Authentic Chicken Shawarma with Garlic Toum
Juicy, spiced roasted chicken thighs layered in warm pita bread with creamy whipped garlic toum, pickles, and crispy spiced onions.
Ingredients
For the Chicken Marinade
- 1 kg boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- Juice of 1 large lemon
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1.5 tsp sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
For the Authentic Garlic Toum
- 1 cup fresh peeled garlic cloves
- 2 tsp salt
- 3 cups neutral oil (canola or sunflower)
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (ice-cold)
For Assembling the Wraps
- 6 fresh Lebanese pita breads or flatbreads
- Pickled wild cucumbers and pink pickled turnips
- Sliced red onions tossed with sumac and parsley
- French fries (optional, street style)
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken
In a large bowl, whisk olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and pepper. Coat chicken thighs thoroughly and marinate for at least 2 hours (or overnight for maximum flavor).
Make the Whipped Garlic Toum
In a food processor, pulse garlic and salt until finely minced. With the motor running on low, alternate slowly drizzling in oil and ice-cold lemon juice in a thin stream until a fluffy, snowy-white emulsion forms (like mayonnaise).
Roast & Crisp the Chicken
Roast marinated chicken thighs on a baking sheet at 220°C (425°F) for 25 minutes until caramelized on edges and cooked through. Slice into thin, juicy strips, then quickly sear in a hot skillet for extra street-style charred edges.
Assemble the Shawarma
Spread a generous layer of garlic toum across a warm flatbread. Layer sliced chicken shawarma, pickles, sumac onions, and a few hot fries.
Toast and Serve
Roll the pita tightly into a sandwich wrap. Press in a panini press or dry skillet for 2 minutes until golden and toasted. Slice in half and serve warm.
Nutrition Facts
* Based on a 2,000 calorie diet.