Chicken shawarma is so good. If you’ve never tried it, seek out your nearest middle eastern restaurant and try some. If you’re like us and live somewhere where there are no middle eastern restaurants, this recipe comes close to some of the yummiest shawarma sandwiches I’ve ever had (be mindful that bad shawarma is just that, bad.)
I sauted the chicken until all the liquid was cooked off, then let the chicken get a nice golden crust. This crust simulates real shawarma taken right off the rotisserie spit, so I would definitely do this step.
Recipe adapted from the July 2008 issue of Cooking Light.
What you need:
- Chicken marinade, below
- Garlic sauce, below
- Pitas, warmed
- Pickles, optional
- Lettuce and tomatoes, optional
Chicken Marinade:
- Juice of one juicy lemon
- 1 tsp. curry powder
- 2 tsp. olive oil
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
Directions:
- Add lemon juice, curry powder, 2 tsp. olive oil, salt, cumin and garlic in a zip top bag.
- If chicken is frozen, allow to thaw just a bit so you can slice nice thin strips of chicken. If your chicken is already thawed, put it in the freezer for 15 minutes or so until it’s frozen enough to make nice thin strips.
- Add chicken to marinade, and let marinate for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Heat nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken mixture and saute. It won’t take the chicken much time to cook, but continue cooking until all liquid as cooked off and the chicken begins to get a crispy brown crust.
Garlic Sauce:
- 1/2 c. plain yogurt
- 2 TBSP tahini
- 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
Assembly:
- Take a warm pita, put chicken, garlic sauce and any toppings on (pickles, lettuce, and/or tomatoes). Enjoy!
Chicken Shawarma:
