Chicken Shawarma Creamy Garlic Sauce (Printable Version)

Marinated grilled chicken in soft pita with zesty garlic sauce, fresh vegetables, and tangy pickles. A hearty Middle Eastern favorite.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken Shawarma Marinade

01 - 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
02 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
03 - 2 tablespoons ground cumin
04 - 2 tablespoons ground coriander
05 - 1 tablespoon paprika
06 - 1 tablespoon turmeric
07 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
08 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
09 - 1/4 cup olive oil
10 - Juice of 1 lemon
11 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Creamy Garlic Sauce

12 - 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
13 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
15 - 2 tablespoons tahini
16 - Salt to taste

→ Assembly

17 - 4 pita breads or flatbreads
18 - 1 cup sliced fresh tomatoes
19 - 1 cup sliced cucumbers
20 - 2 cups shredded lettuce
21 - 1 cup Middle Eastern-style or dill pickles

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, combine minced garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Add chicken thighs and toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight for enhanced flavor development.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, minced garlic, lemon juice, tahini, and salt until smooth and well combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
03 - Preheat a grill or stovetop skillet to medium-high heat. Grill marinated chicken for 6 to 7 minutes per side until charred and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F.
04 - Transfer cooked chicken to a plate and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Slice into thin strips against the grain.
05 - Place sliced chicken in the center of each pita bread. Top with sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, shredded lettuce, pickles, and a generous drizzle of creamy garlic sauce.
06 - Roll up or fold each wrap and serve immediately while still warm.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The marinade transforms ordinary chicken into something complex and aromatic that tastes like you spent hours on it.
  • One creamy garlic sauce does all the heavy lifting, turning simple wraps into restaurant-quality meals.
  • It's flexible enough for weeknight cooking but impressive enough to serve when friends drop by unexpectedly.
02 -
  • Overnight marinating genuinely does change the game, so plan ahead if you want the deepest, most authentic flavor.
  • Don't skip the rest time on the cooked chicken, as rushing straight to slicing creates a dry, less pleasant bite.
03 -
  • If you don't have a grill, baking the marinated chicken at 425°F for twenty to twenty-five minutes works just as well, though you'll miss that charred exterior.
  • Make the marinade and sauce the morning of serving so flavors deepen and you reduce actual cooking time when hunger strikes.
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