Chicken shawarma

Name: Chicken shawarma
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 2 h 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 1 kg boneless, skinless chicken thighs; 100 g plain whole yogurt; 3 tbsp lemon juice; 3 tbsp olive oil; 4 clove garlic, crushed; 2 tsp ground cumin; 2 tsp ground coriander; 2 tsp paprika; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon; 0.5 tsp ground allspice; 1.5 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 1 red onion, cut into thin wedges; 60 g tahini, for the sauce; 2 tbsp lemon juice, for the sauce; 1 clove garlic, crushed, for the sauce; 60 ml cold water, for the sauce; 4 large pitta or flatbreads; 2 tomatoes, sliced; 0.5 cucumber, sliced; 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped

2 h 55
Prep 20 min
Cook 35 min
Serves 4
easy

Start cooking

Chicken thighs marinated in yogurt, lemon, garlic and warm spices, roasted until charred at the edges, then sliced into pitta with tahini sauce.

Method

1
Mix the yogurt, lemon juice, oil, garlic, spices, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
2
Add the chicken and turn to coat, then cover and chill to marinate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
3
Heat the oven to 220°C. Spread the chicken and onion over a large lined tray in a single layer, without crowding.
4
Roast until the chicken is cooked through and browned.
5
Switch to the grill on high and cook until the edges char in places.
6
Rest the chicken, then slice it thinly.
7
Meanwhile, stir the tahini, lemon juice, garlic and a pinch of salt together. Whisk in the water a little at a time until smooth and pourable.
8
Warm the flatbreads in the oven or a dry pan for a few seconds.
9
Fill them with the chicken, roasted onion, tomato, cucumber and parsley, drizzle with tahini sauce and roll up.

Notes

Thighs stay juicy at high heat. If you use breast, take it out a few minutes earlier.
For crisper edges, fry the sliced chicken in a hot dry pan for a minute before serving.
Tahini will thicken and look split when the lemon goes in. Keep whisking in water and it turns smooth.

Equipment

Large mixing bowl, Large baking tray, Baking paper, Small bowl, Whisk

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