The cuisine of Lebanon is very diverse and one cannot remain indifferent when smelling its bouquet of meze, bread and pastries. Even the street food, which cannot boast of special taste merits elsewhere, stirs the gastronomic curiosity of the traveler with its blend of foreign flavors and immediately captivates him. Agree to visit Lebanon and explore its culinary ways? Yes, my next vacation is only on New Year’s Eve and even then you don’t plan to leave the country. And now you’re just thinking about Levantine food that makes your mouth water, right? Me too! So, the second best option after gourmet tourism is to prepare your own food inspired by the dream destination! Today, we’re testing a Lebanese homemade chicken shawarma recipe!
Best chicken shawarma recipe, pita bread with white sauce
In Middle and Near Eastern cuisine, shawarma is a type of spicy grilled meat kebab. You can have a plate of meat and vegetables with sauce or stuffed pita bread with these toppings. Being a type of sandwich, the second form is easy to accept as “street food”. And it’s not at all difficult to imitate at home, if you know the basics. Pita bread with white sauce, here are the best Lebanese Chicken Chawarma recipes to prepare at home…
Pita Bread – Ingredients and Preparation
The flatbreads in our chicken shawarma recipe are super easy and relatively quick to make. However, if you’re expecting guests in less than an hour or want a quick recipe for the evening, you can skip the wrap recipe below and opt for pre-made flatbreads that are even available at most convenience stores. This is what I do on Friday nights when I want something tasty and quick at the same time. On the other hand, if you want to prepare everything yourself, here is the list of ingredients for pita bread for shawarma:
200 grams of flour
1 teaspoon dry baker’s yeast
Sugar 1 pinch
100 ml of water
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon olive oil
Dissolve yeast and sugar in water and let stand for ten minutes. Mix flour and salt in a bowl. Add mixed yeast and knead to obtain a ball. Oil the resulting dough, cover with stretch film and leave to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour. Divide into 4 balls, flatten each on work surface and roll out with a rolling pin. Preheat a large skillet and cook dry for 4-5 minutes, flip and cook the other side for another 3-4 minutes.
Step by Step Chicken Shawarma Recipe
As you can imagine, the real stars of this chicken shawarma recipe are the gorgeous oriental spices! Here is the list of all the ingredients required for its realization:
500g boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into small pieces
500g boneless, skinless chicken thighs
¼ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
6 cloves of garlic
Salt 2 tsp
1 teaspoon paprika
¾ teaspoon cardamom
¾ teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
In a salad bowl, place the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and spices (cardamom, paprika, cumin, crushed red pepper and cinnamon) and whisk to make the marinade. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and mix well to evenly coat the meat with the marinade. Cover with cling film (or place in a ziplock bag) and refrigerate to marinate for at least an hour or up to 24 hours.
Cooking Lebanese Chicken
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Place the chicken in an oven dish lined with parchment paper and roast for about 15 minutes, turning it through cooking. Use the grill function of the oven if needed. Remove the chicken from the oven and cut into thin slices with a sharp knife. Heat a frying pan and briefly fry the chicken pieces and their juices on a high heat until brown.
Toppings and Chawarma Sauce
Whether it’s a delicious brunch with family or an oriental-themed evening with friends, your chicken shawarma recipe will be incomplete without the right accompaniments. Top toppings include lettuce and other salad greens, fresh tomatoes, onions, and pickles. Finally, the specialty of this little culinary show is the white sauce white sauce made with plain yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, pepper, salt and a pinch of cumin. So!
