SandwichesMiddle EasternMedium

Chicken Shawarma Sandwich with Garlic Sauce

Name: Chicken Shawarma Sandwich with Garlic Sauce
Prep time: 47 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 1 h 12 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 2 lb (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat, patted dry, and cut in half if very large so pieces are similar in size; ½ cup (120 g) plain whole-milk yogurt; 3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 1½ lemons; 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 4 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced; 2 tsp (4 g) ground cumin; 2 tsp (4 g) ground coriander; 2 tsp (5 g) sweet paprika; 1 tsp (2 g) ground turmeric; ½ tsp (1 g) ground allspice; ½ tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon; ¼ tsp (½ g) ground cardamom; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; ¼ tsp (½ g) cayenne pepper (optional); 2 tsp (8 g) kosher salt, Diamond Crystal; use about 1½ tsp if using Morton; 6 cloves (30 g) garlic cloves, peeled, halved, and any green germ removed; ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt; 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained; ¾ cup (180 ml) neutral oil (sunflower, canola or grapeseed), at room temperature; 2 tbsp (30 ml) ice-cold water; 4 pitas (260 g) large pita breads (8-inch / 20 cm), soft, pocketless or regular; 3½ oz (100 g) Middle Eastern pickled cucumbers or pickled turnips, drained and sliced into thin strips or rounds; 7 oz (200 g) Persian or small English cucumber, thinly sliced into rounds; 7 oz (200 g) ripe small tomatoes, thinly sliced, lightly salted just before using; 2 oz (60 g) red onion, halved and very thinly sliced (optional); 1 tsp (2 g) sumac (optional); ½ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Yogurt-and-spice marinated chicken thighs are roasted until browned at the edges, then piled into warm pitas with a fluffy homemade toum, crunchy pickles, cucumber and tomato. Juicy, fragrant and fully doable on a sheet pan.

Prep: 47 min
Cook: 25 min
Wait: 2 hr 10 min
Total: 3 hr 22 min
Makes: 4 large sandwiches

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the chicken
2 lb (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat, patted dry, and cut in half if very large so pieces are similar in size
½ cup (120 g) plain whole-milk yogurt
3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 1½ lemons
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
2 tsp (4 g) ground cumin
2 tsp (4 g) ground coriander
2 tsp (5 g) sweet paprika
1 tsp (2 g) ground turmeric
½ tsp (1 g) ground allspice
½ tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon
¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground cardamom
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
¼ tsp (0.5 g) cayenne pepper (optional)
2 tsp (8 g) kosher salt, Diamond Crystal; use about 1½ tsp if using Morton
For the toum (garlic sauce)
6 cloves (30 g) garlic cloves, peeled, halved, and any green germ removed
½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt
2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained
¾ cup (180 ml) neutral oil (sunflower, canola or grapeseed), at room temperature
2 tbsp (30 ml) ice-cold water
For assembling
4 pitas (260 g) large pita breads (8-inch / 20 cm), soft, pocketless or regular
3½ oz (100 g) Middle Eastern pickled cucumbers or pickled turnips, drained and sliced into thin strips or rounds
7 oz (200 g) Persian or small English cucumber, thinly sliced into rounds
7 oz (200 g) ripe small tomatoes, thinly sliced, lightly salted just before using
2 oz (60 g) red onion, halved and very thinly sliced (optional)
1 tsp (2 g) sumac (optional)
½ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped

Equipment (7)

Large mixing bowl or zip-top bag
Food processor (at least 7-cup / 1.7 L capacity)
Rimmed baking sheet, 18×13-inch (46×33 cm), lined with parchment or foil, with a wire rack (optional)
Instant-read thermometer
Cutting board and sharp knife
Large dry skillet or griddle for warming pitas
Squeeze bottle or spoon for the sauce

Steps

Before you start

Plan for at least 2 hours of marinating; you can marinate up to 12 hours in the fridge for deeper flavor.
Make the toum while the chicken marinates. It needs a food processor and a slow, steady drizzle of oil, so don't rush it.
Toum is very strong and made with raw garlic. Use fresh, firm garlic and remove any green germ from the centers of the cloves to avoid bitterness.
Position an oven rack about 6 inches (15 cm) below the broiler element.

