Chicken Shawarma
2.5 lbs of thinly cut skinless boneless chicken breast
½ cup of lemon juice
2 tablespoons of tomato sauce
4 tablespoons of plain (Greek) yogurt
3 tablespoons of white vinegar
1 head of garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 to 1.5 teaspoons of salt (or to taste)
½ of crushed/powder oregano (or thyme)
1 teaspoon of paprika
½ teaspoon of ginger powder (optional)
A pinch of nutmeg powder
Instructions:
Cut the chicken breast horizontally into thinner cuts of about ½ inch (each breast could possibly be split into 2 slices depending on thickness).
Mix remaining ingredients in a blender, add to a bowl and mix well with the chicken, cover and let marinate in the fridge overnight.
When ready, grill the marinated chicken using a panini/George Forman grill for about 15 minutes on medium heat. You can also cook the chicken on a BBQ grill if so you wish.
Once cooked, shred the chicken thinly and it’s now ready to be wrapped into a Shawarma Sandwich. Spread the chicken shreds along the diameter of a pita bread, spread a bit of Lebanese Garlic paste, add some salty cucumber pickles, some French fries, and some grilled tomatoes, roll and enjoy.
Notes
Try marinating a mix of 75% chicken breast and 25% skinless boneless chicken thighs. The fat in the thighs gives the chicken a nice kick when grilled. Add grilled tomatoes in the sandwich instead of raw tomatoes Some restaurants add french fries in the sandwich, others add a cabbage/mayo salad to the sandwich. Baking or broiling in the oven will rid the chicken of its juice and must be avoided if possible. We found that using a panini grill cooks faster and keeps the moisture inside the chicken You can find salty middle eastern cucumber pickles from Middle Eastern grocery stores.