The delicious and so easy chicken shawarma is full of middle eastern spices and flavor. The chicken is so tender and juicy when wrapped with flatbread, pita, or rice. Then it's a healthy and quick dinner in less than 15 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 kg 2lb chicken thigh fillets or chicken breast, (Note 1)
MARINADE
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon coriander root, (optional) chopped (Note 2)
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon ground cardamom
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, reduce to 1/2 tsp for less spicy
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt, optional (Note 3)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, (Note 4)
YOGHURT SAUCE
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 glove garlic crushed
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, (optional)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- fresh lemon juice
- salt and pepper
TO SERVE
- flatbreads, (Lebanese or pita bread or rice)
- sliced lettuce, cucumber, tomato, onion
- cheese, shredded (optiona)
- hot sauce, (optional)
Instructions
MARINATE
- Put the chicken in a zip bag, add minced garlic, minced coriander root, Greek yogurt, ground coriander, cardamom, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper and lemon juice. Mix well. And marinate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
YOGURT SAUCE
- Prepare a bowl, put Greek yogurt, garlic, cumin, paprika, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mix well, and set aside.
COOK THE CHICKEN
- Put olive oil in zip bag and mix well with chicken before pan fried. (Note 4)
- Heat the pan over medium heat, pour in the oil and add the chicken. Don't turn it once the underside is golden brown.
- Turn it to the other side and fry it until it's cooked.
ASSEMBLE
- Serve the flatbread with slices of lettuce, cucumber and tomato and drizzle the yogurt sauce over it as a wrap.
- Or serve it with fried rice or steamed rice and salad.
- Don't forget to squeeze a juicy lemon over it for refreshment.
Video
Tips & Notes:
1. I used both chicken thigh fillets and chicken breast. The advantage of chicken thigh fillets is that they're juicier because of their fat. But it's difficult to soak up the flavor of the marinade.
The advantage of chicken breast is that it has fewer calories than thigh and can absorb the flavor of the marinade better. But it's less juicy and dries out easily if you cook it too long.
But my chicken breast is juicy and tender because I add yogurt. You'll find the reason in the third note. 2. I like to add fresh coriander root, which is often used in the Middle East to marinate meats. It adds more flavor to the marinade and is especially good for short marinating. Its strong flavor can be absorbed in a short time. 3. If you add Greek yogurt to the marinade, it can bring out the sweetness of the chicken and make it tender and juicy. Because its lactic acid bacteria can destroy the meat tissue and make the meat tender and juicy. 4. Add olive oil and mix it well with the marinated chicken before you pan fry, grill, or bake it. If you add it along with the marinade, it'll prevent the chicken from absorbing the marinade. The oil just needs to be added before cooking. This way you can prevent the chicken from sticking to the pan, and at the same time reduce the oil for frying and the calories. What to serve with:
The advantage of chicken breast is that it has fewer calories than thigh and can absorb the flavor of the marinade better. But it's less juicy and dries out easily if you cook it too long.
But my chicken breast is juicy and tender because I add yogurt. You'll find the reason in the third note. 2. I like to add fresh coriander root, which is often used in the Middle East to marinate meats. It adds more flavor to the marinade and is especially good for short marinating. Its strong flavor can be absorbed in a short time. 3. If you add Greek yogurt to the marinade, it can bring out the sweetness of the chicken and make it tender and juicy. Because its lactic acid bacteria can destroy the meat tissue and make the meat tender and juicy. 4. Add olive oil and mix it well with the marinated chicken before you pan fry, grill, or bake it. If you add it along with the marinade, it'll prevent the chicken from absorbing the marinade. The oil just needs to be added before cooking. This way you can prevent the chicken from sticking to the pan, and at the same time reduce the oil for frying and the calories. What to serve with:
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 100g Calories: 352kcal (18%) Carbohydrates: 6g (2%) Protein: 48g (96%) Fat: 15g (23%) Saturated Fat: 2g (13%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g Monounsaturated Fat: 8g Trans Fat: 0.03g Cholesterol: 130mg (43%) Sodium: 254mg (11%) Potassium: 919mg (26%) Fiber: 2g (8%) Sugar: 2g (2%) Vitamin A: 1141IU (23%) Vitamin C: 6mg (7%) Calcium: 94mg (9%) Iron: 3mg (17%)
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I love hearing how it turned out! Leave me a comment and make sure to leave a rating below.