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98% would make again

Homemade Chicken Shawarma With Ben Stiller And Ahmed Badr

Shawarma is a Middle Eastern dish that’s become a popular street food around the world, but it’s easy enough to make in your own kitchen. This recipe calls for boneless skinless chicken thighs that are marinated in a fragrant mixture of spices. Bake the chicken in the oven, then toss it into pita bread with cucumber, tomatoes, pickles, and a homemade white sauce made with Greek yogurt and lemon juice.

by Scott Loitsch and Claire King

20 minutes

20 minutes

Ingredients

for 4 servings

  • 2 ½ lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (1.1 kg), trimmed

Marinade

  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon sumac
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 3 cloves garlic, sliced

White Sauce

  • 1 cup whole milk greek yogurt (245 g)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon sumac
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

For serving

  • pita bread, warmed
  • cucumber, sliced
  • tomato, sliced
  • pickle

Nutrition Info

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    Calories 558
    Fat 31g
    Carbs 11g
    Fiber 2g
    Sugar 6g
    Protein 59g

Estimated values based on one serving size.

Preparation

  1. Combine all marinade ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together.
  2. Add the chicken thighs and coat evenly.
  3. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours
  4. Prepare the sauce by adding all sauce ingredients to a small bowl. Mix together and chill until ready to serve.
  5. Adjust the oven rack about 6 inches (15 cm) from the top heat source in your oven, then preheat the broiler.
  6. Line a baking sheet with foil and a wire rack.
  7. Place chicken in single layer on prepared wire rack, with the smooth sides down. Broil until chicken is well browned and registers at least 165˚F (74˚C), about 16-20 minutes. You may need to rotate the sheet pan halfway through if your broiler heats unevenly. Remove and rest the chicken for 5 minutes before handling, and turn off the oven.
  8. While chicken rests, warm your pitas in the still-warm oven for a few minutes.
  9. Slice the chicken into thin strips and transfer to platter.
  10. Serve with sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, pickles, prepared yogurt sauce, and warm pita.
  11. Enjoy!