Chicken Shawarma
Restaurant-style shawarma you can make in your own kitchen.
Shawarma is Levantine street food at its most beloved, and this version brings that restaurant flavour home to your own kitchen. The secret is a yogurt marinade brightened with lemon juice and zest, then warmed with cardamom, coriander, paprika and a blend of spices that keep the chicken juicy and deeply seasoned. What sets it apart is the garlic sauce: instead of the fussy classic toum, a boiled potato and a little mayonnaise whip into a cloud-soft, fluffy spread with none of the harshness. Marinate ahead, char the chicken until golden, then roll it up with warm bread and your favourite pickles.
How to Prepare
Mix all the marinade ingredients with the chicken and let it marinate (preferably a few hours).
Cook the marinated chicken in a hot pan or oven until cooked through and slightly charred, then slice.
For the garlic sauce, blend the boiled potato, mayonnaise, garlic cloves, ice cube and salt in a food processor until smooth and fluffy.
Warm the bread, spread with garlic sauce, add the shawarma and your favourite pickles and vegetables.
Roll up and serve.
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Marinate the chicken for several hours or overnight for the deepest flavour.
Ingredient Swaps
Use Greek yogurt in place of regular yogurt for a thicker marinade that clings to the chicken.
No fresh lemon? Bottled lemon juice works in the marinade, though fresh juice and zest give the brightest flavour.
Boneless chicken thighs stay the juiciest, but breast works well if you prefer leaner meat.
Out of mayonnaise? Whip the boiled potato with the garlic, ice cube and a little olive oil for a lighter, more classic-style toum.
No pan free? Roast the marinated chicken in the oven until cooked through and slightly charred.
Common Questions
Can I marinate the chicken ahead of time?
Yes. Marinating for several hours or even overnight gives the deepest flavour, so you can season the chicken the day before and simply cook it when you are ready.
How do I know the chicken is cooked?
Cook it in a hot pan or the oven until it is cooked through with no pink inside and slightly charred at the edges, then slice it before filling the sandwiches.
Why is there a boiled potato in the garlic sauce?
The potato gives this quick garlic sauce its body and fluffy, cloud-like texture without the fuss of the classic all-oil toum. Blend it with the mayonnaise, garlic cloves, ice cube and a pinch of salt until smooth.
My garlic sauce did not turn out fluffy — what went wrong?
Blend everything in a food processor until fully smooth, and do not skip the ice cube — it helps the sauce whip up light and fluffy.
What goes inside the shawarma wrap?
Warm the bread, spread it with the garlic sauce, then add the sliced shawarma along with your favourite pickles and vegetables before rolling it up.
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