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Hand holding a chicken shawarma wrap

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Chicken Shawarma Wraps

Real shawarma is carved off a slowly turning spit, but this version gets you most of the way there with a well-seasoned skillet and a hot oven. Warm spices, a squeeze of lemon, and a cool garlicky yogurt sauce do the heavy lifting.

15 minPrep Time
20 minCook Time
35 minTotal Time
4Servings
EasyDifficulty

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced, divided
  • Juice of 1 lemon, divided
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 4 pita breads, warmed
  • Sliced tomato, cucumber, and red onion, for serving

Method

  1. Marinate the chicken. In a bowl, combine the chicken with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon, turmeric, half the garlic, and half the lemon juice. Toss to coat and let sit for at least 15 minutes, or up to overnight in the fridge.
  2. Make the sauce. While the chicken marinates, stir together the yogurt, the remaining garlic, the remaining lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
  3. Cook the chicken. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken in a single layer for 6 to 7 minutes per side, until deeply browned and cooked through (165°F internal temperature).
  4. Rest and slice. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then slice it into thin strips against the grain.
  5. Assemble. Fill each warm pita with sliced chicken, tomato, cucumber, and red onion, and finish with a generous spoonful of the yogurt sauce.
Note: For deeper flavor, marinate the chicken overnight instead of just 15 minutes. If you have a broiler, finishing the sliced chicken under high heat for a minute or two adds some of that charred, spit-roasted texture.

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