J recently found the most amazing chicken shawarma recipe originally from David Bonom, Cooking Light July 2008. It’s perfect with our homemade pitas.
Ingredients:
about 1 pound chicken breast (we used boneless, skinless) cut into 16 (3-inch) strips
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil + 2 tablespoons olive oil for the skillet
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3 garlic cloves, minced (or more)
2-3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
Sauce:
1/2 cup plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons tahini
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced
Directions:
We made the sauce first so we could use the left over Greek yogurt in the chicken marinade. Combine yogurt and next 4 ingredients (through 1 garlic clove), stirring with a whisk. To prepare chicken, combine first 6 ingredients in a a zip top bag. Add chicken. Toss well to coat. Let stand at room temperature or at least 20 minutes. Heat a skillet to medium-high heat. Dump the chicken strips into the skillet. Cook about 10 minutes until cooked through. Serve immediately on a homemade pita with lettuce, tomato slices, red onion and sauce.
My opinion:
Two of these sandwiches is more than enough for an adult. It’s filling and tasty and I always wish there were even more leftovers for lunch the next day.

Homemade Chicken Shawarma
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast (we used bonelessmskinless) and cut into 16 (3-inch) strips
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + 2olive oil for the skillet
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3 garlic cloves minced (or more)
- 2-3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
- Sauce:
- 1/2 cup plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1 garlic clove minced
Instructions
- We made the sauce first so we could use the left over Greek yogurt in the chicken marinade. Combine yogurt and next 4 sauce ingredients (through 1 garlic clove), stirring with a whisk.
- To prepare chicken, combine the first 6 ingredients in a zip-top bag.
- Add chicken.
- Toss well to coat.
- Let stand at room temperature or at least 20 minutes.
- Heat a skillet to medium-high heat.
- Remove the chicken strips and add them to the skillet.
- Cook about 10 minutes until cooked through. Serve immediately on a homemade pita and lettuce, tomato slices, red onion and sauce.
Hey,
Thank you for shawarma recipe, I really really like the way you explained it, Me and my family like shawarma when we ate it in asian restaurant so i’m going to try this one in upcoming weekend where we set together once in a week so this will be amazing can you please tell me if i use persian saffron in it ? Because i have purchased saffron in good saffron price that is why thinking to make a twist in it, this will be perfect or not give me some suggestion
Thanks
Debra
Debra,
Thank you so much for your compliments! I can’t wait to hear what you thought and if the addition of the saffron elevated the dish!
Have a great day!
Aurora