Description
A flavorful and easy-to-make Chicken Shawarma with Garlic Yoghurt Sauce recipe featuring marinated chicken thighs cooked to perfection, served with crispy fries, fresh vegetables, and a garlicky yoghurt sauce in warm flatbreads or wraps. Perfect for a satisfying weeknight meal with customizable toppings.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Shawarma Chicken
- 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) boneless, skinless chicken thighs (can substitute chicken breast)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste (concentrated puree)
- 2 tbsp Greek yoghurt
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp freshly minced garlic
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 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
- ¼ cup (60 ml) water
For the Garlic Yoghurt Sauce
- 1 cup (250 g) Greek yoghurt
- 2 tbsp toum or Middle Eastern garlic dip/sauce (or ½ tsp freshly minced garlic + ½ tsp salt)
For Serving
- 400 g (14 oz) frozen French fries
- 2 tomatoes, sliced
- 1 red onion, finely sliced
- 1 tbsp roughly chopped fresh mint leaves (optional)
- 4 Lebanese flatbreads, pita breads, wraps or naan breads
- ½ tsp sumac (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the fries: Preheat your oven or air fryer and cook the frozen French fries according to the package instructions until crispy and golden. Meanwhile, wash and slice the tomatoes, finely slice the red onion, and roughly chop the mint leaves if using.
- Prepare the garlic yoghurt sauce: In a small bowl, combine the Greek yoghurt with toum or Middle Eastern garlic dip. If unavailable, mix freshly minced garlic and salt into the yoghurt. Set aside to let the flavors meld.
- Marinate the chicken: Place the chicken thighs into a large bowl. Add tomato paste, Greek yoghurt, lemon juice, minced garlic, ground cumin, cardamom, garlic powder, onion powder, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, sea salt, black pepper, and olive oil. Toss thoroughly with tongs to coat all pieces evenly. Optionally, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours for more intense flavor.
- Cook the chicken: Heat a large heavy-based frying pan over medium–high heat. When hot, add the marinated chicken pieces. Cook for 5–6 minutes on each side until fully cooked through and slightly charred. In the last 3 minutes, add water to the pan to loosen crispy browned bits, stirring gently.
- Rest and slice chicken: Remove chicken from the pan and let it rest for a few minutes. Then slice into thin strips and drizzle with the pan juices for extra flavor.
- Assemble the wraps: Lay your choice of flatbread on a plate. Spread a generous amount of garlic yoghurt sauce in the center. Top with sliced chicken, crispy fries, tomatoes, red onion, shredded mint, and a sprinkle of sumac if using. Fold the sides of the flatbread up like a taco to enclose the fillings.
- Serve: Serve the assembled wraps immediately with extra garlic yoghurt sauce on the side for dipping.
Notes
- This Chicken Shawarma with Garlic Yoghurt Sauce is a versatile and easy weeknight dinner perfect for families, with customizable toppings to suit your taste.
- Chicken thighs are preferred for juiciness, but chicken breasts can be used as a leaner alternative.
- For a smoky flavor, you can cook the chicken on a barbecue grill instead of the stovetop.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 wrap
- Calories: 819
- Sugar: 23.3 g
- Sodium: 1461.8 mg
- Fat: 37.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 7.3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: approx. 29.3 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 93.8 g
- Fiber: 10.6 g
- Protein: 40.9 g
- Cholesterol: 127.9 mg
