Name: CHICKEN SHAWARMA
Cook time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 Tbsp cornflour; 1/2 Tbsp ground cumin; 1/2 Tbsp salt; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp ground paprika; 1/2 tsp turmeric; 600 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs ((1lb 5oz)); 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil; 1 Tbsp lemon or lime juice; 200 ml unsweetened Greek yoghurt ((6.8 fl.oz)); 2 tsp lemon or lime juice; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 clove garlic; 1 handful fresh mint leaves; 2 tomatoes; 1 carrot; 1 small red onion; 4 Lebanese breads ((white or wholemeal)); 150 g hummus ((5.3oz) (optional)); 60 g baby spinach or kale ((2.1oz)); 2-3 Tbsp barbecue or sweet chilli sauce ((optional))

PRINT RECIPE PDF

Lebanese flatbreads stuffed with juicy chicken, fresh salad and plenty of sauce – chicken shawarma is pretty hard to resist!

The chicken is coated with olive oil, lemon or lime juice and a few different spices, then stacked up and baked in a loaf tin. This gives a similar result to traditional rotisserie cooking and makes the chicken super juicy.

Some of the ingredients (the hummus and barbecue or sweet chilli sauce, for example) are optional and give this more of a doner kebab vibe. Customise according to your preferences! A little bit of cheese wouldn’t go amiss either.

If you’re not keen on carbs, turn this into a chicken shawarma salad instead. Just up the greens and omit the flatbreads.

PRINT RECIPE PDF

CHICKEN SHAWARMA

Keyword: CHICKEN, MAIN MEALS

Difficulty: Easy

Ready In: 40 minutes

Serves: 4

Lebanese flatbreads stuffed with juicy chicken, fresh salad and plenty of sauce - chicken shawarma is pretty hard to resist!

QUICK PRINT

Ingredients

CHICKEN

1 1/2 Tbsp cornflour
1/2 Tbsp ground cumin
1/2 Tbsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric
600 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs (1lb 5oz)
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon or lime juice

YOGHURT SAUCE

200 ml unsweetened Greek yoghurt (6.8 fl.oz)
2 tsp lemon or lime juice
1 tsp ground cumin
1 clove garlic
1 handful fresh mint leaves

TO SERVE

2 tomatoes
1 carrot
1 small red onion
4 Lebanese breads (white or wholemeal)
150 g hummus (5.3oz) (optional)
60 g baby spinach or kale (2.1oz)
2-3 Tbsp barbecue or sweet chilli sauce (optional)

Instructions

COOK CHICKEN
Preheat oven to 200ºC (390ºF) fan bake. Place cornflour, cumin, salt, garlic powder, coriander, paprika and turmeric in a large resealable bag or container. Seal and shake to combine. Add chicken, oil and lemon or lime juice. Shake again until chicken is well coated.
Layer chicken thighs up in a 23cm / 9in loaf tin (line the tin with baking paper if you are worried about staining from the turmeric). Bake for 25-30 minutes, until browned on top and cooked through.
MAKE YOGHURT SAUCE
Meanwhile, whisk together yoghurt, lemon or lime juice and cumin. Crush garlic and finely chop mint. Stir into sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper.
PREPARE SERVING INGREDIENTS
Slice tomatoes, julienne or grate carrot and thinly slice onion. Spread the top of each Lebanese bread with yoghurt sauce and hummus, if using. Top with spinach/kale, tomato, carrot and red onion.
SERVE
Remove chicken from oven and leave to rest for 5 minutes. Slice chicken and place on top of salad. Add a drizzle of barbecue or sweet chilli sauce, if using. Roll up and serve! You can also wrap them in foil and lightly toast in a toasted sandwich maker, if you prefer the bread crisped/warmed.

Recipe Notes

WINE MATCH: A Sauvignon Blanc.
GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: Make sure you use gluten-free cornflour. Swap Lebanese breads for large gluten-free wraps.
INGREDIENT SWAPS / NOTES: Grated cheese or feta cheese make a nice addition to this meal, if you like. Add with the salad. Large wraps could be used instead of Lebanese breads.
CUTTING DOWN ON CARBS? Omit the bread, increase the greens and turn this meal into a chicken shawarma salad instead.
STORING AND REHEATING: This meal is best assembled just before serving. Chicken can be reheated in the microwave or in a frying pan with a little oil.