Oven-Roasted Chicken Shawarma with Garlic Sauce

Name: Oven-Roasted Chicken Shawarma with Garlic Sauce
Prep time: 53 min
Cook time: 29 min
Total time: 1 h 22 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 3 lb (1360 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of large pieces of fat, patted dry; ½ cup (125 g) plain whole-milk yogurt; 3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 1 large lemon; 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 5 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced; 1 tbsp (7 g) ground cumin; 1 tbsp (7 g) sweet paprika; 2 tsp (4 g) ground coriander; 1 tsp (3 g) ground turmeric; ½ tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon; ½ tsp (1 g) ground allspice; 1 tsp (2 g) black pepper, freshly ground; ¼ tsp (½ g) cayenne pepper (optional); 2 tsp (7 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), use about half as much if using fine table salt or Morton kosher; 1 cup (240 g) plain full-fat Greek yogurt; 2 cloves (6 g) garlic cloves, finely grated to a paste; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; 1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tbsp (15 g) tahini, stirred well before measuring (optional); ¼ tsp (1 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal); 6 whole (420 g) large pita breads (8-inch / 20 cm), warmed; 2 medium (300 g) medium ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced; 3 small (200 g) Persian or small cucumbers, thinly sliced into rounds; ½ medium (75 g) red onion, very thinly sliced; 1 tsp (3 g) ground sumac (optional); ½ cup (20 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, loosely packed, roughly chopped

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Juicy chicken thighs soaked in a yogurt, lemon and warm-spice marinade, roasted hot and broiled until charred at the edges, then sliced and tucked into pita with a sharp, creamy garlic sauce. It gives you shawarma-shop flavor from a regular home oven.

Prep: 53 min
Cook: 29 min
Wait: 2 hr 25 min
Total: 3 hr 47 min
Makes: 6 filled pitas (about 3 lb / 1.36 kg raw chicken)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the chicken
3 lb (1360 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of large pieces of fat, patted dry
½ cup (125 g) plain whole-milk yogurt
3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 1 large lemon
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
5 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
1 tbsp (7 g) ground cumin
1 tbsp (7 g) sweet paprika
2 tsp (4 g) ground coriander
1 tsp (3 g) ground turmeric
½ tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon
½ tsp (1 g) ground allspice
1 tsp (2 g) black pepper, freshly ground
¼ tsp (0.5 g) cayenne pepper (optional)
2 tsp (7 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), use about half as much if using fine table salt or Morton kosher
For the garlic sauce
1 cup (240 g) plain full-fat Greek yogurt
2 cloves (6 g) garlic cloves, finely grated to a paste
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp (15 g) tahini, stirred well before measuring (optional)
¼ tsp (1 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
For serving
6 whole (420 g) large pita breads (8-inch / 20 cm), warmed
2 medium (300 g) medium ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced
3 small (200 g) Persian or small cucumbers, thinly sliced into rounds
½ medium (75 g) red onion, very thinly sliced
1 tsp (3 g) ground sumac (optional)
½ cup (20 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, loosely packed, roughly chopped

Equipment (8)

Large mixing bowl
Small mixing bowl
18×13-inch (46×33 cm) rimmed baking sheet
Aluminum foil
Wire cooling rack that fits inside the baking sheet (optional, for crisper edges)
Instant-read thermometer
Microplane or fine grater
Sharp chef's knife and cutting board

Steps

Before you start

Plan for at least 2 hours of marinating time (up to 12 hours in the fridge is ideal). Longer than 12 hours and the lemon juice can make the chicken mushy.
Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Breasts dry out at this oven temperature.
Keep the garlic sauce in the fridge until serving. Raw garlic gets stronger as it sits, so taste it before serving.
Put an oven rack in the upper third of the oven so the chicken sits about 6 inches (15 cm) from the broiler later.

