Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken and Marinade
- 600 g boneless skinless chicken thighs, patted dry
- 45 ml olive oil
- 30 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 3 garlic, minced
- 5 g ground cumin
- 5 g ground coriander
- 5 g smoked paprika
- 2 g ground turmeric
- 1 g ground cinnamon
- 2 g black pepper
- 5 g kosher salt
Quick Garlic Sauce
- 150 g plain whole milk greek yogurt
- 15 ml olive oil
- 15 ml lemon juice
- 2 garlic, finely grated or pasted
- 2 g kosher salt
Assembly
- 4 lebanese flatbreads
- 100 g lebanese pickled cucumbers, sliced lengthwise
- 150 g roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 100 g iceberg lettuce, shredded
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 607 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbohydrates
- 54 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Sodium
- 1475 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 5 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 14 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Cholesterol
- 146 mg
- Potassium
- 777 mg
- Calcium
- 176 mg
- Iron
- 5.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 82 mg
- Phosphorus
- 448 mg
- Zinc
- 3.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 51 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 12 mg
- Vitamin E
- 3.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 26 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.67 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.72 mg
- Niacin
- 12.4 mg
- Folate
- 106 mcg
- Water
- 231 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a large mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, black pepper, and salt. Add the chicken thighs and toss to coat completely. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to penetrate the meat.
While the chicken marinates, prepare the quick garlic sauce. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, grated garlic, and salt until completely smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken thighs in a single layer, shaking off excess marinade. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side until the exterior develops a deep mahogany char and the internal temperature reaches 74°C/165°F.
Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. This ensures the juices redistribute throughout the meat rather than running out onto the board.
Using a sharp chef's knife, slice the rested chicken thighs as thinly as possible against the grain to replicate the texture of shaved spit-roasted meat.
Briefly warm the flatbreads in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 30 seconds per side, or until they become pliable and soft.
Spread a generous tablespoon of the garlic sauce down the center of each warm flatbread. Layer the sliced chicken, pickled cucumbers, tomatoes, and shredded lettuce on top. Fold the bottom edge up, then roll the sides tightly to form a wrap.
Chef's Notes
- To achieve a true street-food texture without a vertical spit, sear the chicken thighs whole to keep them juicy, then slice thinly and return the slices to the hot pan for 60 seconds to crisp the freshly cut edges.
- Always use chicken thighs rather than chicken breasts for shawarma; the higher fat content is crucial for standing up to the aggressive spice rub and high-heat searing without drying out.
- If you prefer a truly authentic Toum rather than a yogurt-based sauce, blend fresh garlic, lemon juice, salt, and neutral oil in a food processor until it forms a thick, fluffy emulsion.
- For enhanced flavor depth, toast your whole cumin and coriander seeds in a dry pan until fragrant before grinding them for the marinade.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store chicken, sauce, and vegetables in separate airtight containers.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze cooked chicken only. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat the sliced chicken in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water until warmed through to 74C/165F.
Troubleshooting
Chicken burns on the outside before cooking through
Cause: Skillet temperature is too high, causing the spices and lemon juice in the marinade to burn rapidly
Fix: Reduce the heat immediately, add a tablespoon of water to the pan, and cover with a lid to steam the chicken until the internal temperature reaches 74°C/165°F
Prevention: Allow the skillet to preheat fully, but lower the heat to medium once the chicken is added if it begins to darken too quickly
Garlic sauce is too pungent or spicy
Cause: The raw garlic cloves were particularly aggressive or not grated finely enough
Fix: Stir in an additional 50g of greek yogurt and a pinch of salt to dilute the garlic flavor
Prevention: Remove the green germ from the center of the garlic cloves before grating, as it holds the most bitter compounds
Cultural Context
Shawarma originates from the Ottoman Empire, with its name deriving from the Turkish word çevirme, meaning turning. This refers to the traditional cooking method where stacked, spiced meat is roasted on a slowly rotating vertical spit. Today, chicken shawarma is a cornerstone of Middle Eastern street food culture, beloved globally for its balance of deeply savory meat, bright acidic pickles, and pungent garlic sauce.
