Egyptian · Chicken
Shawarma
Marinated chicken grilled until charred and tender, served with yogurt sauce, fresh vegetables, and flatbread for wrapping. This Middle Eastern favorite requires overnight marinating but delivers incredible depth of flavor with aromatic spices and herbs.
The Method
Instructions
Alright, first things first, grab a large ziplock bag or a nice big bowl,whatever you've got handy. Now, toss in all your marinade ingredients together. Give them a good mix to make sure all those lovely spices and flavors are mingling nicely.
Next, add your chicken thighs into the bag or bowl. Now here's a fun part,use your hands to really get in there and coat each piece thoroughly with that marinade. If you're using a ziplock bag, seal it up tight, then give it a gentle but thorough massage to spread the marinade evenly all over every piece of chicken. It's kind of like giving your chicken a little spa treatment.
Once your chicken is all snug in that spicy bath, pop it in the fridge and let it soak up all those amazing flavors overnight. If you're short on time, even a few hours will do, but for the best depth of flavor, marinate for up to 24 hours. Patience really pays off here!
While the chicken is soaking up all those spices, go ahead and mix up your yoghurt sauce. Combine the yoghurt, garlic, lemon juice, and a pinch of seasoning in a bowl. Give it a good stir until everything is blended smoothly. Cover it up and tuck it into the fridge until you're ready to serve. Bonus: this sauce will keep fresh and tasty for up to three days, so it's great to make ahead.
When you're ready to cook, heat up your grill, BBQ, or if you're staying indoors, a large heavy based pan on the stove over medium high heat. You probably won't need to add any extra oil because the marinade already has some olive oil, and chicken thighs have a nice bit of natural fat that will keep things juicy and prevent sticking. But if you're feeling cautious, just lightly oil your cooking surface before adding the chicken.
Now, place the chicken on the hot grill or pan. Let it cook undisturbed on the first side for about 4 to 5 minutes until it gets that beautiful nice char and those lovely grill marks or crispy edges start to form. Then flip it over and cook the other side for another 3 to 4 minutes. The second side usually needs less time since the chicken is already nicely seared.
Once your chicken is cooked through and smelling irresistible, take it off the heat and cover it loosely with some foil. Let it rest for about 5 minutes. This little rest helps the juices redistribute, keeping the chicken tender and juicy when you slice into it.
Now for the fun part,serving! Slice your rested chicken into strips and pile it up on a platter. Arrange alongside some warm pita bread, fresh crisp lettuce, ripe tomato slices, and don't forget that creamy yoghurt sauce you made. To make a wrap, grab a piece of pita, smear a generous dollop of the yoghurt sauce on it, layer on some lettuce and tomato, then top with those beautiful slices of shawarma chicken. Roll it up tight and get ready to enjoy every delicious bite!
Next, add your chicken thighs into the bag or bowl. Now here's a fun part,use your hands to really get in there and coat each piece thoroughly with that marinade. If you're using a ziplock bag, seal it up tight, then give it a gentle but thorough massage to spread the marinade evenly all over every piece of chicken. It's kind of like giving your chicken a little spa treatment.
Once your chicken is all snug in that spicy bath, pop it in the fridge and let it soak up all those amazing flavors overnight. If you're short on time, even a few hours will do, but for the best depth of flavor, marinate for up to 24 hours. Patience really pays off here!
While the chicken is soaking up all those spices, go ahead and mix up your yoghurt sauce. Combine the yoghurt, garlic, lemon juice, and a pinch of seasoning in a bowl. Give it a good stir until everything is blended smoothly. Cover it up and tuck it into the fridge until you're ready to serve. Bonus: this sauce will keep fresh and tasty for up to three days, so it's great to make ahead.
When you're ready to cook, heat up your grill, BBQ, or if you're staying indoors, a large heavy based pan on the stove over medium high heat. You probably won't need to add any extra oil because the marinade already has some olive oil, and chicken thighs have a nice bit of natural fat that will keep things juicy and prevent sticking. But if you're feeling cautious, just lightly oil your cooking surface before adding the chicken.
Now, place the chicken on the hot grill or pan. Let it cook undisturbed on the first side for about 4 to 5 minutes until it gets that beautiful nice char and those lovely grill marks or crispy edges start to form. Then flip it over and cook the other side for another 3 to 4 minutes. The second side usually needs less time since the chicken is already nicely seared.
Once your chicken is cooked through and smelling irresistible, take it off the heat and cover it loosely with some foil. Let it rest for about 5 minutes. This little rest helps the juices redistribute, keeping the chicken tender and juicy when you slice into it.
Now for the fun part,serving! Slice your rested chicken into strips and pile it up on a platter. Arrange alongside some warm pita bread, fresh crisp lettuce, ripe tomato slices, and don't forget that creamy yoghurt sauce you made. To make a wrap, grab a piece of pita, smear a generous dollop of the yoghurt sauce on it, layer on some lettuce and tomato, then top with those beautiful slices of shawarma chicken. Roll it up tight and get ready to enjoy every delicious bite!
Pairs Well With
