Shawarma is a savory, and aromatic Middle Eastern dish, that is prepared by cooking chicken pieces, preferably thigh meat that is marinated with spices and sauces and cooked in a vertical rotisserie or later thinly slices of cooked chicken are rolled into a pita pocket bread along with pickled onions,salad,olives, tahini sauce. They also use flat bread called
It is enjoyed as a hearty snack or even at night time as a meal. To make this dish at home,
But to make it at home, you don't need a rotisserie or spit cooking. All that is required is a baking sheet and an oven to cook the chicken. (preferably thigh meat instead of breast meat of chicken)
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| Chicken Shawarma |
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| Cooking chicken shawarma in the oven |
Ingredients to marinate the chicken
1 pound cut thigh meat ( boneless and skinless)
For chicken marination:
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 lemon juice
1/4 tsp cloves powder
1 tsp freshly grated garlic
2 tsp olive oil
6 to 8 small cherry tomatoes
1 medium sized onion thinly sliced
1 tsp black pepper powdered
Olive oil (to brush the chicken pieces)
For the sauce to go with shawarma
1/2 lemon juice
Salt to taste
4 tsp Tahini paste (Tahini is made from sesame seeds )
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 cup water
To serve
1 packet ready Pita pockets bread
1/2 cup fresh green salad leaves
1/4 cup olives
Method: To marinate the chicken
1. First, clean the chicken thigh, cut it into 2 inch sized pieces and marinate the chicken in a medium bowl, using the above mentioned ingredients. Cover and leave for at least 2 to 3 hours or overnight is fine too.
2. Next, heat oven to 375 degrees. Using a baking sheet that is sprayed with little oil, place the marinated chicken pieces onto a baking sheet. Add red and orange bell peppers, cut into 2 inch square pieces.
2.After about 20 minutes, brush chicken pieces with some olive oil, and continue baking for about 20 minutes, till the chicken is cooked.
3.You can put the oven setting to broil, just for a 2 to 3 minutes, to crisp the edges of the chicken, but at this time be extra observant as chicken can burn.
Remove and keep aside.
To prepare the Tahini sauce:
1. In a little bowl, take tahini sauce, add in lemon juice and mix both well, adding little water to
make it a creamy, and honey like consistency.
2.Season with salt and cumin powder. Cover and store in a jar, and use as a dipping or sauce for Shawarma.
Filling:
1. Warm a pita bread. Open it like a pocket and add the cooked chicken, add some salad leaves and then drizzle some tahini sauce.
You can also prepare the chicken on a heavy skillet, over there gas stove, if you don't have the oven.
It will still taste as good :)
Enjoy!
