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Chicken Shawarma with Garlic Sauce Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 111 reviews

This Chicken Shawarma Garlic Sauce recipe combines tender, marinated chicken thighs with a rich, authentic Middle Eastern garlic sauce known as toum. Featuring a vibrant blend of aromatic spices and a creamy, emulsified garlic sauce, this dish delivers bold flavors and a perfect balance between smoky, tangy, and garlicky notes. Perfect for wraps, pita sandwiches, or served alongside fresh vegetables, this recipe brings restaurant-quality chicken shawarma to your home kitchen.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Shawarma Marinade:

  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (full-fat preferred)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For the Garlic Sauce (Toum):

  • 1 cup fresh garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 cup neutral oil (canola or vegetable oil)
  • 2 tablespoons ice water

For Serving:

  • Warm pita bread or flatbreads
  • Sliced tomatoes
  • Sliced cucumbers
  • Shredded lettuce
  • Pickled turnips
  • Fresh parsley

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Marinade Base: In a large mixing bowl, combine Greek yogurt, olive oil, and fresh lemon juice. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is smooth and emulsified to ensure even flavor distribution throughout the chicken.
  2. Add Aromatics and Spices: Add minced garlic, ground cumin, coriander, cardamom, smoked paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, kosher salt, and black pepper to the yogurt mixture. Mix thoroughly until the marinade is uniform in color.
  3. Marinate the Chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry completely with paper towels to remove surface moisture. Cut into bite-sized strips or leave whole according to preference. Coat the chicken evenly in the marinade and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight, to allow tenderizing and flavor infusion.
  4. Begin the Garlic Sauce: Remove any green sprouts from the garlic cloves to avoid bitterness. Place peeled garlic and kosher salt into a food processor. Process for 1-2 minutes until garlic is finely minced into a paste.
  5. Create the Emulsion: With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in one tablespoon of oil at a time, alternating with small amounts of lemon juice. Stop and scrape down the sides frequently to ensure incorporation. Continue this gradual addition until the mixture transforms from paste to a thick, creamy, fluffy white texture characteristic of toum garlic sauce.
  6. Complete the Garlic Sauce: Continue alternating oil and lemon juice until all oil is fully incorporated. Add ice water at the end to thin the sauce to a spreadable consistency and stabilize the emulsion. If the sauce breaks, rescue by starting with fresh garlic paste and slowly adding the broken sauce as oil.
  7. Cook the Chicken: Heat a large cast iron skillet or grill pan over high heat until very hot. Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off to avoid steaming. Place chicken pieces in the pan, cooking without moving for 3-4 minutes to allow caramelization and prevent sticking. Cook in batches if necessary.
  8. Achieve Perfect Doneness: Flip the chicken and continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, ensuring safety and juiciness. Look for deeply charred edges for optimal flavor. Remove from heat and rest the chicken for 5 minutes before slicing against the grain if serving in wraps.
  9. Assemble and Serve: Warm pita bread briefly until soft and pliable. Spread a generous amount of garlic sauce onto the bread. Layer the cooked chicken with sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, shredded lettuce, pickled turnips, and fresh parsley. Drizzle additional garlic sauce on top before wrapping or serving.

Notes

  • Use full-fat Greek yogurt for richer flavor and better tenderizing effect.
  • Toast whole spices briefly before grinding for intensified flavor if possible.
  • Remove green sprouts from garlic cloves to avoid bitterness in the garlic sauce.
  • Slowly add oil while making garlic sauce to prevent emulsion from breaking.
  • Rest cooked chicken for 5 minutes to allow juices to redistribute.
  • Store garlic sauce and cooked chicken separately to maintain optimal texture.
  • Reheat chicken gently in a skillet over medium heat to preserve charred crust; avoid microwave reheating.
  • Marinate chicken for at least 3 hours, ideally overnight, for best flavor.
  • The garlic sauce keeps refrigerated for up to one month due to high acidity.
  • Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure chicken reaches the safe internal temperature of 165°F.

Keywords: Chicken Shawarma, Garlic Sauce, Toum, Middle Eastern Chicken, Shawarma Marinade, Authentic Shawarma, Garlic Emulsion Sauce, Pita Sandwich, Shawarma Wrap

Find it online: https://liamjayne.com/chicken-shawarma-with-garlic-sauce-recipe/