Chicken Shawarma Recipe

Marinated boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs are grilled to perfection and served on soft pita bread with fresh yogurt sauce, tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet red onion, and feta cheese.

Course main meal chicken

Cuisine Greek

Keyword chicken shawarma wrap, how to make chicken shawarma, what is chicken shawarma

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Servings servings

Calories 278kcal

Author Beth Pierce

Ingredients

Marinade

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise 1 1/4 -1 1/2 lbs
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon juiced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
pinch red pepper flakes

Yogurt Sauce

1/2 cup Greek Yogurt
1/2 lemon juiced
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 pinches crushed red pepper

Wrap

Pita bread warmed
Romaine chopped
Cucumber slices
Grape tomatoes halved
Feta cheese
Red onions thinly sliced

Instructions

In a large Ziploc bag, add the olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, ground cumin, ground coriander, smoked paprika, ground turmeric, ground cinnamon, salt, fresh ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes; shake to combine. Add chicken and marinate for 2-3 hours in the refrigerator.
Preheat the gas grill to 350 degrees. Cook chicken breasts for 5-7 minutes on each side; they are done when they reach an internal temperate of 160-165 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from grill, cover loosely with an aluminum foil tent and let rest for 10-15 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper.
Slice the chicken into small bite-size pieces. In warm pita bread, layer chicken, romaine, cucumber, tomatoes, feta cheese, red onions, and yogurt sauce. If desired, garnish with fresh parsley.

Notes

Boneless skinless chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs work equally well for this recipe. Of course, thighs will cook a little slower, so you will need to increase the cooking time by several minutes.
Marinating for about 2-3 hours is optimum for fabulous flavor without the acid from the lemons changing the consistency or texture of the chicken.
For best results, warm your pita bread by wrapping it in aluminum foil and placing it in a 350 degrees oven for about 10 minutes. Likewise, you can heat it unwrapped on a microwave-safe plate in the microwave for about 15 seconds.
Are you watching your carbs? Skip the pita bread and serve it as a salad.
Tzatziki sauce or tahini sauce can be substituted for the yogurt sauce.
Serve this recipe promptly. Chicken dries out when reheated, warmed too long, or cut too far in advance, so plan accordingly.
The yogurt sauce can be made up to two days in advance and stored in the fridge.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition