Viral Crispy Chicken Shawarma

I have been seeing this viral crispy chicken shawarma for ages and made it a few times since I had been it. But I realised it was a recipe worth sharing with you all too. The recipe is easy yet so delicious. With these simple steps and easy to follow recipe, you’ll make it again and again. It tastes just like the shawarmas you can find in the Middle East with a delicious twist. 

Preparation Time 30 minutes 

Marination Time 6-24 hours 

Cook Time 35 minutes 

Serves 4-6 

Ingredients 

750 grams chicken breasts/ thighs- sliced 

2 tablespoons lemon juice 

1 tablespoon olive oil 

2 tablespoons yogurt 

1 teaspoon Turkish red pepper paste/ red pepper flakes 

1 tablespoon tomato paste 

3-4 cloves garlic- minced 

1 teaspoon coriander powder 

1 headed teaspoon paprika 

1 teaspoon cumin powder 

1/2 teaspoon black pepper 

2 teaspoon salt 

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon powder 

Crispy Coating 

1/4 cup oil 

1 teaspoon hot pepper paste 

1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses 

1/2 teaspoon sumac 

1/8 teaspoon salt 

Toppings & Sauce 

Garlic Toum Sauce- recipe here 

Pomegranate Molasses 

Shawarma Pickles- thinly sliced- recipe here 

Saj Bread- recipe here 

French Fries 

Fresh Salad

Instructions 

1. For the marinade: combine the chicken, lemon juice, yogurt, olive oil, red pepper flakes/ paste, garlic, tomato paste, cumin, black pepper, salt and cinnamon. Marinate the chicken for a few hours, or better yet, overnight if you have the time. 

2. Once you are ready to cook, remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking so the chicken doesn’t get tough while cooking. 

3. In the meantime, combine all the ingredients for the crispy coating. Mix well and set aside. Make the toum if using homemade. 

4. Heat a couple tablespoons of oil in a pan. Cook the chicken over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and place it on a baking tray. Wrap the tray in foil and set it aside to allow the chicken to rest. Slice the chicken and return it back to the baking dish to soak up all those juices. 

5. To assemble: Spread a generous amount of the toum over the sat bread. Top with the chicken, pickles, fries and a drizzle of pomegranate molasses. Roll the shawarma tightly. 

6. Once the pan is hot, place the wrapped shawarma seam side down. Brush on some of the crispy coating mixture all over the shawarma. Crisp up all the sides for 20-30 seconds. All four sides should be crispy. Wrap it in parchment paper and serve with extra toum, fries, salad, pickles and an extra drizzle of pomegranate molasses.