Chicken Shawarma Wraps with Garlic Sauce

Name: Chicken Shawarma Wraps with Garlic Sauce
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 26 min
Total time: 1 h 6 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 2 lb (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat, patted dry; 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 1½ lemons; ½ cup (120 g) plain whole-milk yogurt; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, finely grated; 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 cinnamon; ½ tsp (1 g) ground allspice; 1 tsp (2 g) black pepper, freshly ground; ¼ tsp (½ g) cayenne pepper (optional); 1½ tsp (9 g) fine sea salt; ¾ cup (170 g) plain Greek yogurt; ¼ cup (60 g) mayonnaise; 2 cloves (6 g) garlic cloves, finely grated to a paste; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine sea salt; 1 tbsp (15 ml) cold water; 6 rounds (360 g) soft pocketless pita or flatbread, 8-inch (20 cm) rounds, at room temperature; 2 medium (300 g) medium ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into thin half-moons; 1 cup (120 g) dill pickle slices or pickled turnips, drained; ½ medium (60 g) red onion, very thinly sliced; 1 tsp (3 g) ground sumac; ½ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Juicy chicken thighs soaked in a warm-spiced yogurt and lemon marinade, roasted on a hot sheet pan until the edges char, then rolled in soft pita with creamy garlic sauce, tomato, pickles and sumac onion.

Prep: 40 min
Cook: 26 min
Wait: 2 hr 5 min
Total: 3 hr 11 min
Makes: 6 wraps

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the chicken
2 lb (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat, patted dry
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 1½ lemons
½ cup (120 g) plain whole-milk yogurt
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, finely grated
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 cinnamon
½ tsp (1 g) ground allspice
1 tsp (2 g) black pepper, freshly ground
¼ tsp (0.5 g) cayenne pepper (optional)
1½ tsp (9 g) fine sea salt
For the garlic sauce
¾ cup (170 g) plain Greek yogurt
¼ cup (60 g) mayonnaise
2 cloves (6 g) garlic cloves, finely grated to a paste
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp (1.5 g) fine sea salt
1 tbsp (15 ml) cold water
For the wraps
6 rounds (360 g) soft pocketless pita or flatbread, 8-inch (20 cm) rounds, at room temperature
2 medium (300 g) medium ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into thin half-moons
1 cup (120 g) dill pickle slices or pickled turnips, drained
½ medium (60 g) red onion, very thinly sliced
1 tsp (3 g) ground sumac
½ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped

Equipment (10)

Large mixing bowl
Rimmed baking sheet, 18×13 inches (46×33 cm), lined with aluminum foil (no parchment)
Wire rack that fits inside the baking sheet (optional but gives better browning)
Instant-read thermometer
Two cutting boards: one for raw-chicken tasks and a clean one for toppings and slicing cooked chicken
Sharp chef's knife
Tongs (washed in hot soapy water after touching raw chicken)
Small bowls for the garlic sauce and sumac onion
Large dry skillet or griddle for warming pitas
Microplane or fine grater

Steps

Before you start

Plan for at least 2 hours of marinating time (up to 12 hours in the fridge gives deeper flavor). Most of the 191 minutes is hands-off.
Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Breasts dry out with this method.
Use aluminum foil, not parchment, to line the pan. Parchment can scorch, smoke or ignite under a broiler.
Prep the garlic sauce and all the ready-to-eat toppings (tomato, onion, pickles, parsley) BEFORE you touch the raw chicken, so nothing they touch has been near raw meat.
Take the pitas out of the fridge or freezer so they come to room temperature and are easy to fold.

