Crispy Chicken Shawarma
Crispy Chicken Shawarma
Ingredients
For the Chicken Marinade
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sumac
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 3 garlic, cloves, minced
For the Red Sauce for Crisping
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon sumac
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the Garlic Sauce
- 1 head garlic, peeled cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
For Assembly
- 4 large flour tortillas
- 1/2 cup dill pickles, chopped
- 1 cup french fries, cooked
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses, as needed for drizzling
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce, optional, for drizzling
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, for cooking chicken
Instructions
- 1
Thinly slice the chicken thighs and place them in a large bowl.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
To the chicken, add olive oil, yogurt, tomato paste, hot sauce, salt, black pepper, sumac, cumin, paprika, lemon juice, and minced garlic. Mix thoroughly until the chicken is well coated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours, to marinate.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
While the chicken marinates, prepare the red sauce for crisping. In a small bowl, combine melted butter, tomato paste, hot sauce, sumac, paprika, and salt. Mix well until smooth. Set aside.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Prepare the garlic sauce. Peel the garlic cloves from one head of garlic. Place the peeled garlic cloves and salt into a food processor. Blend until the garlic is finely minced.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
With the food processor running, slowly stream in the vegetable oil and alternate with the lemon juice. Continue blending until the mixture emulsifies and becomes thick and creamy. Transfer the garlic mixture to a bowl.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Add mayonnaise and sour cream to the garlic mixture. Mix well until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Set aside.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Heat a large pan or skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Once hot, add the marinated chicken in a single layer, working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan.
⏱️ 3 min
- 8
Cook the chicken, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes, or until it is beautifully seared, cooked through, and slightly crispy on all sides. Remove from heat and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 9
To assemble the shawarma, lay a large flour tortilla flat. Spread a generous amount of garlic sauce over the entire surface.
⏱️ 1 min
- 10
Place a portion of the cooked chicken down the center of the tortilla. Top with chopped pickles and cooked french fries.
⏱️ 1 min
- 11
Drizzle with pomegranate molasses and, if desired, a little hot sauce. Tightly roll the tortilla, tucking in the sides as you go, to form a compact wrap.
⏱️ 1 min
- 12
Heat a clean pan or griddle over medium heat. Place the rolled shawarma wraps onto the heated pan. Brush the top of each wrap generously with the prepared red sauce.
⏱️ 2 min
- 13
Cook the wraps for 2-3 minutes per side, turning occasionally and brushing with more red sauce, until they are beautifully toasted, crispy, and golden brown on all sides.
⏱️ 8 min
- 14
Serve the crispy chicken shawarma wraps immediately, optionally with extra garlic sauce, pomegranate molasses, and a side of fries and pickles.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Crispy Chicken Shawarma
For the Chicken Marinade
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sumac
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 3 garlic, cloves, minced
For the Red Sauce for Crisping
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon sumac
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the Garlic Sauce
- 1 head garlic, peeled cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
For Assembly
- 4 large flour tortillas
- 1/2 cup dill pickles, chopped
- 1 cup french fries, cooked
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses, as needed for drizzling
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce, optional, for drizzling
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, for cooking chicken
Instructions
- 1
Thinly slice the chicken thighs and place them in a large bowl.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
To the chicken, add olive oil, yogurt, tomato paste, hot sauce, salt, black pepper, sumac, cumin, paprika, lemon juice, and minced garlic. Mix thoroughly until the chicken is well coated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours, to marinate.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
While the chicken marinates, prepare the red sauce for crisping. In a small bowl, combine melted butter, tomato paste, hot sauce, sumac, paprika, and salt. Mix well until smooth. Set aside.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Prepare the garlic sauce. Peel the garlic cloves from one head of garlic. Place the peeled garlic cloves and salt into a food processor. Blend until the garlic is finely minced.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
With the food processor running, slowly stream in the vegetable oil and alternate with the lemon juice. Continue blending until the mixture emulsifies and becomes thick and creamy. Transfer the garlic mixture to a bowl.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Add mayonnaise and sour cream to the garlic mixture. Mix well until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Set aside.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Heat a large pan or skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Once hot, add the marinated chicken in a single layer, working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan.
⏱️ 3 min - 8
Cook the chicken, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes, or until it is beautifully seared, cooked through, and slightly crispy on all sides. Remove from heat and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 9
To assemble the shawarma, lay a large flour tortilla flat. Spread a generous amount of garlic sauce over the entire surface.
⏱️ 1 min - 10
Place a portion of the cooked chicken down the center of the tortilla. Top with chopped pickles and cooked french fries.
⏱️ 1 min - 11
Drizzle with pomegranate molasses and, if desired, a little hot sauce. Tightly roll the tortilla, tucking in the sides as you go, to form a compact wrap.
⏱️ 1 min - 12
Heat a clean pan or griddle over medium heat. Place the rolled shawarma wraps onto the heated pan. Brush the top of each wrap generously with the prepared red sauce.
⏱️ 2 min - 13
Cook the wraps for 2-3 minutes per side, turning occasionally and brushing with more red sauce, until they are beautifully toasted, crispy, and golden brown on all sides.
⏱️ 8 min - 14
Serve the crispy chicken shawarma wraps immediately, optionally with extra garlic sauce, pomegranate molasses, and a side of fries and pickles.
⏱️ 1 min