Classic Chicken Shawarma with Creamy Garlic Sauce
This recipe features tender, marinated chicken thighs cooked to perfection, paired with a rich, garlicky, and creamy Toum-style sauce. Serve it in warm pita bread with your favorite fresh toppings for an authentic and satisfying meal.
Equipment
- large bowl
- food processor
- skillet or grill pan
Ingredients
For the Chicken Shawarma:
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper optional
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Juice of ½ a lemon
For the Creamy Garlic Sauce (Toum-style):
- 4-6 large cloves garlic, peeled
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup neutral-flavored oil e.g., canola, grapeseed, or vegetable oil
For Serving (Optional):
- Warm pita bread or flatbreads
- Shredded lettuce
- Diced tomatoes
- Diced cucumbers
- Pickled turnips or red onions
- Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
Chicken Preparation and Marination
- Cut chicken into bite-sized strips and combine in a bowl with yogurt, olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, turmeric, cayenne, salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
- Toss chicken to coat well, then cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or ideally 2-4 hours, allowing flavors to deepen.
Creamy Garlic Sauce (Toum) Preparation
- In a food processor, combine peeled garlic cloves and salt; process until finely minced and a paste forms.
- With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in half of the lemon juice, then gradually add neutral oil and remaining lemon juice, alternating between them.
- Continue processing until the sauce thickens and turns white, resembling mayonnaise; taste and adjust salt before refrigerating.
Cooking the Chicken
- Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat, then add marinated chicken in a single layer without overcrowding.
- Cook for 5-7 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through, browned, and slightly charred.
Assembly and Serving
- Slice cooked chicken if desired and warm pita bread.
- Spread garlic sauce on pita, pile with chicken, and top with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, cucumbers, pickled elements, and fresh parsley.
- Drizzle with extra garlic sauce if desired and serve immediately.
Notes
For best flavor, marinate the chicken overnight. When making the Toum, the key to success is adding the oil very, very slowly to achieve a thick, emulsified sauce. Adding it too quickly can cause the sauce to separate. You can adjust the amount of cayenne pepper to your spice preference. If you don't have a food processor, a blender can work for the Toum, but it might require more scraping down the sides.