Chicken Shawarma
Course:
Lunch, Dinner
Cuisine:
Mediterranean
Yield:
6
INGREDIENTS:
For Marinade
- ¼ cup unrefined, cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon (or more)
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne (or more if you want it to be spicy)
- several grinds of freshly ground black pepper or to taste
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat
- suggested accompaniments: lavash, lettuce, tomato, pickled vegetables, onion, tahini, olives
For White Sauce
- 2/3 cup plain whole Greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup good quality mayonnaise or soy-free Vegenaise
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon paprika
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
For Marinade
- Combine all marinade ingredients in a non-reactive bowl (like glass or Pyrex). Add chicken and toss to coat. Marinate at room temperature for 1 hour or in the refrigerator for several hours or up to overnight.
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat oven to 400 degrees or a heat grill to medium heat.
- Grill until cooked through, about 7 minutes on each side, or bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 35 minutes until cooked through. If chicken was baked, you may slice it thinly and sauté the slices a warm pan with coconut oil or olive oil to get some crispy edges. You don’t have to do this step since the chicken is already cooked, but the crispy edges somewhat mimic traditional shawarma shaved off the spit. I also like to sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt, too.
- Slice thinly and serve with desired accompaniments.
For White Sauce
- Mix ingredients all together in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Can be made 1 day in advance. Stir before serving.