Chicken Shawarma Made Street Style At Home My Food Story

on Jul 09, 2020, Updated Aug 14, 2020 We love Shawarma and it’s pretty much our go-to 6 PM snack! And I really wanted to try and recreate it at home. It’s a tall task though because authentic Shawarma is spit-roasted and slow-cooked for a while. I think we’ve come very very close to the original with this recipe. Authentic Middle Eastern Chicken Shawarma is all about the many layers of juicy chicken and seasoning. As daunting as it sounds, it can easily be made at home. I must warn you – there are quite a few elements to the dish if you want real deal shawarma, but get the family involved and I promise it’ll all be worth it. Love a Middle Eastern spread? Try hummus with whole wheat pita bread, falafel, chickpea salad, Egyptian beetroot dip and muhammara. Hummus is also a fantastic spread if you are making a shawarma roll.

BEST CUT OF CHICKEN TO USE

I recommend using skinless boneless chicken thighs for this recipe. The thighs of the chicken are constantly in use, making them more tender and juicy. Chicken thighs also have less protein and more fat when compared to chicken breasts. The meat cooks in its own fat and that’s why it remains juicy. Chicken breasts, on the other hand, can get dry and stringy.

CHICKEN SHAWARMA SEASONING

The seasoning or marinade is what makes this dish IRRESISTIBLE. We use olive oil, lime juice, ginger garlic paste, cumin, paprika, honey, cinnamon, oregano, turmeric, coriander powder, salt and black pepper. Most of these are probably in your pantry. The olive oil helps coat the seasoning on the chicken, adds flavour, and keeps it moist. You can also add 1/4 cup thick greek yogurt to this.

HOW TO NAIL THAT STREET STYLE LAYERING FOR ROASTED CHICKEN

Shawarma is traditionally made by layering well-seasoned meat on a vertical spit. The meat rotates over or in front of the heat and cooks in its dripping juices for hours with a heavenly char here and there. I don’t have a spit roast at home, and I used to envy those who do. But not anymore! After some determined trial and error, I have finally nailed this step in my good old oven. I was surprised by how close it tastes to that street style yum-mazing shawarma, and I’m so excited to share this method with you! To get the same effect, I tightly pack the marinated thighs in a loaf tin and then broil them for 25 minutes. They are cooked on high heat so that the top gets a really nice char (watch the video) and the insides are cooked through.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

The juicy shawarma meat tastes best wrapped in pita bread with a little spread of creamy, airy hummus. I also whipped up some delicious garlic mayo instead of toum which is what’s used traditionally. Serve this with a bunch of accompaniments like pickled beetroot and onions, sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, lemon wedges and coriander. Whether it’s a party or an elaborate Sunday lunch, I like to serve food in a DIY format. And homemade shawarma is one of the best options for this. Don’t forget to make my super creamy hummus to go with it!

MAKE IT A WRAP OR A SALAD IN A BOWL

Spread hummus on your pita, add all the accompaniments, top it with lots of chicken, drizzle some garlic mayo and you’ve got yourselves an amazing Chicken Shawarma wrap! With so many components involved, it’s natural to end up with some leftovers which I store in the fridge for later. Use the leftover to make yourself a salad with all the shawarma meat, accompaniments, and chopped lettuce thrown into a bowl. It makes for such a satisfying lunch or dinner. Or you can meal prep this with rice for later! Be prepared for delicious smells wafting in your house while the chicken roasts. Make a large batch and enjoy street style Middle Eastern for days afterward!