Chicken Shawarma With Tahini Sauce
My friend Stephanie is the loveliest person. We met the first day of college, and I was immediately drawn to her warmth, kindness, and wacky sense of humor. Stephanie has a few obsessions, among them the country of Romania, where she lived for a while, teaching English and eating, mostly, chicken shawarma.
Do you know how chicken can be kind of… boring and dry? Shawarma chicken isn’t like that. In Romania, it’s made on a spit, kebab-style, to get as juicy as possible. We’ll be imitating these results by marinating the chicken in a yogurt-spice blend, making it so juicy and tender that you’ll be amazed at what you accomplished in your own kitchen.
Except for the tahini sauce and fresh veggies, all of the toppings cook together on a sheet pan, so clean up is easy. And if you don’t have a food processor, warm the tahini briefly in the microwave to make it easier to blend.
A quick note about marinating: yes, if you marinate for 2-8 hours, the chicken will be a little more flavorful. But I have tried a shorter marinade— about 45 minutes— and it was still juicy and amazing!
Sheet Pan Chicken Shawarma
Cook time: 25 mins + 2-8 hours to marinate
Serves: 4-6
We're using my version of the Sheet-Pan Chicken Shawarma recipe from The Modern Proper.
For Dietary Restrictions
Gluten free: use gluten-free pita
Dairy free: sub ¼ cup lemon juice + 2 Tbsp olive oil for the yogurt
Kids Can Help
Mix yogurt and spices, wash produce, measure ingredients
Ingredients
For the shawarma:
1 Tbsp olive oil
5-6 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 1.5 lb)
5 oz whole milk yogurt
1 tsp each salt, garlic powder, cardamom, and paprika
2 tsp cumin
½ tsp turmeric
Dash of cinnamon
1 red onion
1 red bell pepper
1 English cucumber
2 Roma tomatoes
Fresh parsley (optional)
4-6 pita bread (1 per person)
For the tahini sauce:
½ cup tahini
¼-½ cup water (start with ¼, then add more as needed to blend)
2-3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp red wine vinegar
¼-½ tsp salt (to taste)
4 garlic cloves
Directions
Step 1
Using a knife or kitchen scissors, remove large fat lobes from chicken and cut into medium-sized pieces (approximately 2 inches wide).
Step 2
Mix yogurt and spices until well blended, then add chicken and stir to coat. Allow to marinate somewhere between 1-8 hours.
Step 3
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Step 4
Thinly slice the red onion and red bell pepper.
Step 5
Coat a sheet pan with 1 Tbsp olive oil and spread out the chicken in an even layer. Scatter the sliced onion and red bell pepper on top. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through (165 degrees). Meanwhile, move on to steps 6-7.
Step 6
Slice cucumbers and tomatoes; mince parsley (if using).
Step 7
Make the tahini sauce: in a blender or food processor, blend all ingredients . Taste and adjust salt if necessary (or if too salty, add a bit more lemon juice). The sauce can be thinned with water if desired.
Step 8
Toast pita by placing in the hot oven for a few minutes, then assemble shawarmas and serve immediately!