1
Mix the marinade
- In a large bowl, whisk the yogurt, 3 tbsp (45 ml) lemon juice, olive oil, grated garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, allspice, cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper, cayenne (if using) and 2 tsp kosher salt until it forms a smooth, evenly orange-gold paste with no streaks of dry spice.
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Ready when: Marinade is smooth and uniformly colored.
Tip: Grate the garlic on a microplane so it disperses evenly and doesn't leave raw chunks.
2
Marinate the chicken
- Add the trimmed, dried chicken thighs to the bowl and turn them with your hands until every piece is thickly coated, including the folds.
- Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.
- Take the bowl out of the fridge 20 minutes before roasting.
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Ready when: Chicken is fully coated and looks glossy-orange.
Tip: Don't marinate longer than 12 hours; the lemon juice and yogurt can make the meat mushy.
3
Blend the toum
- While the chicken marinates, put the garlic and ½ tsp salt in the food processor and process for 1 minute, scraping down the sides twice, until it's a fine, sticky paste.
- Add 1 tbsp of the lemon juice and process 30 seconds.
- With the machine running, drizzle in the oil a few drops at a time for the first ¼ cup (60 ml), then in a very thin stream.
- Every time the mixture looks thick, add a little of the remaining lemon juice or ice water.
- Continue until all the oil, lemon juice and ice water are used.
- Scrape into a jar and refrigerate.
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Ready when: Sauce is white, fluffy and thick like mayonnaise, and holds a spoon upright.
Tip: If the sauce looks greasy or splits, you added oil too fast. Remove it to a bowl, start again with 1 tbsp ice water in the clean processor, and slowly drizzle the broken sauce back in.
4
Prep the toppings
- Slice the pickles, cucumber, tomatoes and red onion (if using).
- Toss the onion with the sumac and a pinch of the parsley.
- Chop the parsley.
- Keep everything in separate piles so you can assemble quickly later.
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Ready when: Slices are thin and uniform, about ⅛ inch (3 mm).
Tip: Salt the tomatoes only right before serving so they don't weep onto the pitas.
5
Roast the chickenOven 450°F / 230°C
- Heat the oven to 450°F (230°C) with a rack in the upper third.
- Lay the chicken on the lined baking sheet (on a wire rack if you have one) in a single layer with space between pieces, and scrape any extra marinade on top.
- Roast for 18 minutes, until the edges start to brown and the thickest piece reads at least 165°F (74°C).
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Ready when: Chicken is cooked through, juices run clear and the thickest piece reads at least 165°F (74°C).
Tip: Crowded chicken steams rather than browns; use two pans if needed.
6
Broil to charOven 500°F / 260°C
- Switch the oven to broil (high).
- Broil the chicken 3–4 minutes, watching closely, until the edges are deeply browned with a few charred spots.
- The internal temperature should now be about 175°F (80°C), which gives the most tender thighs.
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Ready when: Edges are dark brown and crisp, with a few blackened spots, and the chicken reads 175°F (80°C).
Tip: Yogurt and sugars scorch fast under a broiler; don't walk away.
7
Rest and slice
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and rest 8 minutes so the juices settle.
- Slice it against the grain into thin strips about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick.
- Toss the strips in the juices left on the baking sheet.
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Ready when: Slices are juicy and tender, not dry.
Tip: Slicing right away lets the juices run onto the board.
8
Warm the pitas
- Heat a large dry skillet over medium heat.
- Warm each pita for 20–30 seconds per side, until soft, pliable and lightly blistered.
- Stack the warm pitas in a clean towel so they stay soft.
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Ready when: Pitas are hot, soft and bend without cracking.
Tip: Overheating makes pitas stiff and crumbly; warm them just until pliable.
9
Assemble and serve
- Lay a warm pita on a work surface.
- Spread about 3 tbsp toum down the center, top with a quarter of the chicken, then add pickles, cucumber, tomato, the sumac onion and parsley.
- Add a little more toum on top, fold in the sides and roll up tightly.
- If you like, wrap the bottom half in parchment paper and press the sandwiches in the dry skillet over medium heat for 1 minute per side to toast.
- Serve right away.
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Ready when: Sandwich is tightly rolled and holds together when lifted.
Tip: Don't overfill; a tight roll keeps the juicy filling from sliding out.

Good to know

Tips

Pat the chicken dry before marinating so the marinade clings and the surface browns.
Use a wire rack on the baking sheet for crisper edges on all sides.
Fresh spices make a difference; replace ground spices that have sat open longer than a year.
If you prefer stovetop cooking, sear the marinated thighs in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for 5–6 minutes per side, until deeply browned and 165°F (74°C) inside.

Make ahead

"Marinate the chicken up to 12 hours ahead. The toum can be made up to 3 days ahead and kept chilled; its raw-garlic bite mellows after a day. The chicken can be cooked and sliced a day ahead, then reheated."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: assembled sandwiches and cooked chicken no longer than 2 hours. Fridge: keep cooked chicken in an airtight container up to 3 days and toum in a clean jar up to 1 week; store vegetables separately. Freezer: freeze cooked, sliced chicken up to 3 months (do not freeze toum or assembled sandwiches). Reheat chicken in a skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, or at 350°F (175°C) covered with foil for 8–10 minutes, until steaming hot and 165°F (74°C) inside."

Substitutions

boneless, skinless chicken thighs → boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Pound to an even thickness and pull from the oven at 165°F (74°C), skipping the extended broil, as breast dries out more easily.
plain whole-milk yogurt → labneh or Greek yogurt. Thicker, so thin with 1 tbsp water if the marinade is too stiff to coat evenly.
neutral oil (sunflower, canola or grapeseed) → light-flavored vegetable oil blend. Avoid strong extra-virgin olive oil, which turns the toum bitter.
Middle Eastern pickled cucumbers or pickled turnips → quick-pickled red onion or dill pickle spears. Any crunchy, tangy pickle balances the rich chicken and garlic sauce.

chicken garlic sauce marinated middle eastern pita sandwich shawarma toum

Steps

Mix the marinade

Marinate the chicken

Blend the toum

Prep the toppings

Roast the chickenOven 450°F / 230°C

Broil to charOven 500°F / 260°C

Rest and slice

Warm the pitas

Assemble and serve

Good to know

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