Viral Crispy Chicken Shawarma
Viral Crispy Chicken Shawarma
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 pounds chicken thighs, thinly sliced
For the Chicken Marinade
- 10 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup tomato paste, or hot pepper paste
- 2 tablespoons full-fat yogurt, do not use Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 tablespoons shawarma spices, pre-mixed
For the Crispy Exterior Sauce
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1/2 cup tomato paste, or hot pepper paste
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1/4 cup water
For Cooking and Assembly
- 1 tablespoon beef tallow
- 4 pita bread
- 1/2 cup toum, garlic sauce, as needed
- 1/2 cup wild cucumber pickles, sliced, as needed
- 1 natural charcoal, for smoking, optional
Instructions
- 1
Ensure chicken thighs are thinly sliced. If not, slice them yourself to a consistent thinness.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
In a small blender or food processor, combine the garlic cloves, tomato paste (or hot pepper paste), full-fat yogurt, fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of oil, and shawarma spices. Blend until a smooth paste forms.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Pour the blended marinade over the thinly sliced chicken in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly with your hands, ensuring all chicken pieces are coated. Marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight in the refrigerator.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
To prepare the crispy exterior sauce, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the tomato paste (or hot pepper paste) and cook, stirring, until it becomes foamy and toasty, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the cayenne pepper, ketchup, and water. Whisk until it forms a smooth paste. Remove from heat and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
Preheat your oven to high broil. Place a sheet tray in the oven for 10-15 minutes to get very hot.
⏱️ 15 min
- 6
Carefully remove the hot sheet tray from the oven. Add beef tallow to the hot tray, allowing it to melt and coat the surface. Instantly slide the marinated chicken onto the hot sheet tray, spreading it out into a thin, even layer.
⏱️ 2 min
- 7
Return the sheet tray to the oven and broil for 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and has crispy, charred edges. Keep a close eye on it to prevent burning.
⏱️ 15 min
- 8
If desired, transfer the cooked chicken to a pan. Create a small aluminum foil cup, place it in the center of the chicken, and add a few drops of oil. Light a natural charcoal and place it into the oil in the foil cup. Immediately cover the pan with a lid to infuse the chicken with a smoky flavor for 5-10 minutes. Remove the charcoal and foil cup before serving.
⏱️ 10 min
- 9
To assemble the shawarmas, split each pita bread and gently open the insides. Spread a generous amount of toum (garlic sauce) on the inside of each pita. Pile a generous portion of the cooked chicken onto the toum. Add sliced wild cucumber pickles. Fold, tuck, and roll the pita tightly to form a wrap.
⏱️ 10 min
- 10
Place the rolled shawarmas seam-side down on a baking sheet. If there are pan drippings from the chicken, use them; otherwise, add a little oil to the baking sheet. Using a brush, paint the crispy exterior sauce (prepared in Step 4) generously onto the outside of each shawarma. Return to the oven or a hot pan and cook, flipping and basting all sides, until crispy and charred to your liking.
⏱️ 10 min
- 11
Serve the crispy chicken shawarmas immediately.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Viral Crispy Chicken Shawarma
For the Chicken
- 2 pounds chicken thighs, thinly sliced
For the Chicken Marinade
- 10 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup tomato paste, or hot pepper paste
- 2 tablespoons full-fat yogurt, do not use Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 tablespoons shawarma spices, pre-mixed
For the Crispy Exterior Sauce
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1/2 cup tomato paste, or hot pepper paste
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1/4 cup water
For Cooking and Assembly
- 1 tablespoon beef tallow
- 4 pita bread
- 1/2 cup toum, garlic sauce, as needed
- 1/2 cup wild cucumber pickles, sliced, as needed
- 1 natural charcoal, for smoking, optional
Instructions
- 1
Ensure chicken thighs are thinly sliced. If not, slice them yourself to a consistent thinness.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
In a small blender or food processor, combine the garlic cloves, tomato paste (or hot pepper paste), full-fat yogurt, fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of oil, and shawarma spices. Blend until a smooth paste forms.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Pour the blended marinade over the thinly sliced chicken in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly with your hands, ensuring all chicken pieces are coated. Marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight in the refrigerator.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
To prepare the crispy exterior sauce, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the tomato paste (or hot pepper paste) and cook, stirring, until it becomes foamy and toasty, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the cayenne pepper, ketchup, and water. Whisk until it forms a smooth paste. Remove from heat and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
Preheat your oven to high broil. Place a sheet tray in the oven for 10-15 minutes to get very hot.
⏱️ 15 min - 6
Carefully remove the hot sheet tray from the oven. Add beef tallow to the hot tray, allowing it to melt and coat the surface. Instantly slide the marinated chicken onto the hot sheet tray, spreading it out into a thin, even layer.
⏱️ 2 min - 7
Return the sheet tray to the oven and broil for 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and has crispy, charred edges. Keep a close eye on it to prevent burning.
⏱️ 15 min - 8
If desired, transfer the cooked chicken to a pan. Create a small aluminum foil cup, place it in the center of the chicken, and add a few drops of oil. Light a natural charcoal and place it into the oil in the foil cup. Immediately cover the pan with a lid to infuse the chicken with a smoky flavor for 5-10 minutes. Remove the charcoal and foil cup before serving.
⏱️ 10 min - 9
To assemble the shawarmas, split each pita bread and gently open the insides. Spread a generous amount of toum (garlic sauce) on the inside of each pita. Pile a generous portion of the cooked chicken onto the toum. Add sliced wild cucumber pickles. Fold, tuck, and roll the pita tightly to form a wrap.
⏱️ 10 min - 10
Place the rolled shawarmas seam-side down on a baking sheet. If there are pan drippings from the chicken, use them; otherwise, add a little oil to the baking sheet. Using a brush, paint the crispy exterior sauce (prepared in Step 4) generously onto the outside of each shawarma. Return to the oven or a hot pan and cook, flipping and basting all sides, until crispy and charred to your liking.
⏱️ 10 min - 11
Serve the crispy chicken shawarmas immediately.
⏱️ 1 min