Slice the shawarma into chunks and place in a pita along with hummus, tomato and whatever else you'd like in there. (Photo: Zach Pontz)Easy chicken shawarma
You can make this delightful street food at home in no time at all.
One of the true culinary pleasures of Israel is the shawarma. The chicken, lamb or, increasingly, turkey, is placed on a vertical spit and roasted. It's then carved into little chunks of meat and served alongside an assortment of vegetables, or in a pita or flatbread called a laffa.
Unfortunately when I'm back in the United States, it's hard to come by shawarma of any kind. While falafel has become a popular street food, shawarma has not totally caught on. Thus my craving for the stuff goes unrequited.
And so recently back from Israel and desperate as I was, I decided it was time to create my own shawarma recipe, one whose flavors were culled from my memories – and from a few recipes I've come across.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken thighs
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- Dash of cayenne pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons pepper
- 1 red onion
Directions
Mix the spices, olive oil, lemon and garlic together in a bowl and then add the chicken thighs and toss by hand. Let marinate in the fridge for a few hours.
Toss well the spice mixture with the chicken before letting it marinate in the fridge for at least an hour. (Photo: Zach Pontz)
Preheat the oven to 425°. Add the red onion (bell peppers also work) to the container of chicken thighs, toss, and then place in a pan. Cook the chicken thighs for 50 minutes.
Add a red onion (or bell pepper) to the dish before placing it in the oven. (Photo: Zach Pontz)
When done cooking, the chicken should be crisp and brown on the outside. To further crisp it throw it in a pan with some oil. (Photo: Zach Pontz)
Remove the chicken thighs from the oven and slice the meat into small chunks. If you want the shawarma a little crispy, like it would be when it comes off the spit, throw it in a pan with a thin layer of oil and cook until it coils.
The chicken will be tender and easy to cut (or tear) into chunks. (Photo: Zach Pontz)
Serve the shawarma as is or in a pita. You can add hummus, tomato, cucumber – whatever you'd like, really.
A chicken shawarma pita sandwich halfway to being filled. (Photo: Zach Pontz)
Related Topics: Mediterranean
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