Chicken Shawarma with Garlic Yogurt Sauce

Name: Chicken Shawarma with Garlic Yogurt Sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 kg boneless skinless chicken breasts; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tbsp ground coriander; 1 tbsp ground cumin; 1 tbsp ground cardamom; 1 tsp cayenne pepper; 2 tsp smoked paprika; 2 tsp kosher salt; 2 tbsp lemon juice; 3 tbsp olive oil; 1 cup Greek yogurt (for sauce); 1 clove garlic, crushed (for sauce); 1 tsp ground cumin (for sauce); 1 splash lemon juice (for sauce); 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped; 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped; 4 flatbreads or pita

From the kitchen of Carly

An overnight spice marinade does the heavy lifting. The next night, sear the chicken hot and fast, then pile it on charred flatbread with garlic yogurt, herbs, and whatever crunch you have. Better than takeout. If you only have an hour for marinade time, do it. It still works. But overnight is the level-up.

Chicken Shawarma with Garlic Yogurt Sauce

Charred chicken shawarma gets its flavor depth from cardamom, coriander, and smoked paprika working in concert, then a 12-hour rest locks everything in. The move: slice thin, sear hard in a screaming skillet so the edges catch color while the inside stays juicy. Cool yogurt sauce with crushed garlic cuts through the spice and brings balance to every bite.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 30 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: easy

Ingredients

4 servings

2 1/4 lb(1 kg)boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 clovesgarlic, minced
1 tbspground coriander
1 tbspground cumin
1 tbspground cardamom
1 tspcayenne pepper
2 tspsmoked paprika
2 tspkosher salt
2 tbsplemon juice
3 tbspolive oil
1 cupGreek yogurt (for sauce)
1 clovegarlic, crushed (for sauce)
1 tspground cumin (for sauce)
1 splashlemon juice (for sauce)
2 tbspfresh parsley, chopped (optional)
1 tbspfresh mint, chopped (optional)
4flatbreads or pita

Instructions

Slice the chicken breasts into thin strips, against the grain.
In a large bowl or zip-top bag, combine the chicken with the minced garlic, coriander, cumin, cardamom, cayenne, smoked paprika, salt, lemon juice, and olive oil. Toss until every piece is coated.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Overnight (10 to 12 hours) is the move if you have it.
When you're ready to cook, make the yogurt sauce: stir together the yogurt, crushed garlic, cumin, lemon juice, and chopped herbs. Salt to taste. Refrigerate until serving.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high until very hot. Add a thin film of oil.
Cook the chicken in two batches so the pan stays hot. Crowded chicken steams instead of sears. Spread the strips out and let them sit untouched for 2 minutes, then stir and cook 3 to 4 minutes more until charred at the edges and cooked through. Repeat with the second batch.
Warm the flatbreads in a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side.
Build each wrap: smear of yogurt sauce, pile of chicken, more sauce, fold and eat.

Tips from the kitchen

Slice against the grain so the chicken shreds cleanly when you bite into it. Uneven slices cook at different rates and dry out faster.
Let the marinated chicken sit untouched for the first 2 minutes in the hot skillet. That silence is where the crust forms. Then stir and finish. Crowded pan means steam, not char.
Overnight marinating beats 4 hours. The yogurt-acid base tenderizes the chicken and spices actually penetrate instead of just coating the surface.
Crush the garlic for the sauce instead of mincing it. It spreads easier into the yogurt and feels less sharp on the palate.

Variations

Beef or lamb: use the same marinade and cooking method. Lamb is fattier so it forgives longer cooking. Cook to medium, not through.
Spice shift: swap cardamom for 1 tbsp baharat if you have it, or add 1 tsp sumac for brightness without changing the core flavor.
Crispy on top: after searing, transfer chicken to a hot oven at 450°F for 4 minutes. Gets you charred edges and a more even cook.
Cold salad version: shred the cooked chicken, toss with the sauce, herbs, diced tomato, cucumber, and red onion. Serve over greens or in a wrap.

Make ahead and storage

Keep cooked chicken separate from sauce. Chicken stays fresh in the fridge for 3 days, sauce for 4. Reheat chicken gently in a skillet with a splash of water. Freezer-friendly for 2 months, though the yogurt sauce separates on thaw, so make it fresh.

Substitutions

chicken breast to boneless skinless chicken thighs. Thighs forgive overcooking and stay juicy. Use them if you tend to overcook chicken.
ground cardamom to extra cumin + a pinch of cinnamon. Cardamom is the signature note, but the substitute gets you 80 percent there.
Greek yogurt to tahini whisked with lemon and water. Different sauce, equally good. Goes nuttier and richer.

Pairs well with: Pickled red onions and sliced cucumbers in the wrap, Crispy oven fries on the side, salt and za'atar, A glass of mint tea or any cold lager