Chicken Shawarma with Homemade Garlic Sauce Recipe

Introduction

Chicken shawarma is a beloved Middle Eastern dish known for its tender, spiced chicken and creamy garlic sauce called toum. This recipe guides you through marinating perfectly flavorful chicken and creating a luscious garlic sauce that brings the whole dish together. Enjoy a homemade shawarma experience right at your dinner table.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 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)
• 2 tablespoons ice water
• For Serving:
• Warm pita bread or flatbreads
• Sliced tomatoes
• Sliced cucumbers
• Shredded lettuce
• Pickled turnips
• Fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a large bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, olive oil, and lemon juice until smooth and well combined to create the marinade base.
2. Step 2: Add minced garlic, cumin, coriander, cardamom, smoked paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne, kosher salt, and black pepper to the marinade. Mix thoroughly until uniform in color.
3. Step 3: Pat chicken thighs dry and either cut into strips or leave whole. Add the chicken to the marinade, ensuring each piece is well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
4. Step 4: Prepare the garlic sauce by removing any green sprouts from peeled garlic cloves, then place garlic and kosher salt into a food processor. Process until finely minced, about 1-2 minutes.
5. Step 5: With the processor running, slowly drizzle in one tablespoon of oil at a time, scraping down the sides regularly. Alternate adding small amounts of lemon juice between oil additions to help stabilize the emulsion.
6. Step 6: Continue alternating oil and lemon juice slowly until all oil is incorporated. Add ice water last to thin the sauce and help maintain a fluffy, spreadable texture.
7. Step 7: Heat a cast iron skillet or grill pan on high heat. Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off. Cook the chicken without moving it for 3-4 minutes to develop a charred exterior.
8. Step 8: Flip chicken pieces and cook until internal temperature reaches 165°F and the edges are deeply charred. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing against the grain if desired.
9. Step 9: Warm pita bread briefly, spread a generous amount of garlic sauce, layer with chicken, vegetables, pickled turnips, and fresh parsley. Drizzle extra sauce on top and serve.

Tips & Variations

• Use full-fat Greek yogurt for a richer marinade that tenderizes better.
• Toast whole spices before grinding to deepen flavor if possible.
• Soak garlic cloves in ice water for 30 minutes before making the sauce to mellow harshness.
• Alternate adding oil and lemon juice slowly to keep the garlic sauce emulsified and fluffy.
• Cook chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding and to ensure a well-charred crust.
• Serve with pickled turnips and fresh herbs for authentic Middle Eastern flavor.

Storage

Store cooked chicken and garlic sauce separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat chicken gently in a skillet or oven to retain moisture. Garlic sauce can be served cold or at room temperature, and should be stirred before serving if separated slightly.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?

Yes, but thighs remain juicier and hold marinades better due to higher fat content, making them preferable for chicken shawarma.

What should I do if the garlic sauce breaks or separates?

If the sauce separates, start with a fresh garlic paste and slowly incorporate the broken sauce as if it were oil, which often helps restore the emulsion.

Chicken Shawarma with Homemade Garlic Sauce Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.5 from 59 reviews

This Chicken Shawarma Garlic Sauce recipe combines tender, spiced grilled chicken thighs with a rich, fluffy toum garlic sauce. The marinade features a blend of Middle Eastern spices balanced by creamy Greek yogurt and lemon juice, while the garlic sauce is an intense, emulsified garlic cream perfect for wrapping in warm pita bread with fresh vegetables and pickles. This dish showcases authentic flavors and cooking techniques that yield juicy, charred chicken and a smooth, stable garlic mayonnaise-like sauce.

• Author: Lila
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes (including marinating time)
• Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
• Category: Main Course
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Shawarma Marinade:

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
• 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)
• 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 lemon juice. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is smooth and emulsified, ensuring the marinade base is creamy and uniform to evenly coat the chicken.
2. Add Aromatics and Spices: Stir in minced garlic, ground cumin, coriander, cardamom, smoked paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, kosher salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly until the marinade has an even color and flavor distribution.
3. Marinate the Chicken: Pat chicken thighs dry using paper towels. Cut into bite-sized strips or leave whole based on preference. Add chicken to the marinade and toss to coat completely. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight, to allow flavors to deeply penetrate.
4. Begin the Garlic Sauce: Remove any green sprouts from garlic cloves to avoid bitterness. Place peeled garlic and kosher salt into a food processor. Process for 1–2 minutes until it forms a fine paste, breaking down garlic cell walls to facilitate emulsification.
5. Create the Emulsion: With the food processor running, slowly drizzle 1 tablespoon of neutral oil into the garlic paste. Stop frequently to scrape down the sides to ensure even mixing. Alternate adding small amounts of oil and lemon juice gradually to build a stable emulsion without breaking the sauce.
6. Complete the Garlic Sauce: Continue alternating oil and lemon juice additions in small increments until all oil is incorporated. Add 2 tablespoons of ice water at the end to thin the sauce to a spreadable consistency and help stabilize the emulsion. Aim for a bright white, fluffy sauce that holds stiff peaks.
7. Cook the Chicken: Heat a large cast iron skillet or grill pan over high heat until very hot. Remove chicken from the marinade, letting excess drip off to prevent steaming. Place chicken pieces in the pan without crowding. Do not move for 3–4 minutes to allow caramelization and char to develop.
8. Achieve Perfect Doneness: Flip chicken and continue cooking until an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) is reached and edges are deeply charred. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing against the grain for tenderness.
9. Assemble and Serve: Warm pita bread until pliable. Spread a generous layer of garlic sauce on the bread, add cooked chicken, and layer with sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, shredded lettuce, pickled turnips, and fresh parsley. Drizzle additional garlic sauce on top before wrapping and serving.

Notes

• Use full-fat Greek yogurt for a richer marinade and better tenderization.
• Toast whole spices before grinding to intensify flavor if possible.
• Soaking garlic cloves in ice water before making toum mellows harshness.
• Pat chicken dry before marinating to ensure better adhesion and browning.
• Cook chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding and steaming.
• If the garlic sauce breaks, restart with a fresh garlic paste and slowly reincorporate the separated sauce as if it were oil.

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