This shortcut version of chicken shawarma skips the long marinating and roasting time and relies instead on quick cooking sliced thighs and a shower of the spices that go into the classic version–think cumin, cardamom and turmeric. Served with a warm pita, greens, tomato and a tangy yogurt sauce, it makes a substantial meal. We left out fries to keep the recipe on one sheet pan, but they are always a welcome addition!
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 25 min |
| Active: | 20 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, sliced into 1-inch-thick pieces
- 1 medium onion (about 6 ounces), halved and sliced into 1-inch-thick half-moons
- 1/2 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 4 pieces pita bread
- 3 dill pickle spears, chopped
- 1 Roma tomato (about 6 ounces), chopped
- 1 cup shredded lettuce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Combine the olive oil, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, cardamom, turmeric, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt and a generous amount of pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken and onions and toss to coat evenly. Spread in a single layer on a sheet pan, making sure the pieces are not overlapping. Bake until the chicken is cooked through and the onions are slightly caramelized, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mix the yogurt, lemon juice and a generous amount of pepper in a medium bowl until smooth. Warm the pitas in the microwave on a microwave-safe plate, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Spread the yogurt sauce on top of the pitas and spoon the chicken and onions over the sauce. Top with the pickles, tomatoes and shredded lettuce.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 503 |
| Total Fat | 25 grams |
| Saturated Fat | 7 grams |
| Cholesterol | 115 milligrams |
| Sodium | 1363 milligrams |
| Carbohydrates | 42 grams |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 grams |
| Sugar | 5 grams |
| Protein | 27 grams |
Reviews
Very tasty!
This is so delicious. I didn’t have yogurt so I used sour cream. It’s phenomenal.
The chicken was great, definitely going into rotation.
This was really delicious. The chicken was moist and flavorful and the sauce and toppings were a great addition. We will have this on a regular rotation — so easy as well!!
This was a huge hit at dinner last night. The chicken with the warm spices was so tender. Next time I will double the sauce.
Delicious and super easy! I used chicken breasts (because that’s what I had in the fridge) and multiplied the chicken and spices by 5 (big family, big pack of chicken) and doubled the sauce ingredients. It wouldn’t all fit on my sheet pan, so I sautéed some of the chicken and onions in my electric skillet while the rest was in the oven. Both methods turned out delicious, although I preferred the skillet method and will probably do this in the future. I also added a little dill weed to the sauce, but it would have been just as great without it.
A regular recipe in my rotation, it’s easy and weeknight friendly, and makes great leftovers or meal prep
So easy and so yummy. The whole family loved it.
Wow!!! It was easy to make and tasted great!!!
My family of picky eaters loved this! It will be one that is added to the rotation of monthly meals. Easy, quick and full of flavor. I would recommend making a double batch if you want left overs!