Chicken Shwarma sounds complicated to make but I made this on a weeknight after work. I started at 6 pm and we sat down to eat by 7. The recipe called for 1-3 hours to marinate the chicken but I cut the time down to 30 minutes and it was fine. You can continue to prep while the chicken is marinating to save time. The recipe makes quite a bit so I assembled everything and ate it as a salad throughout the week.
Chicken Shawarma with Yogurt Sauce
Ingredients
3/4 cup whole milk plain yogurt, divided
1/2 cup yellow onion, grated
2 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped and divided
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground allspice (or curry)
1 teaspoon ground pepper
3.4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mint, cilantro and/or parsley
3 whole wheat naan or pita bread, halved
Lettuce leaves & tomato slices
Directions
- Cut chicken into strips. Combine 1/4 cup yogurt, onion, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 garlic clove, coriander, cumin, allspice, pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt and turmeric in a large bowl. Add chicken and coat with yogurt mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 3 hours.
- Preheat to 450° F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
- While chicken is marinating combine the remaining 1/2 cup yogurt, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 garlic clove, 1/4 tsp salt, cucumber and herbs in a small bowl.
- Arrange the chicken in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet; discard any remaining marinade. Roast until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 165° F, about 20 minutes.
- Divide the chicken among naan or pita bread halves. Top with the yogurt sauce. Serve with lettuce and tomato.
Nutrition Note: Although I typically prefer low fat yogurt, I think the rich, creamy taste and texture of full fat yogurt works well in this dish. The overall recipe is low in total fat so the little bit added from the yogurt is fine.
Judymatusky.com
Recipe adapted from eatingwell.com.
Judy Matusky, RDN, LDN 
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