Chef notes
Shawarma is a fantastic spice blend used in the middle east consists of warming spices that pack a ton of flavor into any protein. In this recipe, chicken is marinated in lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and spices (cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, chili flake, black pepper) and baked in an oven. At the end of cooking, pita is added to the top of the pan to warm through. The chicken is served with tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, lettuce, and a feta-garlic yogurt sauce. Alternatively, mix into lettuce and serve with pita chips as a salad.
Technique Tip: Make the feta-yogurt sauce once day in advance of serving to let the flavors meld.If you’d like the chicken to be even crispier, broil the sliced chicken for 2 to 3 minutes to crisp.
Swap Option: You may substitute the Greek yogurt for sour cream. Substitute chicken thighs for chicken breast, but reduce the cook time by about 10 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3 cloves garlic, grated
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley, for serving (optional)
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 5-6 pita breads
- 2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 2-3 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced on a bias
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1-2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
- Hot sauce and/or pickled jalapeños (optional)
Preparation
1.In a large ziptop bag set inside of a bowl, combine all of the ingredients except for the chicken. Seal and shake until homogenous. Add the chicken, seal and toss to coat. Seal and place into the refrigerator to marinate for at least 1 hour and up overnight.
2.Make the yogurt sauce: In a medium bowl, mix together the yogurt, lemon zest and juice, garlic, garlic powder and feta cheese. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to thin out the sauce, as needed. Adjust seasoning to taste and set aside.
3.Preheat the oven to 425 F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 1 hour before serving to bring to room temperature. Place the chicken on the prepared baking sheet and discard the marinade. Bake the chicken for 15 minutes. Flip and bake for 10 more minutes.
4.Meanwhile, wrap the pita bread in aluminum foil. Place the foil packets in the oven during the last 5 to 10 minutes of cooking to warm.
5.Remove the chicken and pita from the oven. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve the chicken with warmed pita, feta-yogurt sauce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, lettuce and/or optional hot sauce and pickled jalapeños.
