Chicken Shawarma With Garlic Sauce (Printable Version)

Juicy spiced chicken thighs with zesty garlic toum, perfect for Middle Eastern wraps and grain bowls.

# What You Need:

→ For the Chicken Shawarma

01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
02 - 3 tbsp olive oil
03 - 3 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
04 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
05 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 tbsp ground cumin
07 - 2 tsp ground coriander
08 - 2 tsp smoked paprika
09 - 1 tsp ground turmeric
10 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon
11 - 1 tsp ground allspice
12 - 1 tsp cayenne pepper
13 - 1.5 tsp kosher salt
14 - 1 tsp black pepper

→ For the Garlic Sauce (Toum)

15 - 6 large garlic cloves
16 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt
17 - 1 cup neutral oil (sunflower or canola)
18 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
19 - 1 tbsp ice water

→ For Serving

20 - 4 pita or flatbreads
21 - 1 cup shredded lettuce
22 - 1 large tomato, sliced
23 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
24 - Fresh parsley, chopped

# How To Make:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, allspice, cayenne, salt, and pepper until well combined.
02 - Add chicken thighs to the marinade, tossing to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, up to 6 hours for maximum flavor penetration.
03 - In a food processor, combine garlic cloves and salt. Pulse until finely minced. With motor running, slowly drizzle in oil while alternating with lemon juice and ice water until thick and creamy. Adjust seasoning as needed.
04 - Preheat grill, grill pan, or skillet over medium-high heat. Shake off excess marinade and grill chicken 5-6 minutes per side until cooked through with charred spots. Rest 5 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.
05 - Warm pitas briefly. Spread each with garlic sauce, layer with sliced chicken, lettuce, tomato, onion, and parsley. Roll or fold and serve immediately while chicken is warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The chicken gets incredibly tender from the yogurt marinade, practically falling apart when you slice it
  • That garlic sauce is worth making on its own—I've caught myself eating it with a spoon straight from the food processor
  • Once you've prepped the marinade, most of the work happens in the fridge while you go about your day
02 -
  • If your garlic sauce breaks and looks curdled instead of creamy, start over with fresh garlic—something about the chemistry makes it nearly impossible to fix once it's gone wrong
  • Chicken thighs can handle higher heat and longer cooking times than you might expect, so don't be afraid of getting some serious char on them
  • The garlic sauce needs to be made right before serving—it doesn't hold well in the fridge and loses that magical fluffy texture
03 -
  • Line your cooking surface with foil if you're worried about the marinade burning and smoking up your kitchen
  • Let the chicken rest for at least five minutes before slicing—this keeps all those juices inside instead of on your cutting board

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