Chicken shawarma
Shawarma djaj (شاورما دجاج): spiced chicken wraps with garlic sauce and pickles
In Riyadh, Dubai and Kuwait City, chicken shawarma is the late-evening street food, carved from a turning spit and wrapped in thin bread with toum garlic sauce, pickles and chips tucked inside, Gulf style. At home, thighs marinated in yogurt, lemon and warm spices are roasted at a high heat until charred at the edges, then sliced thinly. Chef's tip: give the chicken a final blast under a hot grill after slicing; it recreates the crisp edges of the spit.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the chicken
For the garlic sauce (toum-style)
To serve
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Mix 3 ½ oz plain yogurt, 3 tbsp lemon juice, 4 cloves garlic, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp paprika, ½ tsp ground allspice, ¼ tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground cardamom, ½ tsp ground turmeric, 1 ½ tsp salt and 2 tbsp olive oil. Coat 1 ¾ lb boneless chicken thighs in it, cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.
10 minStep 2: Crush 4 cloves garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt and stir into 4 tbsp mayonnaise, 4 tbsp thick yogurt and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Chill.
5 minStep 3: Heat the oven to 450°F (400°F fan). Spread the chicken on a lined tray in one layer and roast for 25–30 minutes, turning once, until charred at the edges and 165°F in the thickest piece. Discard leftover marinade.
30 minStep 4: Rest for 5 minutes, slice thinly, return to the tray and grill under a hot grill for 2–3 minutes until the edges crisp. A common mistake is using chicken breast; it dries out, while thighs stay juicy.
8 minStep 5: Warm 4 thin flatbreads (Arabic bread or saj) briefly. Spread with garlic sauce, add chicken, 5 ½ oz pickled cucumbers and turnips, 10 ½ oz oven chips or fries, 1 tomato and 1 handful parsley, roll up tightly and toast seam-side down in a dry pan for 1 minute.
6 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 690 kcal
- Protein
- 46 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does chicken shawarma take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of boneless chicken thighs?
- Chicken breast, same weight (cook a few minutes less so it stays juicy).
- What can I use instead of plain yogurt?
- Sour cream or buttermilk, same amount.
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