1
Mix the marinade
- In a large bowl, whisk together the marinade yogurt, 3 tbsp (45 ml) lemon juice, 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil, the 5 grated garlic cloves, cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, allspice, black pepper, cayenne (if using) and 2 tsp salt until it forms a smooth, thick, deep golden-orange paste with no dry spice pockets.
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Ready when: The marinade is smooth, evenly colored, and smells strongly of warm spices.
Tip: Turmeric stains. Use a glass or stainless bowl, not plastic, and wipe up drips right away.
2
Marinate the chicken
- Add the trimmed, dry chicken thighs to the bowl and turn them with your hands or tongs until every piece is thickly coated.
- Cover the bowl tightly (or transfer to a zip-top bag) and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.
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Ready when: Thighs are fully coated, with no bare patches of meat showing.
Tip: Pat the thighs dry before they go in. Excess water dilutes the marinade and keeps the surface from browning.
3
Make the garlic sauce
- While the chicken marinates, stir the Greek yogurt, 2 finely grated garlic cloves, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp olive oil, tahini (if using) and ¼ tsp salt together in a small bowl until smooth and spoonable.
- Taste and add a pinch more salt or a few drops more lemon if needed.
- Cover and refrigerate until serving, at least 30 minutes.
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Ready when: Sauce is smooth, thick but pourable, and tastes pleasantly sharp with garlic.
Tip: Grate the garlic on a Microplane so it melts into the yogurt. Chunks of raw garlic taste harsh.
4
Prep the toppings
- Slice the tomatoes and cucumbers into thin rounds and the red onion into very thin half-moons.
- If using sumac, toss it with the onion.
- Roughly chop the parsley.
- Keep everything in separate small bowls in the fridge until serving.
5
Preheat and arrangeOven 450°F / 230°C
- Set a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450°F (230°C).
- Line an 18×13-inch (46×33 cm) rimmed baking sheet with foil; set a wire rack on it if you have one.
- Lift the thighs from the marinade, letting excess drip off but leaving a thick coating, and lay them in a single layer with about ½ inch (1 cm) between pieces.
- Let them sit at room temperature while the oven heats.
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Ready when: Oven has reached 450°F (230°C) and the thighs are in one uncrowded layer.
Tip: Don't crowd the pan. Touching thighs steam instead of roast and won't char.
6
Roast the chickenOven 450°F / 230°C
- Roast on the upper rack at 450°F (230°C) for 25 minutes, flipping the thighs once at about the 13-minute mark.
- The thickest pieces should register at least 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer, and the marinade should be dry, deep reddish-gold and starting to blister.
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Ready when: Thickest thigh reads at least 165°F (74°C) and juices run clear.
Tip: If the pan smokes, the foil may be contacting the oven floor. Check that the baking sheet is level and nothing is dripping.
7
Broil for charOven 500°F / 260°C
- Switch the oven to broil on high (about 500°F / 260°C).
- Broil the chicken 3 to 4 minutes, watching constantly, until the edges are charred in spots and the surface looks browned and slightly crisp.
- Remove the pan from the oven.
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Ready when: Dark brown to black flecks appear on the thinner edges; the thickest part reads 175°F (79°C).
Tip: Sugars and spices go from charred to burnt in under a minute. Don't walk away.
8
Rest the chicken
- Leave the chicken on the pan, loosely tented with foil, for 10 minutes so the juices redistribute.
- Meanwhile, warm the pitas in a dry skillet over medium heat for 20 to 30 seconds per side, or wrap them in foil and place in the turned-off oven.
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Ready when: Pitas are soft, warm and flexible, with a few light brown spots.
Tip: Cutting too early lets the juices run onto the board and leaves the meat drier.
9
Slice the chicken
- Transfer the thighs to a cutting board.
- Slice them against the grain into thin strips about ¼ inch (6 mm) wide, then toss them with any pan juices spooned from the pan so the meat stays moist and the charred bits get mixed in.
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Ready when: Strips are juicy and tender with no pink in the center.
10
Assemble and serve
- Spread a generous spoonful of garlic sauce over each warm pita.
- Pile on about ½ cup of sliced chicken, then top with tomatoes, cucumbers, onion and parsley.
- Drizzle with more sauce, fold or roll the pita, and wrap the bottom in parchment or foil if you like.
- Serve right away, with extra sauce on the side.
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Ready when: Pitas are filled and can be folded without tearing.
Tip: Don't overfill. A modest amount of chicken per pita makes it easier to roll and eat.

Good to know

Tips

Leave a thick coating of marinade on the thighs when you arrange them. It forms the browned, spiced crust.
Slice the cooked chicken against the grain into thin strips to mimic the texture of shaved shawarma.
A thermometer is more reliable than the clock. Thick thighs may need a few extra minutes in the oven.
For extra-garlicky sauce, let it rest for an hour before serving, then taste and adjust the lemon and salt.

Make ahead

"Marinate the chicken up to 12 hours ahead. The garlic sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept covered in the fridge. Roasted chicken can be cooked, cooled and sliced a day ahead, then reheated just before serving."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: cooked chicken should not sit out more than 2 hours. Fridge: store sliced chicken in an airtight container for up to 4 days and the garlic sauce for up to 4 days. Freezer: freeze cooked chicken in a freezer bag for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat chicken in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water for 3 to 5 minutes, or in a 350°F (175°C) oven covered with foil for 10 to 12 minutes, until steaming hot and at least 165°F (74°C). Do not freeze the garlic sauce."

Substitutions

boneless, skinless chicken thighs → Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to an even 1-inch (2.5 cm) thickness. Roast for 18 to 22 minutes and pull at 165°F (74°C), or they will turn dry. Skip the extra broiling time if browned.
plain whole-milk yogurt → Dairy-free unsweetened coconut or soy yogurt. The flavor will be slightly milder and the chicken a little less tender, but it browns well.
large pita breads (8-inch / 20 cm) → Flatbread, lavash, or serve over rice or salad. Warm flatbread the same way. For a bowl, serve over rice or greens with the same toppings and sauce.
ground sumac → 1 tsp lemon juice mixed into the sliced onion. Adds a similar tangy brightness to the onions.