Irresistible Chicken Shawarma Garlic (Printer View)

Grilled spiced chicken with creamy garlic sauce, fresh veggies, and warm pita for a hearty, flavorful meal.

# Components:

→ Chicken Shawarma

01 - 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
02 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
03 - 2 tablespoons ground cumin
04 - 2 tablespoons ground coriander
05 - 1 tablespoon paprika
06 - 1 tablespoon turmeric
07 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
08 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
09 - 1/4 cup olive oil
10 - Juice of 1 lemon
11 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Creamy Garlic Sauce

12 - 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
13 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
14 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
15 - 2 tablespoons tahini
16 - Salt to taste

→ For Serving

17 - 4 pita breads or flatbreads
18 - Sliced tomatoes
19 - Sliced cucumbers
20 - Shredded lettuce
21 - Middle Eastern-style or dill pickles

# Method steps:

01 - In a large bowl, combine minced garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne pepper if using, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Add chicken thighs and toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight for optimal flavor development.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, minced garlic, lemon juice, tahini, and salt until smooth and well combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
03 - Preheat a grill or stovetop skillet over medium-high heat. Grill marinated chicken for 6 to 7 minutes per side until charred and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F.
04 - Transfer cooked chicken to a plate and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Slice into thin strips.
05 - Place sliced chicken in the center of each pita bread. Top with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, pickles, and a generous drizzle of creamy garlic sauce.
06 - Roll up or fold each wrap and serve immediately while warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The chicken stays impossibly juicy because thighs hold onto moisture way better than breasts ever could.
  • One marinade does all the heavy lifting, so there's almost no extra work once you've prepped the spices.
  • That garlic sauce is your secret weapon for making everything taste restaurant-quality without pretension.
02 -
  • Marinate for at least one hour, and absolutely overnight if you have the time, because the spices need time to penetrate the chicken and create real depth.
  • If you use a skillet instead of a grill, don't crowd the pan because the chicken will steam instead of sear, and you'll lose that charred exterior.
  • Make the garlic sauce ahead of time because it needs to be cold and the flavors need time to mellow and marry together.
03 -
  • Pat the marinated chicken dry before it hits the grill so it sears properly instead of steaming and losing that beautiful charred crust.
  • Warm your pita breads directly over a gas flame or wrapped in a clean kitchen towel for a few minutes so they're soft and pliable enough to wrap without splitting.
  • Make the sauce earlier in the day so the garlic flavor mellows slightly and becomes more welcoming instead of too sharp and aggressive.
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