We often order Chicken Shawarma because there is a particular way to cook this chicken using a vertical spit. I love watching the chef as he carves through the meat as the meat rotates slowly. This type of cooking allows for intense heat to cook the chicken. In my kitchen I replicate this type of cooking using my broiler. I use a olive oil and tahini to help caramelize the chicken. My recipe also incorporates the Italian Gourmet Ketchup sent to me from @italyinaboxcanada. This ketchup has a smokey flavour which compliments the paprika. Try these wonderful quality Italian products in your cooking.
What is Shawarma?
Shawarma is a dish that comes from the Middle East. It is typically street food with a lot of flavour and spice. My recipe incorporates my Mediterranean spices from my kitchen. You can choose the spices you like. It is traditionally made with large chunks of meat such as lamb. I like to use chicken in mine and I find that chicken thighs are the most flavourful. I also make a sauce using tahini, yogurt and ketchup to dress the Shawarma; gotta get some tomato in here. Breast meat dries out too quickly. I hope you enjoy this!!
Ingredients For Chicken Shawarma
- 12 boneless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon each of ground coriander, cinnamon and cumin
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp red pepper chilli flakes (optional)
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup olive ( remove one tbsp)
- 1/4 cup tahini (divided)
- 2 tablespoons Italian Gourmet Ketchup
- 1 large red onion ( sliced into thick pieces)
- 1 cup Greek Yogurt
- Large bunch of parsley for dressing
Process
Cut each thigh into three strips. Slice your onion.
Stir together the cumin, coriander, paprika, red pepper chilli flakes, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Set aside one tsp of this mixture for the yogurt sauce.
Put the chicken and the onion into a large bowl. Sprinkle with the spice mixture and toss. Place in refrigerator for about 2 hours.
Remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Mix together the olive oil, 2 tbsp of tahini, the juice and zest of half a lemon, and some salt and pepper. Pour this onto the chicken. Let it sit for a few minutes.
Line a pan with tin foil for easy roasting and clean-up.Put the chicken and the marinade onto the pan in an even layer. Broil on high for 8 minutes and turn. Return to the oven and broil for another 8 minutes.
Make your yogurt/ketchup/tahini sauce. Add the reserved 1 tbsp of spice mix to the yogurt and tahini. Whisk this together and add in your reserved 1 tbsp of olive oil, 1 tbsp of lemon juice and some lemon zest.
Remove from oven and serve with the tannin/ketchup/yogurt sauce. We served it with rice and pita bread.
Chicken Shawarma
Ingredients
- 12 boneless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon each of ground coriander cinnamon and cumin
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp red pepper chilli flakes optional
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup olive remove one tbsp
- 1/4 cup tahini divided
- 2 tablespoons Italian Gourmet Ketchup
- 1 large red onion sliced into thick pieces
- 1 cup Greek Yogurt
- Large bunch of parsley for dressing
Instructions
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Cut each thigh into three strips. Slice your onion.
-
Stir together the cumin, coriander, paprika, red pepper chilli flakes, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Set aside one tsp of this mixture for the yogurt sauce.
-
Put the chicken and the onion into a large bowl. Sprinkle with the spice mixture and toss. Place in refrigerator for about 2 hours.
-
Remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Mix together the olive oil, 2 tbsp of tahini, the juice and zest of half a lemon, and some salt and pepper. Pour this onto the chicken. Let it sit for a few minutes.
-
Line a pan with tin foil for easy roasting and clean-up.
-
Put the chicken and the marinade onto the pan in an even layer. Broil on high for 8 minutes and turn. Return to the oven and broil for another 8 minutes.
-
Make your yogurt/ketchup/tahini sauce. Add the reserved 1 tbsp of spice mix to the yogurt and tahini. Whisk this together and add in your reserved olive oil, 1 tbsp of lemon juice and some lemon zest.
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