Chicken Shawarma Wrap is my first Middle Eastern Recipe which I promised in my last blog that I will be posting another. One of the best healthy chicken recipes that you can learn to cook. Awesome grilled chicken with pita bread and one of favorite sauces, Tahini sauce is an amazing combo for this tasty dish.
I would like to share a story behind this recipe. Years back, I used to get this street food at the eatery on my way to office in Dubai and also wondered how I could make this tasty snack at home with basic spices readily available in our Indian kitchens, including the Shawarma bread or pita bread which is easily available in our supermarkets & the tasty chicken filling. After some trials, I finally got the perfect mix (I just love making my food from scratch ).
Shawarma is basically chicken baked in yogurt marinade and rolled up with veggies in pita bread and served with tahini sauce. Here is the recipe on how to make tahini dip.
This recipe is deliciously addicting and so easy to prepare, that you’ll want to make Shawarma every day. So, here is my style Chicken Shawarma Recipe.
Ingredients for Chicken Shawarma
- 8 small skinless boneless chicken thighs pieces
For Marinating:
- 1/2 cup malt vinegar
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt
- 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 tsp. freshly ground cardamom
- 1 tsp. all spice
For Plating:
- medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup sliced onion
- 4 cups shredded lettuce
- Pita bread rounds
For Minced Relish:
- 1 small tomato, finely diced
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 6 black and green olives, pitted and diced
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
| Tip: When cutting chicken for Shawarma, I feel instead of layering the meat onto a large skewer which is then put to rotate in front of a vertical grill do it in Lebanese style that is by slicing the meat into long thin slivers and marinating it before sautéing it quickly over a medium-high heat. Trust me it does taste amazingly well in that way. |
| Tip: There are several breads used for making Chicken Shawarma, which includes Pita bread, Naan bread, flour tortilla wraps and a lot more. Just make use of anything you have. It also tastes great in sliced bread (sandwich bread) and with our local roll Paratha also, that we make using Maida which almost everyone has in their homes. So make it as simple as you can and enjoy this Lebanese creation. |
Method for Chicken Shawarma
- In a glass baking dish, mix together the malt vinegar, 1/4 cup yogurt, vegetable oil, mixed spice, cardamom, salt and pepper. Place the chicken thighs into the mixture and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Note: By the way one more important thing while the meat is marinating, you can prepare the garnish ingredients for the sandwich: tahini sauce, tomatoes, olives, and mint and turnip pickles. - Heat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Cover the chicken and bake in the marinade for 30 minutes, turning once. Uncover, and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until chicken is browned and cooked through. Remove from the dish, and cut into slices.
- Place sliced chicken, tomato, onion, and lettuce onto pita breads. Roll up, and top it with tahini sauce, serve along with tomatoes and olives or any relish of your choice.
Method for the Relish
- Combine tomato, onion, olives, mint, garlic, vinegar and pepper in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.
I am sure you guys have your own versions of Chicken Shawarma or would like to try new versions of these wraps or rolls… so please I would urge you to share your recipes, tips and suggestions. And even if you don’t have any new ideas be sure to share your feedback and questions. Would love to hear from you guys any day.
Take care !!!
