Description
When you wrap up chicken shawarma with garlic sauce, you get tender, spiced chicken tucked into warm pita with creamy garlic sauce that makes each bite taste like something special. Your kitchen fills with the aroma of cumin and paprika while the chicken cooks, giving you that authentic street-food experience right at home.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein and Marinade:
- 21 ounces boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 3 tablespoons plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Spices:
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Serving and Sauce:
- 4 pita breads
- 2 cups shredded lettuce
- 1 large tomato, sliced
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 3 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Combine 3 tablespoons of plain yogurt, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 teaspoons of ground cumin, 1 teaspoon each of ground coriander, smoked paprika, and ground turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper in a large bowl and mix together.
- Add your 600g of boneless skinless chicken thighs to the bowl and coat them thoroughly with the marinade.
- Let your chicken sit in the marinade for at least 20 minutes at room temperature.
- While your chicken marinates, whisk together 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, 3 finely grated garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt in a small bowl until smooth.
- Cover your garlic sauce and refrigerate it until assembly time.
- Heat your grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat (around 375°F) for about 2 minutes until hot.
- Place your marinated chicken thighs on the hot surface and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F and develop light char marks.
- Transfer your cooked chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 3 minutes before slicing it into thin strips.
- Warm each of your 4 pita breads over the same hot pan for about 30 seconds per side.
- Lay out a warmed pita and layer 1/4 of the sliced chicken, 1/2 cup of your shredded lettuce, and 1/4 of the sliced tomato inside.
- Drizzle 2-3 tablespoons of your garlic sauce over the fillings in each pita.
- Fold your pita around the fillings and serve right away.
Notes
- Marinate your chicken for at least 20 minutes, but overnight in the fridge gives deeper flavor and more tender meat.
- Don’t skip the resting step after cooking; letting the chicken sit for a few minutes keeps the meat juicy when you slice it.
- Make your garlic sauce ahead of time since it actually tastes better after sitting in the fridge for a while.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute Greek yogurt with coconut milk in the marinade and use dairy-free mayo mixed with aquafaba for the sauce.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Grilled Chicken
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 460 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 21 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 33 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg