Chicken Shawarma

Chicken shawarma is such a fantastic, flavorful and simple example of Lebanese street food. My Nana Jeanie introduced me to it when I was a little girl and I fell instantly in love. This version is my approximation of the recipe my Nana would make since unfortunately she never wrote it down. It was daunting to try to capture her magic but I was up to the task!

I lightly toasted my pita bread just enough to warm it up and make it soft. My homemade whole wheat pita bread was perfect for the recipe, but store bought would have worked just fine as well. Then I spread my homemade hummus generously onto each pita bread. It was the most flavorful glue to hold the chicken shawarma together! I piled a generous heap of chicken on the hummus, then topped it all with a little salad. To hold everything together, I wrapped each of the sandwiches in foil. That made them easier to eat as well. Oh my goodness, this chicken shawarma made memories of my Nana come flooding back. The chicken tasted so incredible tender and flavorful. The warm pita, hummus and salad just brought it all together. Hope you all enjoy this simple Lebanese classic! xoxo

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5 from 2 votes

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Chicken Shawarma

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

1 hr 30 mins

 

This recipe for chicken shawarma is simple to make and so flavorful! It's a fantastic departure from the ordinary chicken dinner. 

Course: Main Course

Keyword: Chicken Dinners, Chicken Shawarma

Servings: 6

Calories: 316 kcal

Author: Jeanie and Lulu's Kitchen

Ingredients

FOR THE CHICKEN

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts thinly sliced
• 2 whole lemons juiced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon coriander

FOR ASSEMBLY

• 2 cups baby spinach
• 14 whole grape tomatoes halved
• 1 tablespoon cilantro coarsely chopped
• 1 whole lemon juiced
• 6 whole pita breads
• hummus as needed (see my recipe from 10/19/16!)

Instructions

1. First, marinate the chicken. Combine the thin slices of chicken with the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and all of the spices and seasonings in a bowl. Stir it all together thoroughly to coat the chicken. Cover the bowl and let it sit in the refrigerator for an hour. While it marinates, prepare the spinach salad for assembly. Combine the spinach, grape tomatoes, cilantro and lemon juice in another bowl. Toss it all together well.
2. When the chicken is done marinating, heat up a large skillet with deep sides over medium high heat. Pour the chicken with the marinade into it and let the chicken cook through completely for 10-15 minutes, stirring it often. Then take it off of the heat and assemble the chicken shawarma! Lightly warm up the pita bread in the toaster without letting it get crispy. Then spread a spoonful or two of hummus on each pita bread. Divide the chicken and salad evenly among the pita as well, then wrap each of them in foil to help hold it all together. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Chicken Shawarma

Amount Per Serving (1 sandwich)

Calories 316 Calories from Fat 74

% Daily Value*

Fat 8.2g13%

Saturated Fat 0.9g6%

Cholesterol 87mg29%

Sodium 497mg22%

Potassium 248mg7%

Carbohydrates 22g7%

Fiber 2.7g11%

Sugar 1.9g2%

Protein 39.3g79%

Calcium 60mg6%

Iron 2.7mg15%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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