The first time I had chicken shawarma was at a local Mediterranean and Lebanese place here in Raleigh (shout out, Sassool!), and I instantly started dissecting the spices. It had such a distinct flavor combo that I had never tasted before. And the pickled vegetables just took it over the top.
After finally getting the flavor right, this Simple Chicken Shawarma recipe is now in my usual rotation. It’s healthy, packed with warm spices, and topped with deliciously creamy tzatziki (check out my easy tzatziki recipe). If you’d rather skip the bread, switch it up and turn this into a Mediterranean grain bowl. Now all that’s missing is a home rotisserie — in my wildest dreams!
Makes 4-6 servings
Ingredients
Chicken
3 chicken breasts
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
dash nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Quick Pickled Veggies
1/4 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/4 cup thinly sliced celery
1/4 cup thinly sliced onion
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
dash salt
dash pepper
Other Ingredients
Pita or pita pockets
Hummus
Diced tomatoes
Feta
Tzatziki
Directions
Chicken
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Rub chicken with seasonings. Sear chicken in a cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, about 4 minutes per side.
3. Transfer skillet to oven and bake 20-25 minutes, until cooked through. Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes.
4. Dice chicken and return to skillet, tossing to coat in pan drippings.
Quick Pickled Veggies
1. Place carrots, celery, and onion in a glass bowl or jar. Toss to combine.
2. In a small pot over medium heat, bring vinegar, water, salt, and pepper to a boil.
3. Pour vinegar over veggies and stir. Let sit at least 15 minutes.
Building Pita
1. Spread a few spoonfuls of hummus on a warmed pita or pita pocket.
2. Fill with chicken, pickles, tomatoes, feta, and tzatziki.
