Chicken Shawarma Flatbread

Looking for some weeknight inspiration? I have the perfect solution for you; this cheat version of a chicken shawarma flatbread will satisfy your craving in under 30 minutes!

For me, the shawarma on flatbread experience started when I started to go for drinks on the weekends. Nothing better than a nice greasy flatbread filled with shawarma and garlic sauce to feed those who have been drinking beers all night. Or for some of you (aka me) it could also be a perfect hangover cure. This chicken shawarma flatbread recipe will give you a healthy and easy option which is also suited for a quick weeknight dinner.

In my opinion a good shawarma flatbread recipe is composed of a few simple elements of which the meat is the most important part. Ideally, you would make your own spice mix consisting of cumin, cardamom, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, and possibly other spices. To be honest, you can get very nice spice mixes in your local Turkish/Middle Eastern shops. I typically get a Shawarma spice mix, but a good Biryani mix or garam masala will also introduce all the flavors you are looking for. So, to save time I would highly recommend getting yourself a large bag of spice mix because you will be making this on a monthly basis! 

The next important elements to me are the sauce and the bread. I like to make a yogurt-garlic sauce with some fresh herbs and lemon (way more healthy than mayo-based). It is important to use full-fat yogurt for the right consistency and mouth-feel. I think that for your choice of flatbread, I would always go for the best quality fresh flatbread you can get. So if you have a place that makes Lebanese flatbread or Turkish durum, you could go for that. I prefer pitas from the freezer, because it is very convenient. Just 4 minutes in a preheated oven and they taste like fresh flatbread. In this way, you will serve it more like the Greek-style pita gyro. 

To finish it all, we add some crispy veggies and it should always have an onion element. these can be raw or pickled but for me, this is a must. In short, this shawarma flatbread recipe hits in all the right places. I hope you will try it and let us know what you think 😀

Step 1
Add half of the yogurt to a mixing bowl with the olive oil, spice mixture, pinch of salt,  juice, and zest of half a lemon. Mix this with a whisk or fork and add your chicken thighs. Leave this to marinade for at least 30 minutes but of course, it would be better if you let this sit for about 3-4 hours. Then finely slice your red onion and add in a separate bowl together with the vinegar, a pinch of salt, 1/2 of the chopped parsley, and the sumac. Let this pickle for about 30 minutes (same as the marinating chicken).
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‍Step 2
Now we will make the sauce. Add the rest of the yogurt to a bowl together with ⅓ of the chopped garlic, half of the chopped parsley, a pinch of salt, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Cover your sauce and put it in the fridge until serving your shawarma. The last step of preparation will be washing and cutting your lettuce and tomato and set aside. 
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‍Step 3
Time to cook the chicken! Preheat a pan on medium-high heat and add some neutral oil. Fry your chicken for about 4 minutes per side or until some nice color has appeared and the chicken is cooked through. Put the chicken on a plate or cutting board and let rest for 5-10 minutes. This will also give us time to reheat your choice of bread. Usually, I use pitas and like to sprinkle them with some water and put them into a preheated oven at 200 degrees Celsius for about 2-3 minutes. 
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‍Step 4
Cut up your chicken in thin strips and then it’s time to build your pita/wrap. I start with a bit of garlic sauce, some lettuce, few slices of tomato, followed by the meat and topped with pickled red onions and peppers. Enjoy!