chicken shawarma

This has to be the very best chicken marinade that I've ever made. The marinade was so good that I might even use it as a sauce in the future. The flavor is an interesting mix of savory garlic, sweet spices like cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg, and tangy yogurt and lemon. It's pure magic. Next time I'll probably cut the chicken into strips before marinating to increase the surface area and magnify the flavor saturation.

I made this chicken with the intention of eating it in these sandwich wraps but then I started topping salads with it and eventually just snacked on it plain. It's just that good. You could really use this flavorful chicken for anything. I divided the ingredient list to show just the chicken & marinade in case you want to use it for something other than the sandwich, because even if you don't want the sandwich, you NEED to at least try the chicken.

If you've had chicken shawarma in a restaurant, this is a bit different. Real chicken shawarma is cooked slowly on a rotisserie with fattier bits of chicken. The result is an uber-moist, somewhat greasy delight. Also, when you buy a chicken shawarma sandwich, the lettuce is usually tossed in an oregano vinaigrette, feta and red onion. Well, I had some feta and red onion but forgot both when building my sandwich. A total tragedy... but it was still magically delicious.





Total Recipe cost: $7.98
Servings Per Recipe: 4
Cost per serving: $2.00
Prep time: 15 min. Marinate time: 4-24 hrs. Cook time: 15 min. Total: 30 min. (after marinating)

CHICKEN & MARINADE		COST
2 lg. (1.25 lbs)	chicken breasts	$2.48
1/2 cup	plain yogurt	$0.25
1 Tbsp	minced garlic	$0.36
1 Tbsp	lemon juice	$0.32
1/2 tsp	cinnamon	$0.03
1/2 tsp	dried oregano	$0.03
1/2 tsp	salt	$0.02
1/4 tsp	ground nutmeg	$0.03
1/4 tsp	ground cloves	$0.03
YOGURT SAUCE (for sandwich)		COST
7 oz. cup	plain greek yogurt	$1.59
1/4 tsp	minced garlic	$0.03
1/4 tsp	dried dill	$0.03
1/4 tsp	salt	$0.02
SANDWICH ITEMS		COST
4	homemade naan, pita, or flatbread	$0.64
1/2 head	romaine lettuce	$0.80
1 medium	cucumber	$0.69
2 medium	roma tomatoes	$0.63
TOTAL		$7.98

STEP 1: In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the marinade (yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, cinnamon, oregano, salt, nutmeg, and clove). Add chicken to the marinade, coat well, cover and refrigerate for 4-24 hours. If desired, slice the chicken into strips before marinating to maximize the flavor.

STEP 2: Prepare the yogurt sauce for the sandwiches. Open a 7 oz. container of plain greek yogurt and stir in the garlic, dill, and salt. Refrigerate until ready to use.

STEP 3: After marinating the chicken, grill until cooked through (I use a George Foreman, cooked for about 7 minutes).

STEP 4: Prepare the vegetables for the sandwich. Chop, rinse, and drain the lettuce in a colander. Wash and slice the cucumber and tomato.

STEP 5: Build the chicken shawarma sandwiches. Spread the yogurt sauce on your flat bread, top with the chicken and vegetables. Roll the sandwich closed. You can wrap the sandwich in foil to help it stay closed as you eat.

Step By Step Photos

To make the marinade, combine the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, cinnamon, oregano, salt, nutmeg, and clove. This is a seriously magical mix of herbs and spices. I can't explain it, you just have to try it.


Combine the chicken and marinate, cover (or seal) tightly, and refrigerate for 4-24 hours. My chicken breasts were frozen so I just added the marinade to the freezer bag (after they were thawed, of course) and marinated them in there.


Grill the chicken until cooked through. It may be time for me to upgrade my 10 year old, single-serving sized George Foreman! I need more grilling capacity!


After it's grilled, let it sit for a few minutes to let the juices redistribute and then slice it into strips. Like I said, next time I'll probably slice it *before* marinating to let more of that glorious flavor get in.


To make the yogurt sauce for the sandwich, I just stir some dried dill, minced garlic, and salt into a container of plain greek yogurt.


Honestly, I don't even measure them, I just sprinkle some in, taste it, and add more if needed. I like to let the sauce refrigerate for a while to allow the flavor to soak into the yogurt.


Prepare the veggies for the sandwich. Wash and slice up the cucumber and tomato (and maybe red onion, if you're so inclined). Chop and wash the lettuce, then let it drain in a colander until mostly dry.


Then, just build your sandwich! I have the yogurt sauce on top in the photo but you'll probably want to spread it right on the bread. It will add more moisture there plus it will be easier to eat without getting white yogurt sauce all over your face!