Chicken Shawarma
Perfect and easy HOMEMADE CHICKEN SHAWARMA recipe, that tastes just like a Pakistani street style shawarma. Shawarma is vastly popular across the middle-east, specially Lebanon. It is a popular street food as well in Pakistan and India. You can prepare this easy shawarma at home as a side dish for brunch or for evening snacks.
Chicken grilled or baked in a yogurt marinade, rolled up in pita bread and served with salad, tzatziki, hot sauce and the mayo garlic sauce. This seems like the perfect dish for your evening binge.
My love for Chicken Shawarma
I love food, and when it comes to Pakistani taste/style in food… I try my best to get the same result. Living in California for almost 2 decades now, there are many food items that I miss and miss them so badly here in California. Well the list is long that I miss here in California, and CHICKEN SHAWARMA is one of them. And I’m so happy and excited to share the shawarma that tastes just like the shawarma we get in Pakistan from any cart (thela) 
but this is homemade and yes homemade is the best 
Alhamdulillah!
I’m sure you’ll love this recipe and would want to make it every other day. Give this recipe a try and do share your feedback!
Pita Bread
Very Easy Homemade Pita Bread Recipe. Try this recipe and experience the magic of fresh, warm, perfectly puffy homemade pita bread.
What is Tzatziki?
Tzatziki is made simply with yogurt, drained cucumber, olive oil, fresh herbs(usually mint or dill), garlic, lemon juice, and salt.
What yogurt to use for tzatziki?
Original recipe is based on the greek yogurt, but if you don’t have greek yogurt, regular plain yogurt would work too. Hang the yogurt in a cheesecloth (or use the strainer) for some time so all the water get drained out. If you don’t have
Sauces
I am sharing two different sauces for this recipe. I’d say the garlic may is a MUST for shawarma, and if you like really spicy shawarma then give a try to the HOT sauce too.
Chicken Shawarma
Ingredients
Chicken Marination
- 2 lbs Chicken boneless
- 2 tbsp Yogurt
- 2 tbsp Ginger garlic paste
- 3 tbsp Lemon juice
- 3 tbsp Olive oil
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp Red chili powder or to taste
- 2 tsp Cumin powder
- 2 tsp Coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp Black pepper
- 2 tsp Paprika
- Cardamom powder a pinch
- 1 tbsp Sumac
- 1 tbsp Shawarma powder
Pita Bread
- 4 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 2 tbsp Yeast
- 2 tbsp Oil
- Lukewarm water as needed
Garlic Mayo Sauce
- 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
- 1-2 tbsp Cream
- 1 Garlic
- 1 tsp Lemon juice
- 1 tsp Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Olive oil or any oil
- Salt to taste
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper
- 1 tbsp Sesame seeds
Hot Sauce
- 15-20 Red chilies soaked in water
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1 Garlic
- 1 tsp Vinegar
- 1 tsp Lemon juice
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsp Olive oil or any oil
Tzatziki
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or hung yogurt
- 1/2 cup Cucumber grated
- 1 Garlic crushed
- 1 tbsp Mint chopped
- Salt to taste
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper
- 1/2 tsp Lemon juice
Instructions
Chicken
- In a mixing bowl, add yogurt, lemon juice, oil and all the dry spices.
- Mix well, marinate the chicken and leave it for 3-4 hours.
- Heat oil in a pan, and fry each side for 5-6 mins or until done.
- When its done, let it cool down.
- Cut the grilled chicken into strips.
Pita Bread
- In a large mixing bowl,add flour, salt, sugar, yeast and oil. Mix all the ingredients together.
- Use luke warm water, as needed and knead the dough. The dough should be soft and moist.
- Apply oil, cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place for 3-4 hours or until dough has doubled in size.
- Lightly dust a clean surface with flour. Punch down dough and turn it out onto surface. Divide dough into 8 pieces and roll into balls.
- Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let rest 10 minutes (this step is not necessary).
- Roll each ball into 6-8" wide, sprinkle dough with extra flour if it starts to stick.
- Place the rolled bread on the hot pan. The pan should be MEDIUM HOT. Flip when one side changes color, press the edges gently using a spatula. Cook both sides until done.
- Cover cooked pitas with a clean kitchen towel to keep warm.
Mayo Garlic Sauce
- In a blender add mayonnaise and all other ingredients and blend it.
- Use milk if you don't have cream available.
Hot Sauce
- Soak 15-20 red chilies in water for 3-4 hours.
- Add the soaked red chilies, and all other ingredients in a blender and blend it.
- Use chilies according to your taste.
Tzatziki
- Peel and then grate the cucumber.
- Use a strainer or a cheesecloth to squueze the water out completely.
- In a mixing bowl, add greek yogurt, grated cucumber, mint and all the spices.
- Mix all well.
- Refreshing chilled tzatziki is ready.
