How to make Chicken Shawarma, Egyptian way

Food and Drinks Egyptian Food
2/4/2021

What is eastern Chicken Shawarma?

Traditional favorite chicken shawarma is essentially well marinated chicken, superimposed on a vertical spit or spit where they are slowly roasted for days, in their own juice and fat, until it is perfectly tender and extra tasty. To serve it, the common owner normally shaved a layer of shawarma of saliva and stacked it in a pita pouch, jazzy with tahini sauce and lots of fresh ingredients!

I tell you,cooking Chicken Shawarma is the embodiment of the seductive flavours taste of the Middle East. And the good news is that I found an easy way to do it at home with the same authentic flavors!

The secret lies in the mix of shawarma spices, including hot spices such as cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika and a pinch of cayenne. SO MUCH FLAVOR!

How to make chicken shawarma recipes at kitchen home (step by step)

Make the spice mixture shawarma. It is enough to add the spices in a small bowl and mix.
Cut a few bone, skinless chicken legs into small pieces of bite size (you can use chicken breast if desired, this is just my personal preference)
Give the chicken seasoning, be sure to cover the chicken well with the spice mixture. Add onions, lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil. If you have time, cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight (if you do not, you can skip the marinade time, it will remain delicious)
When ready, place the chicken shawarma in a large frying pan and bake in the oven at 425 degrees heated for about 30 minutes (you can check a little earlier that the ovens vary).

How to serve Shawarma chicken?

The real way to serve chicken homemade shawarma in the Middle East is in pita pockets or wraps with heaps of vegetables and a good amount of sauce. I like the idea of loaded pita pockets (can be cooked also with rice dish).

And for vegetables, spicy arugula and my simple Mediterranean salad with 3 ingredients. As with beef shawarama, you can serve chicken shawarma with a generous fillet of tahini sauce may be spiced.

It is also common to use a sauce based on white yogurt like Greek tzatziki. This recipe for chicken shawarma can serve from 4 to 6 people. But if you're looking for a fun way to serve a larger crowd, think about making shawarma sliders.

Can you do this shawarma in advance?

Yes, you can prepare and cook the chicken in advance — one or two nights in advance — and then ride it into pita pockets when the time comes. Refrigerate in a container with airtight lid until ready for use.

Heat the chicken in a frying pan over medium heat, adding a little liquid and throwing the pieces of chicken until heated. The liquid will help you not to dry out.

Chicken Shawarma Ingredients

¾ tablespoons ground cumin

¾ tablespoons turmeric powder

¾ tablespoons ground cilantro

¾ teaspoons garlic powder

¾ tbsp paprika

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus if you prefer Salt

8 chicken legs without skin

1 large onion, thin slices

1 large lemon, Private Reserve juice extra virgin olive oil To serve

6 pockets of tahini pita sauce or include Greek sauce baby arugula sauce Tzatziki

3 ingredients Mediterranean salad

Pickles or kalmata olives (optional)

Chicken Shawarma Instructions

In a small bowl, combine cumin, turmeric, coriander, garlic powder, sweet paprika and teeth. Set aside the shawarma spice mixture for now.
Tap the dried chicken legs and season with salt on both sides, then finely cut into small pieces the size of a bite. Place the chicken in a large bowl. Add the shwarma spices and toss to coat. Add the onions, lemon juice and olive oil. Toss everything together again.
Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight (if you don't have time, you can cut or skip marinating time)
Once ready, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Take the chicken out of the refrigerator and let it brew at room temperature for a few minutes.
Spread marinated chicken with onions in a single layer on a large, lightly oiled baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes in the oven heated to 425 degrees F. For a more browned and crispy chicken, move the frying pan to the top shelf and roast briefly (look carefully). Remove from oven.
While the chicken is roasted, prepare the pita pockets. Make tahini sauce according to this recipe or Tztaziki sauce according to this recipe. Make a Mediterranean salad of 3 ingredients according to this recipe.
Leave him aside. To serve, open the pita pockets. Spread a little tahini sauce or tzatziki sauce, add chicken shawarma, arugula, Mediterranean salad and pickles or olives, if desired. Serve immediately

Cook's tip: If you have time, marinate chicken for 3 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Otherwise, you can skip the pickling time as indicated in the instructions. It will always be delicious!

Cook's tip: Since ovens vary, be sure to check the chicken for about 25 minutes to roast or bake and get out of there. Chicken is ready when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

Make Ahead Option: You can prepare the chicken in advance, one or two nights in advance, if desired. Heat in a frying pan over medium heat, adding a little liquid and throwing the chicken pieces until heated.

Serving ideas: Chicken shawarma is best served in pita pockets with salad and sauces, as I mentioned before, but can be served as an aperitif to a larger crowd. In this case, you can serve it in sliding rolls with just a little sauce and fresh arugula.