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chicken shawarma with garlic sauce wrapped in warm pita bread, filled with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, and topped with creamy tzatziki sauce.

chicken shawarma with garlic sauce

This Chicken Shawarma with Garlic Sauce brings Middle Eastern street food right into your kitchen! Tender, marinated chicken thighs are grilled to smoky perfection and served with a fluffy, egg-free garlic sauce called toum. The secret? A yogurt-based marinade that keeps the chicken juicy and a toasted spice blend that wakes up every flavor. Wrap it in warm pita or serve it over rice for an easy, flavor-packed dinner the whole family will love.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course, Dinner, Lunch, Meal Prep
Cuisine: Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Lebanese
Calories: 480
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken Marinade
  • 2 lbs Boneless chicken thighs - Trimmed of excess fat
  • ½ cup Plain yogurt - Greek yogurt works too
  • 2 tablespoon Olive oil - For richness
  • 2 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice - Adds tang and tenderizes
  • 4 cloves Garlic -Minced
  • 2 teaspoon Ground cumin - Toast first for deeper flavor
  • 2 teaspoon Smoked paprika - Adds warmth and color
  • 1 teaspoon Ground turmeric -For color and aroma
  • ½ teaspoon Ground cinnamon -Optional adds depth
  • 1 teaspoon Sea salt -
  • ½ teaspoon Black pepper -
  • 1 tablespoon Pomegranate molasses - Optional — Sitti’s secret touch
For the Garlic Sauce
  • 1 cup Neutral oil - Like canola or grapeseed
  • 6 cloves Fresh garlic - Peeled
  • 3 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice -
  • 2 tablespoon Ice water - Helps emulsify
  • ½ teaspoon Salt - Adjust to taste
  • 4 pieces Pita bread -Warmed or toasted
  • 1 small Red onion - Thinly sliced
  • 1 medium Tomato - Sliced
  • ½ cup Cucumber slices -
  • 2 tablespoon Fresh parsley - Chopped
  • ¼ cup Pickled turnips - Optional for authenticity

Equipment

  • 1 Food processor or blender (For making garlic sauce (toum) )
  • 1 Mixing bowl (For marinating chicken)
  • 1 Grill pan or outdoor grill (For cooking the shawarma))
  • 1 Sharp Knife (For slicing cooked chicken)

Method
 

  1. 1In a large mixing bowl, combine yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, salt, and pepper.
  2. Briefly toast cumin and paprika in a dry pan for 30 seconds before mixing them into the yogurt for deeper flavor.
  3. Add chicken thighs to the bowl, coating them evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (overnight for best flavor).
  4. Blend garlic and salt in a food processor until smooth. While blending, drizzle oil in very slowly, alternating with lemon juice and ice water, until thick and fluffy.
  5. Heat grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook marinated chicken 6–7 minutes per side until golden and charred (internal temp 165°F).

Nutrition

Serving: 300gCalories: 480kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 38gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 145mgSodium: 520mgPotassium: 2mgFiber: 4gSugar: 230gVitamin A: 7IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 65mgIron: 2mg

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be considered an approximation. Actual values may vary based on specific ingredients used and portion sizes

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