What a simple way to bring some of the best of the Middle Eastern cuisine to your dinner table! This easy chicken shawarma recipe offers a great homemade alternative to the traditional rotisserie method. Chicken thighs are marinated in a blend of aromatic spices then pan fried, sliced and wrapped into flat breads smeared with garlicky yoghurt together with juicy tomatoes, fresh lettuce and crunchy onions.
The Flavour Affair:
Chicken + Olive Oil + Cumin + Coriander + Cardamom + Lemon + Yoghurt + Garlic
Chicken: for the best results, use boneless thighs. Searing them over high heat allows for the fat to render, producing an amazingly tender outcome with charred crispy edges. You won’t achieve that with lean parts like breasts or tenderloin.
Olive oil is mixed with lemon juice and spices for the marinade. Any everyday olive oil is fine.
Cumin, coriander and cardamom trio is essential in the marinade if you want to get close to the original. Green cardamom’s floral, minty and citrusy notes play an important role in shawarma’s flavour profile. However, more often than not marinade also features other spices, typically those bringing in heat. Popular additions include:
- Hot paprika for smoky heat;
- Cloves or allspice for sweet pungency;
- Ground ginger or black peppercorns for a more citrusy kick;
- Cayenne pepper for those who like it real spicy;
- Granulated garlic or garlic salt for a more garlicky flavour and to assist with the crust.
Fresh lemon juice adds a sour element and helps to tenderize the meat further.
Yoghurt is often served alongside spicy Middle Eastern food. It provides a relief from the heat, adds a refreshing element and has a comforting creamy texture. Flavour plain fresh yoghurt with a pinch of ground cumin, minced garlic, salt and lemon and drizzle over meat and veggies or smear onto the flat breads.
Preparation tips for Chicken Shawarma Wraps:
Marinate!! You don’t necessarily have to leave the chicken in the fridge overnight, but three hours is a bare minimum for the flavours to impart. Marinating is essential here, particularly because we are using the quick pan frying method instead of the traditional slow roasting. Please do not skip this step 🙂
Curate your spices. Cumin and coriander are probably already in your pantry, hopefully so is cardamom – if not, read up here why this gorgeous spice is worthy of your counter space. Decide what else you want in the marinade – mild smoky or sharp peppery heat, sweet pungency or just a bit of a garlicky kick. Personally, I like to add a few cloves, a bunch of black peppercorns and a generous teaspoon of garlic granules.
Fry over high heat. Boneless thighs will have some fat on them, and high flames will help it dissolve quickly, melting into the meat. Searing also creates a delicious crust, sealing the juices inside.
Allow to rest. Leave the chicken pieces for a few minutes for the juices to redistribute.
Slice and serve. Place a dish with chicken shawarma in the middle of the table and let everyone make their own wraps.
Serving suggestions:
I love chicken shawarma in a wrap. We first smear the flat breads with garlicky yoghurt, then top with chicken pieces, fresh tomatoes, red onion and some lettuce. This simple combo really has it all. Tomatoes make it juicy, yoghurt adds a creamy texture and sharp, pungent onions bring in spicy sweetness and a delicious crunch. A wrap holds it nicely together, and you can enjoy all flavours and textures in one bite. That said, there is absolutely nothing wrong in serving chicken shawarma with a zesty salad, roasted veggies or even steamed rice. Experiment and enjoy!
***
Chicken Shawarma Wraps (Pan Fried)
Equipment
- 1 griddle pan
Ingredients
For the shawarma:
- 1 kg boneless chicken thighs
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp olive oil plus more for frying
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
For the yoghurt:
- 200 g fresh yoghurt
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/3 tsp salt
To serve:
- 6 flat breads or tortilla wraps
- 2 medium tomatoes sliced
- 1 red onion sliced
- 1 cup shredded lettuce
Instructions
- Combine 3 tbsp olive oil with ground spices and lemon juice.
- Pour into a ziplog bag, add chicken thighs and move around to coat.
- Leave to marinate in the fridge for 3 hours or overnight.
- Take out of the fridge 30 minutes before frying.
- Heat 2-3 tbsp olive oil in a large griddle pan. Fry chicken thighs over high heat in batches for 3-4 minutes on each side.
- Allow to rest for 5 minutes, then slice into bite sized pieces.
- For the yoghurt, stir the minced garlic, 1 tbsp lemon juice, ground cumin and salt into 200g of fresh yoghurt.
- Smear the yoghurt onto flat breads or tortillas. Top with tomatoes, red onions, lettuce and chicken pieces. Wrap and secure with a toothpick.
Notes
- Cumin, coriander and cardamom are main spices in this recipe. Others you can alternate or use different combinations.
