Chicken Shawarma with Garlic Yoghurt Sauce
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 732kcal
This Chicken Shawarma with Garlic Yoghurt Sauce is the ultimate easy and satisfying weeknight dinner with family-friendly, customisable toppings.
Ingredients
TO SERVE
- 400 g frozen French fries
- 2 tomatoes, sliced
- 1 red onion, finely sliced
- 1 tbsp roughly chopped fresh mint leaves (optional)
- 4 Lebanese flatbreads (try my 2 Ingredient Flatbread recipe, pita breads, wraps or naan breads)
- ½ tsp sumac (optional)
GARLIC YOGHURT SAUCE
- 250 g Greek yoghurt
- 2 tbsp toum (if you can find it or Middle Eastern garlic dip or sauce, available from the supermarket) – can be substituted with ½ tsp freshly minced garlic and ½ tsp salt)
CHICKEN
- 500 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs (can be substituted with chicken breast, see note 1)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp Greek yoghurt
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp freshly minced garlic
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground cardamom (see note 2)
- 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
- 60 ml water
Instructions
- Prep the ingredients – Preheat the oven or air fryer and cook the freezer fries according to the packet instructions.
- Ensure the tomatoes, red onion and mint (if using) are washed, cut and ready.
- Make the garlic yoghurt sauce – In a small bowl, combine the Greek yoghurt and toum or garlic dip (or freshly minced garlic and salt, if not using garlic dip). Set aside.
- Marinate the chicken – Put the chicken in a large bowl. Add the tomato paste, Greek yoghurt, lemon juice, minced garlic, cumin, cardamom, garlic powder, onion powder, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, sea salt, black pepper and olive oil.
- Toss the chicken using tongs, ensuring each piece is well coated with the marinade. You can cook the chicken immediately, or allow the chicken to marinate, covered and refrigerated, for up to 24 hours for a deeper flavour.
- Cook the chicken – Heat a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium–high heat (see note 3 for barbecue). Once hot, add the marinated chicken and cook for 5–6 minutes on each side, or until fully cooked and slightly charred. Add the water in the last 3 minutes of cooking to loosen up all the crispy bits on the base of the pan.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing into thin strips. Drizzle with the pan juices.
- Assemble the wraps – Lay your bread of choice on a plate. Spread a generous amount of the garlic yoghurt sauce in the centre. Top with the sliced chicken, crispy fries, tomato, red onion, shredded mint and a sprinkle of sumac (if using).
- Fold the sides of the flatbread up in the shape of a taco.
- Serve – Serve the wraps immediately, with extra yoghurt garlic sauce on the side for dipping.
Notes
Note 1 – Cardamom adds a unique, aromatic note to the marinade and it’s what gives this Middle Eastern-inspired wrap its distinct flavour. If you don’t have it on hand, you can substitute it with a mix of ground cinnamon and nutmeg, or you can leave it out completely.
Note 2 – Use 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (500 g/1 lb in total) cut in half horizontally to form 4 thinner pieces. They will take less time to cook. Cook for 4–5 minutes on each side, or until fully cooked.
Note 3 – You can cook the chicken on a barbecue hotplate over medium–high heat.
Make Ahead
Garlic yoghurt sauce – Combine and set aside up to 24 hours in advance, stored refrigerated in an airtight container. Chicken – The chicken can be marinated up to 24 hours in advance and kept in the refrigerator until ready to cook. You can freeze the raw chicken in the marinade for up to 2 months. Vegetables – Prepare the salad ingredients by washing and cutting them ahead of time. Store them refrigerated separately in an airtight container.Leftovers
Store any leftover chicken and garlic yoghurt sauce in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat the chicken in a pan over medium heat until warmed through or in the microwave.Nutrition Facts
Chicken Shawarma with Garlic Yoghurt Sauce
Amount per Serving
Calories
732
% Daily Value*
Fat
29
g
45
%
Saturated Fat
7
g
44
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
4
g
Monounsaturated Fat
17
g
Cholesterol
108
mg
36
%
Sodium
1470
mg
64
%
Potassium
1486
mg
42
%
Carbohydrates
73
g
24
%
Fiber
11
g
46
%
Sugar
18
g
20
%
Protein
39
g
78
%
Calcium
243
mg
24
%
Iron
7
mg
39
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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