Description
This Chicken Shawarma with Garlic Yoghurt Sauce recipe combines tender, spiced chicken thighs marinated in a fragrant blend of Middle Eastern spices and Greek yoghurt, served with crispy oven fries, fresh vegetables, and a tangy garlic yoghurt sauce wrapped in soft flatbreads. It’s a delicious and satisfying meal perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or casual gathering.
Ingredients
For the Fries and Vegetables
- 400 g (14 oz) frozen French fries
- 2 tomatoes, sliced
- 1 red onion, finely sliced
- 1 tbsp roughly chopped fresh mint leaves (optional)
- 4 Lebanese flatbreads, pita breads, wraps, or naan breads
- ½ tsp sumac (optional)
For the Garlic Yoghurt Sauce
- 1 cup (250 g) Greek yoghurt
- 2 tbsp toum or Middle Eastern garlic dip/sauce (or ½ tsp freshly minced garlic and ½ tsp salt as substitute)
For the Chicken Marinade
- 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) boneless, skinless chicken thighs (can substitute with chicken breast)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste (concentrated puree)
- 2 tbsp Greek yoghurt
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp freshly minced garlic
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup (60 ml) water (for cooking)
Instructions
- Prep the ingredients: Begin by preheating your oven or air fryer and cook the frozen French fries according to the package instructions. While the fries cook, wash and slice the tomatoes and onions, and chop the fresh mint if using.
- Make the garlic yoghurt sauce: In a small bowl, mix the Greek yoghurt with toum or Middle Eastern garlic dip. If you don’t have any garlic sauce, substitute with ½ teaspoon freshly minced garlic and ½ teaspoon salt. Set this sauce aside for serving.
- Marinate the chicken: Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl and add the tomato paste, Greek yoghurt, lemon juice, minced garlic, ground cumin, ground cardamom, garlic powder, onion powder, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, sea salt flakes, black pepper, and olive oil. Use tongs to thoroughly toss the chicken until all pieces are evenly coated. For best flavor, cover and refrigerate the chicken to marinate for up to 24 hours, though you can cook immediately if you’re short on time.
- Cook the chicken: Heat a large heavy-based frying pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the marinated chicken pieces to the pan and cook for 5 to 6 minutes on each side, or until fully cooked through and nicely charred on the outside. In the last three minutes of cooking, add ¼ cup of water to the pan to loosen the caramelized bits stuck to the base, enhancing the pan juices.
- Rest and slice the chicken: Remove the cooked chicken from the pan and let it rest for a few minutes. Then, slice the chicken into thin strips and drizzle with the flavorful pan juices for extra moisture and taste.
- Assemble the wraps: Lay your choice of flatbread on a plate. Spread a generous amount of the garlic yoghurt sauce in the center, then layer with sliced chicken, crispy fries, tomato slices, red onion, shredded mint leaves, and a sprinkle of sumac if using. Fold the sides of the flatbread up like a taco to enclose the fillings.
- Serve: Serve the shawarma wraps immediately with extra garlic yoghurt sauce on the side for dipping, making for a delicious and satisfying meal.
Notes
- Substitute chicken breast for thighs if preferred, but thighs will be juicier and more flavorful.
- If you don’t have toum or garlic dip, freshly minced garlic with salt works well as a quick alternative in the yoghurt sauce.
- Instead of cooking chicken in a pan, this shawarma chicken can also be grilled or cooked on a barbecue for a smoky flavor.
- Marinating the chicken overnight enhances the flavor and tenderness but it’s optional for faster preparation.
- Sumac adds a tangy, lemony flavor to the wraps and is traditional but optional.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
