How to make chicken shawarma

 This dish for Chicken Shawarma will blow your socks off! A fantastic Chicken Shawarma marinade is made with just a few common spices, giving the chicken unusual Middle Eastern flavour. When this is cooking, the fragrance is crazy!

What exactly is Chicken Shawarma?

A well-known meal from the Middle East is shawarma. Popular street cuisine, it is generally prepared using seasoned meats stacked on a vertical rotisserie and cut into small slices as it turns. Be at ease, though! On the BBQ or in a regular pan, we can cook our food horizontally!

Traditionally, lamb, mutton, and chicken were used to make shawarma, but nowadays, beef is also used. Although it's typically served as a wrap, you may also see it served on a plate in some nations together with salad, seasoned rice, or fries. I'm providing you both alternatives in this dish.

the components of chicken shawarma

Since chicken thighs are juicier than chicken breast, I like to use them when making shawarma. However, both chicken tenderloin and breast work well.

Fresh lemon juice!

Olive oil: To provide flavour while also preventing the chicken from being "cooked" by the lemon juice.

Spices: Nothing unusual about this! Cardamom is the one ingredient you might not have on hand, despite the fact that you can now readily find it at any grocery store. It is a crucial component that sets the Shawarma marinade apart from other cuisines, such Mexican, which frequently uses the other spices in this recipe. It has a piney, almost lemony flavour. Basically, don't skip it!

Control of spice - The cayenne pepper is responsible for the marinade's spiciness in the Shawarma. If you don't like it hot, either cut back on it or leave it out entirely since it isn't a crucial component of the flavour. I swear you won't feel cheated. This dish has a tonne of different tastes!

Making Chicken Shawarma

The chicken should marinade overnight for the finest results. But in all honesty, you can get away with marinating for as little as 3 hours because the volume and flavour of the marinade are so potent. Numerous times, yet nobody has ever voiced a complaint.

Mix the marinade — For ease, simply combine the marinade ingredients in a ziplock bag. The best option is a bag since the chicken keeps its marinade-coated appearance. Turn the chicken a few times or double the marinade by 50% if you prefer to use a container.

To the marinade, add the chicken. Remove any extra air before sealing the bag, then massage the exterior to coat. Put the marinate in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours. If you're in a rush, even three hours will do!

Yoghurt sauce: Simply combine the ingredients to make the yoghurt sauce, then put it aside for at least 20 minutes to let the flavours to blend. This is refrigerator-safe for three days.

Cook chicken on the hob or barbecue. The spices will give it a wonderful crust, and the aroma will make you drool. It's seductive!

Before serving, chicken should be rested for at least 3 minutes to allow the juices to evenly spread throughout the meat. Otherwise, when you slice the meat, the juices would just stream out everywhere.

Simply arrange everything on a tray for serving and let each person assemble their own wraps! Chicken, warmed flatbreads, homemade or store-bought yoghurt sauce, lettuce, tomato slices, onions, and chicken. I occasionally slice the chicken if it is on the larger side. On the other hand, if they're tiny, I usually just leave them whole.

Steps for Making Chicken Shawarma

Chicken Shawarma can be prepared in two ways.

Wraps - As Chicken Shawarma wraps, which are similar to Gyros and Doner kebabs and come with lettuce, tomato, and a basic yoghurt sauce on the side. Red onion, cheese, and other add-ons are optional. (Are they authentic? But that's okay! ), hummus, and hot or spicy sauce.

Rice and salads are served on the side of the shawarma platter. Despite the fact that I frequently serve pita bread or other flatbread with a generous dollop of either the hummus or the yoghurt sauce in this recipe,

Ingredients

1 kg/ 2 lbs of skinless, boneless chicken thigh fillets.

MARINADE

1 large minced garlic clove (or 2 smaller cloves)

1 tablespoon of ground coriander

1 teaspoon cumin, ground

1 tablespoon of ground cardamon

1 tsp ground cayenne pepper (for a milder version, use 1/2 tsp)

smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons

▢2 tsp salt

Cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons of olive oil

The Yoghurt Sauce

One cup of Greek yoghurt

1 smashed clove of garlic

▢1 tsp cumin

Lemon juice, squeezed

Sea salt and pepper

AS A SERVANT

Four to five soft flatbreads (Lebanese, pita, or handmade).

Sliced lettuce (iceberg or cos)

Slices of tomato

Finely chopped red onion

Shredded cheese, if desired

Any hot sauce you like (optional)

Instructions

Chicken should be marinated by mixing the marinade ingredients in a sizable ziplock bag. To ensure that every piece is coated, add the chicken, shut the container, and massage the outside with your hands. (Minimum 3 hours) Marinate for 24 hours.

Yoghurt Sauce: Combine all of the ingredients for the yoghurt sauce in a bowl and stir. When not in use, cover and store in the refrigerator (where it will keep for three days).

Pre-heat the stove or the grill by heating a large nonstick skillet with 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat or by gently oiling the hotplates and grills on the barbecue. (See baking notes)

Chicken should be cooked by placing it on a skillet or grill and cooking the first side for 4 to 5 minutes, or until it is properly browned. The second side cooks in less time, so turn it over and cook it for 3 to 4 minutes.

IN ORDER TO SERVE

Place sliced chicken, flatbreads, salad, and yoghurt sauce (or dairy-free tahini sauce from this recipe) on a dish.

Grab a piece of flatbread and spread it with yoghurt sauce to create a wrap. Add some lettuce, tomato, and Chicken Shawarma on top. Take a seat and enjoy!