Description
This recipe brings the vibrant flavors of Middle Eastern cuisine to your kitchen with tender chicken shawarma and a luscious homemade garlic sauce. It’s a culinary journey that will tantalize your taste buds!
Ingredients
Scale
- 800g (1 ¾ lb) chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
- 2 Tbsp (30ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp (4g) ground cumin
- 2 tsp (4g) ground coriander
- 2 tsp (4g) smoked paprika
- 1 tsp (2g) ground turmeric
- ½ tsp (1g) ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp (1g) ground black pepper
- ½ tsp (1g) ground cardamom
- 1 tsp (6g) + ½ tsp (3g) fine sea salt
- 6 large garlic cloves (≈30g, peeled)
- 120ml (½ cup) light vegetable oil
- 30ml (2 Tbsp) fresh lemon juice
- 30ml (2 Tbsp) ice-cold water
- 4 medium pita breads (≈120g each)
- ¼ cup (60ml) pickled red onion slices (optional)
- 1 tsp (2g) sumac
- 2 Tbsp (30g) fresh pomegranate seeds
- 2 Tbsp (8g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare Spice Rub: Whisk together cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, pepper, cardamom, and 1 tsp salt.
- Marinate Chicken: Dry chicken, drizzle with olive oil, and coat with spice rub. Marinate for 30-120 minutes.
- Grill Chicken: Grill chicken thighs for 5-6 minutes per side, until cooked through (165°F).
- Rest & Slice: Rest chicken for 5 minutes, then slice thinly on a bias.
- Make Garlic Sauce: Blend garlic and ½ tsp salt into a paste, slowly drizzle in oil, then lemon juice and water.
- Warm Pita: Bake pita breads at 350°F (180°C) for 5 minutes.
- Assemble Shawarma: Spread garlic sauce on pita, layer with chicken, onion (optional), sumac, parsley, and pomegranate seeds.
Notes
For a stable garlic sauce, add the oil very slowly while blending. Chicken thighs stay moist and absorb flavors better than breast.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pita shawarma
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
Keywords: chicken shawarma,middle eastern,shawarma,garlic sauce,pita bread,grilled chicken,easy recipe,homemade