce, then roll and enjoy!
Notes
- The chicken can be marinated and frozen; defrost before cooking.
- Best cooked on an outdoor grill or BBQ for authentic flavor, but the stovetop method is very convenient.
- To reduce spiciness, decrease cayenne pepper to 1/2 teaspoon.
- You can use store-bought or homemade flatbreads as desired.
- Leftover yogurt sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- For baking method: Bake chicken at 200°C (400°F) for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through, flipping halfway.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