1
Make the garlic sauce
- In a small bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, 2 grated garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon cold water to loosen it.
- Taste and add a pinch more salt if needed.
- Cover and refrigerate until serving.
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Ready when: Sauce is smooth, spoonable and drizzle-able, with a clear garlic tang.
Tip: The garlic mellows as the sauce sits, so make it before the chicken marinates.
2
Prep the toppings
- Do this before handling raw chicken.
- Toss the thinly sliced red onion with the sumac in a small bowl, rubbing gently with your fingers for 20 seconds until the slices turn deep pink.
- Slice the tomatoes, drain the pickles and chop the parsley on a clean board.
- Keep each topping in a separate covered bowl in the fridge until assembly.
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Ready when: Onion slices are evenly rose-colored and slightly softened.
Tip: Pat tomato slices with a paper towel so they don't make the wraps soggy.
3
Mix the marinade
- In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, ½ cup yogurt, 4 grated garlic cloves, cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, allspice, black pepper, cayenne (if using) and 1½ teaspoons fine salt until a smooth, thick, orange-red paste forms.
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Ready when: No streaks of dry spice remain and the marinade looks uniform.
Tip: Grate the garlic on a microplane so it disperses evenly and doesn't burn in chunks.
4
Marinate the chicken
- Add the patted-dry chicken thighs to the bowl and turn them with tongs until every surface is coated.
- Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 12 hours.
- Wash your hands, the cutting board and anything else that touched the raw chicken with hot soapy water right away.
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Ready when: Chicken is evenly coated in a thick layer of marinade.
Tip: Don't go beyond 12 hours; the acid can make the surface of the meat mushy.
5
Roast the chickenOven 450°F / 230°C
- Position a rack 6 inches (15 cm) below the broiler and preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C) for 15 minutes while the chicken finishes marinating.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil (not parchment) and set a wire rack on it if you have one.
- Using tongs, lift the thighs from the marinade, letting excess drip off, and spread them in a single layer with space between each piece.
- Discard all leftover marinade; do not reuse it or brush it on cooked chicken.
- Wash your hands and tongs.
- Roast for 20 to 22 minutes, until the thickest piece reaches 175°F (80°C) and the edges are browning.
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Ready when: Chicken reaches 175°F (80°C) in the thickest part and juices run clear.
Tip: Thighs are forgiving; 175°F (80°C) gives the most tender texture, though 165°F (74°C) is the safe minimum.
6
Broil for charOven 500°F / 260°C
- Switch the oven to broil on high (about 500°F / 260°C), keeping the foil-lined baking sheet on the same rack.
- Broil for 3 to 4 minutes, watching closely, until the edges are deeply browned with dark charred spots like shawarma carved off a spit.
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Ready when: Edges are dark brown with blackened flecks, and the surface looks dry and crisp.
Tip: Sugars in the yogurt marinade burn fast under the broiler, so don't walk away.
7
Rest the chicken
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the chicken rest on the pan for 5 minutes so the juices redistribute.
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Ready when: Chicken is no longer sputtering and is cool enough to handle.
Tip: Turn off the oven now.
8
Slice the chicken
- Transfer the thighs to a clean cutting board (not the one used for raw chicken) with clean tongs, and slice them against the grain into thin strips about ¼ inch (6 mm) wide.
- Toss the strips in the browned juices left on the baking sheet to keep them moist; these juices are safe because they have been fully cooked.
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Ready when: Strips are juicy, with crisp, dark edges.
Tip: Never use a board, knife or tongs that touched raw chicken without washing them first.
9
Warm the pitas
- Heat a large dry skillet over medium heat.
- Warm each pita for 20 to 30 seconds per side, until soft, pliable and lightly blistered.
- Stack the warm pitas in a clean kitchen towel to keep them from drying out.
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Ready when: Pitas are hot, soft and bend without cracking.
Tip: Cold or stale pita tears when rolled, so don't skip this step.
10
Assemble and roll
- Lay a warm pita flat.
- Spread about 2 tablespoons garlic sauce down the center, leaving a 1-inch (2.5 cm) border.
- Top with about ⅙ of the sliced chicken, a few tomato slices, a small handful of pickles, some sumac onion and parsley.
- Drizzle with a bit more garlic sauce.
- Fold the bottom edge up over the filling, fold in both sides, then roll tightly from the bottom.
- Serve seam-side down, cut in half if you like, with extra garlic sauce on the side.
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Ready when: Wrap holds together firmly with the filling enclosed on the bottom and sides.
Tip: Wrap the bottom half in foil or parchment to make eating on the go easier.

Good to know

Tips

Spread the chicken out with space between pieces so it roasts and chars rather than steams.
Slice thighs against the grain into thin strips for the classic shawarma texture.
Pat the chicken dry before marinating and let excess marinade drip off before roasting for better browning.
Set the wrap seam-side down for a minute before serving so it holds its shape.

Make ahead

Marinate the chicken up to 12 hours ahead. Garlic sauce and sumac onion keep 2 days in the fridge. Cooked, sliced chicken can be made up to 3 days ahead (cooled and refrigerated within 2 hours, in shallow containers) and reheated until steaming hot before assembling.

Storage & reheating

Cool cooked chicken and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour if the room is above 90°F / 32°C). Store in shallow airtight containers in the fridge up to 3 days, or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, or in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C) and crisp at the edges. Garlic sauce and sumac onion keep 2 days in the fridge. Assembled wraps are best eaten right away; they can sit at room temperature no more than 2 hours.

Substitutions

boneless, skinless chicken thighs → boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Pound to an even thickness and roast 15 to 18 minutes until 165°F (74°C); skip the extended broil to avoid drying them out.
plain whole-milk yogurt → dairy-free unsweetened yogurt. Works fine in both the marinade and the garlic sauce, though the flavor will be slightly milder.
ground sumac → 1 tsp lemon zest plus a pinch of salt. Gives a similar bright, tart note on the onions.
soft pocketless pita or flatbread, 8-inch (20 cm) rounds → lavash or large flour tortillas. Warm briefly and roll the same way.