Alright, I am a little more than jazzed to share this recipe with you! Chicken Shawarma has been one of our go-to weeknight dishes for a few years now. There is just something about this uber-flavorful, super easy to make, versatile chicken that has weeknight dinner written all over it. It all started when we lived in Chicago. My husband would run down to the corner Greek deli for shawarma anytime I was out of town. He was OBSESSED. Once we started making our own, I fell in love too.
Traditional chicken shawarma is that perfectly thin sliced gyro-style chicken – it just melts in your mouth. To honor tradition {and because I just like a nice, tender thin slice of meat} I always flatten out the chicken breast before marinading. Simply place each breast between two pieces of plastic wrap and give it a few smacks with a rolling pin or frying pan. This extra two minutes of work will pay off big time, I promise!
Let’s talk marinade. The key is to let the chicken sit long enough to hold onto all the spices. Typically, we allow the chicken to sit for 30 minutes for the best flavor. If you are short on time, 10 minutes should do the trick. For best results pat down the chicken before you place in the marinade with a paper towel. This removes the excess moisture and helps the spices stick to the breast as you grill.
Of course, the absolute best way to devour this chicken is in a perfectly warmed pita smothered in tzatziki. The more tzatziki, the merrier. Am I right? This Chicken Shawarma also makes a spectacular salad. Combine chicken with some greens, fresh dill, sliced cucumbers, feta, and tomatoes. For the dressing, we usually halve the Tzatziki and add a few tablespoons of water to thin it out. BOOM. Salad.
Are we ready to shawarma? Let’s do this.
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 15 minutes |
| Passive Time | 30 minutes |
| Servings |
people
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- 1-1.5 lb(s) boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 Tbsp cumin
- 1 Tbsp coriander
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 english cucumber peeled
- 1 cup greek yogurt
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 Tbsp fresh dill
- 1/4 tsp freshly gound black pepper
- salt to taste
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
Tzatziki
Other
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- First, flatten the chicken by placing tthe breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap. Take a rolling pin or cast iron pan and firmly strike the chicken, rotating the breast to ensure it flattens evenly. For the marinade, combine all ingredients, excluding the chicken, in a Ziploc bag. Once the marinade items are combined add the chicken and massage the bag to coat each breast. Place the baggie into the refrigerator and marinade for 30 minutes to an hour.
- While chicken is marinading, it is time to make the tzatziki. Take the peeled english cucumber and grate with a cheese grater. Using paper towels or a cheese cloth, ring out the cucumbers to remove excess moisture. In a small bowl, combine the remaining tzatziki ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Preheat grill or cast iron griddle pan. If using a griddle pan, set heat to medium-low. Grill each side of the chicken for 5-6 minutes. Once the chicken is finished, lower the griddle temperature to low and warm each side of the pita, about 2 minutes per side. While warming the pitas, allow the chicken to rest for about 5 minutes before thinly slicing. Assemble pitas by layering tzatziki, chicken, and lettuce.
