Chicken Shawarma

Chicken Shawarma may sound like an exotic dish, but it’s actually quite easy to prepare, and it’s extremely delicious. The only thing you need to know up front is that the chicken should marinate in the fridge for about 24 hours before grilling.

Feel free to meal-prep by freezing uncooked chicken thighs in the marinade, then thaw for a day in the fridge before grilling. This recipe can easily be doubled to feed a crowd.

The marinade (recipe below) is very easy to make. Just combine fresh lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, smoked paprika, turmeric, cumin, and a touch of brown sugar.

After marinading for 24 hours, remove the chicken from the marinade and discard any remaining marinade. Ok, it’s time to grill the chicken. I can’t wait!!

Grill the chicken over hight heat for 5-7 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 160F, then remove the chicken, cover and rest until the internal temperature reaches 165F.

Slice the chicken into thin strips, being careful not to eat it all in the process.

Now it’s time to assemble our delicious chicken shawarma sandwiches. You can use a variety of pitas or flatbreads, either prepared or homemade. Today I made delicious, warm, flatbreads in less than an hour - you can check out the recipe with how-to pics here.

I like to start with a layer of crisp lettuce, then add thinly sliced cucumbers and bell peppers. Just about anything goes so use any fresh veggies you like.

Now add the thinly sliced chicken and drizzle liberally with tzatziki sauce. Yum!

Wrap it up and enjoy!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• My favorite razor-sharp knife https://amzn.to/2QHBsfO

• grilling tongs https://amzn.to/3Jnkj4G

• ground turmeric https://amzn.to/3gCixxK

• instant read thermometer https://amzn.to/2Z7laSr

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Chicken Shawarma

makes 3 pounds

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

Marinade:

• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon freshly minced garlic

• 1 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

Additional Ingredients:

• 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

• fresh vegetables (I used lettuce, cucumbers, red bell peppers)

• Tzatziki sauce

• pitas or flatbreads (my easy flatbread recipe)

Directions

1. Combine the ingredients for the marinade together and place in a gallon-size freezer bag.

2. Place the chicken thighs in the freezer bag and seal, removing as much air as possible from the bag; massage the bag to evenly distribute the marinade.

3. Place the sealed bag on a tray (to catch any drips) and refrigerate, turning the bag several times over the next 24 hours.

4. After 24 hours, remove chicken from bag and discard remaining marinade.

5. Grill chicken over high heat for 5-7 minutes per side, or until an internal temperature of 160F is reached.

6. Remove chicken from grill and rest until internal temperature reaches 165F; slice thinly before serving.

Notes

• Recipe doubles well to feed a crowd.

• You can meal-prep by freezing uncooked thighs in the marinade, then thaw in the fridge for 24 hours before grilling.

adapted from The Queen’s Cabinet

Soft Flatbread

The intoxicating aroma of homemade flatbread wafting through your home will drive your family crazy, but the best part is how quick and easy they are to make. Start to finish, they’re ready in less than an hour.

Start by whisking together flour and salt.

Add warm milk and melted butter.

Combine until no traces of dry flour remain. I find a silicone spatula or spoonula is the perfect tool for this task.

Knead the dough together on an oiled surface for a couple of minutes, then wrap in plastic.

Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, divide the dough into 6 equal portions.

Roll each portion into a ball and cover with plastic until needed.

Remove one portion of dough from the plastic and use a small nylon rolling pin to roll it into a 6 or 7-inch diameter round.

Preheat a cast iron skillet coated with a little vegetable oil until the skillet is hot and the oil shimmers.

Carefully place the flattened dough into the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes per side or until there are lovely brown spots on the surface and the dough is cooked through. Some people like to cook them until they are really charred (ME!!!).

For a little added touch of luxury, melt a tablespoon of salted butter.

Brush the butter on the top side of each flatbread immediately after removing it from the skillet.

Stack the flatbreads on top of each other and wrap them in clean kitchen towel to keep them warm at the table. Use them to make wraps, fajitas, gyros, pizzas, or a gazillion other things. Enjoy!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• large cast iron skillet https://amzn.to/31FfY9R

• silicone spoonula https://amzn.to/3jq1Fff

• bowl scraper https://amzn.to/2EGyPZx

• small nylon rolling pin https://amzn.to/3lu1527

• silicone pastry brush https://amzn.to/2EGyYfx

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Soft Flatbread

makes 6

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour

• 3/4 teaspoon fine salt

• 3 tablespoons milk, warm or room temperature

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

• oil for coating pan

• melted butter (salted), for brushing flatbreads after cooking (optional)

Directions

1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.

2. Add the milk and melted butter; mix until no traces of flour remain.

3. Knead dough on oiled counter for 3 or 4 minutes, until smooth; wrap in plastic and rest for 30 minutes.

4. Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.

5. Divide dough into 6 equal portions and use a rolling pin to roll thin into 7-inch rounds.

6. Coat hot skillet with oil and cook each dough round for 1-2 minutes per side, adding more oil as needed.

7. Brush flatbreads with melted butter (optional).

8. Keep flatbread warm in clean kitchen towel.

adapted from from recipetineats