What is Shawarma?
Shawarma is meat (most often beef, lamb or chicken) stacked on a vertical rotisserie/spit and grilled low and slow, often all day long. The meat is carved off the side of the spit and served in pita bread or flatbread with your choice of vegetables, sauces, pickles, etc. As I didn’t have the option to cook the chicken for long on a vertical spit, I wanted to replicate the juiciness and flavor in a simple way. Something we could all do at home. Marinating the chicken in yogurt and spices tenderizes the meat while also seasoning the chicken from the inside out. I used boneless, skin-on chicken thighs and baked them in a really hot oven with the top grill/broiler on to really caramelize the skin. The end result was incredibly juicy chicken. We all ate our fair-share before the slices even made it into our shawarmas.
Ingredients Needed
Chicken thighs. I used boneless skinless chicken thighs because they stay incredibly juicy during cooking. Chicken breasts can be used but the cooking time will need to be adjusted to avoid over-cooking. Yogurt. Use a thick, Greek-style yogurt if possible. Fresh garlic cloves. Lemon. Extra-virgin olive oil. Spices: Paprika, chilli flakes/red pepper flakes, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper. Other seasonings like garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric, cayenne pepper, cardamom and cinnamon can be used. Dried herbs like oregano or thyme will also be delicious.
How to make chicken shawarma
What’s the difference between pita bread and flatbread?
Flatbread is a thin, flat bread (usually unleavened) cooked on a hot cooking surface/pan until charred and blistered. Pita bread is soft, leavened bread that often has a pocket which can be stuffed with grilled meat and vegetables.
What to serve with shawarma
The shawarma chicken and flatbread can be served with a variety of vegetables, sauces and pickles. Hummus, baba ganoush, tzatziki and tahini sauce are often used. Vegetables like marinated eggplant, lettuce, chopped tomatoes and red onion add freshness and great texture. The chicken can also be served on rice with your favorite toppings as a gluten-free rice bowl.
Chicken recipes
