Chicken Shawarma
Shawarma is a super-flavorful chicken dish that is traditionally stacked onto a spit similar to gyro meat, and shaved off as it is served. My kitchen is not equipped with a sweltering, spiraling spit, so I’m improvising. The flavors are the bomb here, so skimping on the spit is okay with me.
Researching the authentic shawarma flavors was a must, so in my pursuit I discovered a quite entertaining and informative video on YouTube by The Golden Balance, a group of young men who apparently love food and want to share their knowledge with other foodies. In their list of ingredients, they use tomato paste along with the dry spices in their marinade. I love that! I have added that to my marinade list and it is yumm!
Just a note on the list of spices below… Every spice in this recipe is there intentionally. I’m not trying to clean out my spice pantry. If you don’t use them all, this Chicken Shawarma will not taste the same. Even if you purchase a “Shawarma spice blend,” it may not be as good as it could be.
Don’t let the length of time (due to marinating) deter you from trying this Greek dish. Even though it takes time to trim the chicken thighs and marinate, this recipe is simple, nothing complicated. Just invest your time and your taste buds will thank you.
Check out my Greek Rice, Greek Lentils, Hummus, and Tahini Sauce for a full Greek meal.
Enjoy!
Chicken Shawarma
Ingredients
Marinade:
- 3 garlic cloves, minced or pushed through a garlic press
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, hot or mild
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground tumeric
- 1/2 teaspooon freshly-cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspooon ground allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 - 2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper, optional
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Chicken:
- 2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, fat trimmed, see Notes
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil, (avocado, vegetable, etc.)
Serving Suggestions:
- Tahini Sauce, my recipe here
- Pita bread
- Red onion, raw or pickled
- Tomato slices
- Tzatziki Sauce, my recipe here
- Crumbled feta cheese
- Hummus
- Greek Rice, my recipe here
- Hummus, my recipe here
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: Combine all the marinade spices, lemon juice, and oil in a medium bowl. A whisk works really well for this.
- Add the chicken thighs and massage the marinade into the meat, making sure all pieces are thoroughly covered with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours; overnight (8 to 12 hours) is even better.
- Cook the chicken: Add the onion slices to the bowl of the marinated chicken and mix.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken and onion, a few pieces at time; do not overcrowd the pan. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side, getting some good charring on each side, and cook through (internal temperature should read 165 degrees in the thickest parts of the thighs.) Set the cooked pieces on a plate, loosely covered, as each batch is cooked. Your onions will cook along with the chicken; remove them to the plate as well.
- Continue to cook in batches until all the chicken pieces and onions have been cooked.
- Serve warm with pita bread and any desired toppings.
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