Description
This Chicken Shawarma recipe features tender marinated chicken thighs cooked to perfection in a heavy-based frying pan, served with crispy French fries, fresh vegetables, and a creamy garlic yoghurt sauce wrapped in your choice of flatbread for an authentic Middle Eastern-inspired meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
To Serve
- 400 g (14 oz) frozen French fries
- 2 tomatoes, sliced
- 1 red onion, finely sliced
- 1 tbsp roughly chopped fresh mint leaves (optional)
- 4 Lebanese flatbreads, pita breads, wraps or naan breads
- 1/2 tsp sumac (optional)
Garlic Yoghurt Sauce
- 1 cup (250 g) Greek yoghurt
- 2 tbsp toum or Middle Eastern garlic dip (or substitute with 1/2 tsp freshly minced garlic and 1/2 tsp salt)
Chicken
- 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or chicken breast as substitute)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste (concentrated puree)
- 2 tbsp Greek yoghurt
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp freshly minced garlic
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
- 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
Instructions
- Prep Ingredients: Preheat your oven or air fryer and cook the frozen French fries as per packet instructions. Wash and slice the tomatoes and red onion, and chop fresh mint if using, preparing all fresh ingredients ahead of time.
- Make Garlic Yoghurt Sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the Greek yoghurt and toum or garlic dip. If you don’t have garlic dip, combine the yoghurt with freshly minced garlic and salt. Set this sauce aside for serving.
- Marinate Chicken: Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl. Add tomato paste, Greek yoghurt, lemon juice, minced garlic, ground cumin, cardamom, garlic powder, onion powder, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, sea salt flakes, cracked black pepper, and olive oil. Toss the chicken thoroughly to coat each piece evenly. You can cook immediately or refrigerate, covered, for up to 24 hours for more intense flavor.
- Cook Chicken: Heat a heavy-based frying pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the marinated chicken and cook for 5–6 minutes on each side until fully cooked with a slight char. In the last 3 minutes, add water to the pan to loosen the crispy browned bits. Remove chicken and let it rest briefly before thinly slicing. Drizzle with the pan juices for extra flavor.
- Assemble Wraps: Lay your chosen bread flat on a plate. Spread a generous amount of garlic yoghurt sauce down the centre. Layer on sliced chicken, cooked fries, tomato slices, red onion, chopped mint, and sprinkle with sumac if using. Fold the sides in taco style and serve immediately with extra garlic yoghurt sauce for dipping.
Notes
- Chicken breast can be substituted for chicken thighs but may be less juicy.
- Using a barbecue instead of a frying pan is an excellent alternative for cooking the chicken and adds smoky flavor.
- Toum is a traditional Middle Eastern garlic sauce; if unavailable, freshly minced garlic and salt work well as a substitute.
- Sumac adds a tangy, lemony flavor and a pop of color but is optional.
- Marinating chicken overnight intensifies the spice flavors and tenderness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 wrap
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
