Chicken Shawarma Recipe

🧂 Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon green cardamom pods
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon whole black pepper corns
• 1 ½ tablespoons coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon cayenne
• 1/3 cup full fat yogurt
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• Zest and juice of 2 lemons
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 8 finely minced garlic cloves
• 1 ” peeled piece of freshly grated ginger
• 3 to 3 ½ pounds total boneless skinless chicken breasts and thighs

Instructions

• 1 This is optional, but add the whole black peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin
  seeds, cinnamon stick, and cardamom pods to a medium-sized sauté pan and cook
  while occasionally stirring over low to medium heat until the spices become very
  fragrant, which takes about 4 to 6 minutes.
• 2 Add them to a mortar and pestle or spice grinder and grind until finely ground.
• 3 Add the spices along with the cayenne, turmeric, paprika, garlic, ginger, salt,
  yogurt, oil, lemon juice, tomato paste, and vinegar to a large bowl and mix to
  combine. Set aside.
• 4 Gently pound the boneless skinless chicken breasts and thighs until they are
  about ¼” to ½” thick. The goal is for them to be flat in all areas for even
  cooking.
• 5 Add the pounded chicken to the bowl of spices and yogurt and thoroughly mix to
  coat. Once mixed, cover and place in the refrigerator for 12 to 48 hours.
• 6 Next, remove the chicken from the bowl and layer it onto a vertical skewer,
  firmly stacking it until all the chicken is used.
• 7 Place on a rack in the lower third of the oven at 375° and cook for 1:15 to 1:30
  or until it reads 165° internally.
• 8 Remove the chicken, let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes, and then thinly shave it
  using a sharp knife.
• 9 Serve as is or with assorted accompaniments or in a pita wrap. See the video
  below on other easy cooking methods if you do not have a vertical skewer. In
  addition, you’ll see how I make it into a wrap.

Nutrition Info