Chicken Shawarma with Garlic Sauce

Juicy chicken, warm pita, at creamy garlic sauce—homemade pero shawarma-shop ang dating.

Servings: 2–3 pax · Makes 3 medium wraps

Prep time: 20 minutes

Marinating: 30 minutes minimum; ideally 2–4 hours

Cooking time: 15–20 minutes

Ingredients

Chicken and marinade

• 450 g boneless, skinless chicken thigh
• 3 tbsp plain, unsweetened yogurt
• 1 tbsp lemon or calamansi juice
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• ½ tsp ground coriander (optional)
• ¼ tsp turmeric (optional)
• A small pinch of cinnamon (optional)
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 1–2 tsp cooking oil, for the pan

Easy garlic sauce

• ¼ cup plain, unsweetened yogurt
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
• 1 tsp lemon or calamansi juice
• A pinch of salt

This is an easy creamy garlic sauce. Traditional toum uses garlic, oil, lemon, and salt.

For the wraps

• 3 medium pita, saj breads, or flour tortillas
• ½ cup sliced pickled cucumber
• 1 cup cooked French fries (optional)
• Shredded lettuce, sliced tomato, or thinly sliced onion (optional)

Method

1. Slice and marinate the chicken.

Cut the chicken into strips about 1 cm wide, preferably across the grain. Mix all marinade ingredients in a bowl, then add the chicken. Coat well, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 4 hours.

2. Make the garlic sauce.

Mix the yogurt, mayonnaise, grated garlic, citrus juice, and salt until smooth. Cover and refrigerate while preparing the other ingredients. One small garlic clove is enough to start—dagdag na lang kung gusto mo ng mas strong.

3. Prepare the fillings.

Drain the pickles well. If using fries, cook them until golden. Wash and thoroughly dry any fresh vegetables para hindi maging soggy ang wrap.

4. Pan-sear the chicken.

Heat a wide frying pan over medium-high heat and add a little oil. Lift the chicken from the marinade, allowing excess to drip off.

Cook in two batches, spreading the strips in one layer. Leave undisturbed for about 2 minutes to brown, then turn and continue cooking for roughly 4–6 minutes, depending on thickness. The chicken should be fully cooked; a thermometer inserted into the thickest piece should read 74°C.

Transfer to a clean plate and rest for 3 minutes. Discard the remaining raw marinade.

5. Warm the bread.

Heat each bread in a clean pan for 15–20 seconds per side, just until warm and flexible. Avoid making it crisp at this stage para madaling i-roll.

6. Fill and wrap.

Spread 1–2 tbsp garlic sauce along the center of each bread. Divide the chicken among the three wraps, then add pickles and optional fries or vegetables.

Fold the bottom over the filling, tuck the sides inward, and roll tightly. If using pita pockets, carefully open and fill them instead.

7. Toast and serve.

For rolled wraps, place seam-side down in a pan over medium heat. Toast for 1–2 minutes per side, until lightly golden.

Serve hot with extra garlic sauce on the side. Pak na—ready nang kainin!

Tips para juicy at flavorful

• Chicken thigh works best because it stays moist during searing.
• Cook in batches; a crowded pan makes the chicken steam.
• For a simple filling, use chicken, garlic sauce, pickles, and fries.
• For 2 pax, use two larger breads and divide the filling equally.