This Middle Eastern chicken shawarma dish is not only tasty but also has a funny story attached to it that makes it even more memorable. Here’s the story…
One evening, I was in the kitchen preparing a batch of my well-known chicken shawarma. The fragrant smell of herbs and grilled chicken permeated the room, which made me anxious to savor my meal.
Knocking on my door at such a late hour piqued my interest, so I answered it. Who I found standing there was quite a shock to me. I was almost finished with the preparations for the dish.
I was quite taken aback to see two of my neighbors at my doorstep, their noses almost touching the screen as they tried to figure out what the smell was. “Does that smell like chicken shawarma?” one of them asked curiously.
I smiled and nodded in agreement. “It sure is. Would you like to come along with me for dinner?”
My neighbors were extremely happy to receive my invitation and immediately agreed. So, we all gathered around the table and enjoyed the scrumptious shawarma while having a good conversation & getting acquainted with one another.
It turned out that my neighbors were avid food lovers and had been wanting to sample my chicken shawarma for a long time. An inviting aroma emanating from my kitchen had been teasing the neighbors for some time. Finally, they mustered up the courage to knock on my door and request a taste of whatever I was preparing.
Over a friendly chat, while gathered around the table, Sarah and David shared details of their lives with me. Sarah was a freelance graphic designer, and David was a software engineer. Having just relocated to their current neighborhood a few months ago, they were still trying to familiarize themselves with the area.
I told them about myself – I was a writer and I loved to cook, especially trying out new recipes from around the world. It was through this experimentation that I stumbled upon the pleasure of cooking chicken shawarma. As a result, it quickly became a regular favorite meal of mine.
As we talked further, it became clear that Sarah and David enjoyed traveling just like myself. They had been to many of the same countries I have visited before. We bonded over our shared love of adventure and trying new things.
After our dinner, Sarah and David offered to help me with the cleaning. We washed the dishes and put everything away as we talked and got to know each other better. I was truly lucky to have made two new friends in my neighborhood.
I was excited to see them soon, and I shared my favorite food with them. What started as a simple meal turned out to be a great bonding experience. Moreover, we connected by our shared love of exploring new cuisines and trying out adventure-filled activities.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb of boneless and skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
- 1 lb of boneless and skinless chicken thighs
- ¼ cup of olive oil
- 3 tbsp of lemon juice
- 6 minced garlic cloves
- 2 tsp of salt
- 1 tsp of paprika
- ¾ tsp of cardamom
- ¾ tsp of cumin
- ¼ tsp of crushed red pepper
- ¼ tsp of cinnamon
How To Make Chicken Shawarma?
- To make this chicken dish, start by mixing the marinade in a ziplock bag or container. If using a container, you may need to increase the marinade by 50%.
- Add the chicken to the marinade and massage it from the outside to coat it well. Place the bag or container in the fridge to marinate for at least 3 hours, or up to 24 hours.
- When you’re ready to cook the chicken, you can do it on the stove or a BBQ. The spices in the marinade will give the chicken a nice crust and a delicious aroma.
- After cooking the chicken, let it rest for at least 3 minutes before slicing or serving. This will allow the juices to redistribute throughout the flesh, rather than running out when you cut into the meat.
- To serve, place the chicken, lettuce, tomato slices, onion, and flatbreads on a platter. Allow everyone to make their wraps with the ingredients. If the chicken is larger, you may want to slice it. If it is smaller, you can leave it whole. Enjoy!
Middle Eastern chicken shawarma, a popular meal in the Middle Eastern region, is usually served with tahini sauce and various vegetables, for example, tomatoes and onions. You can find it in almost all countries from the Middle East. Additionally, you can also choose to add yogurt-based or Tahini sauces to your meals. I’m particularly fond of the Tahini sauce and would suggest giving it a try.
Hope you enjoyed this recipe. This is a must-try. You won’t regret it!
