Description
Craving Chicken Shawarma With Creamy Garlic Sauce? This take blends a yogurt-spiced chicken marinade with a fluffy garlic emulsion (toum) so you get juicy, charred meat and a cool, garlicky finish every time.
Ingredients
Ingredients — Marinade
- 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 6 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp cayenne (or to taste)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Ingredients — Garlic Sauce (Toum)
- 1 cup peeled garlic cloves
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ¼ cup lemon juice, strained
- 1 cup neutral oil (canola, vegetable, or light olive oil)
- 2 tbsp very cold water (ice water)
To serve
- Warm pita or flatbreads
- Sliced tomato and cucumber
- Shredded lettuce
- Pickled turnips (optional)
- Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
In a mixing bowl whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, and minced garlic until smooth. Add the cumin, coriander, cardamom, smoked paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Stir so the spices disperse evenly and the mixture looks uniform.
Pro tip: Full-fat Greek yogurt gives richer flavor and better tenderizing action.
Pat the chicken dry, add it to the bowl, and toss until every piece gets a good coat. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours — overnight is best for deeper flavor.
Trim any green shoots from the garlic cloves (they can taste bitter). Put the garlic and salt in a food processor and pulse until it becomes a very fine paste.
With the processor running, add oil very slowly at first — literally drops — to start the emulsion. After the mixture starts to thicken, you can add the oil in a thin steady stream. Alternate tiny pours of lemon juice as you go to help stabilize the emulsion. When the sauce looks snowy and holds some texture, blend in the ice water to loosen it slightly.
Bold tip: Add oil slowly — fast pouring will break the emulsion.
If the sauce splits, start a fresh small garlic paste and very slowly whisk the broken sauce into it like you would oil — it can often be saved.
Heat a cast-iron skillet or grill pan until very hot. Shake off excess marinade and sear chicken in batches so the pan stays hot. Let slices sit without moving for 3–4 minutes to build color, then flip and finish until the internal temperature reads 165°F. Rest the cooked chicken 5 minutes, then slice against the grain for tender pieces.
Bold tip: Dry the chicken before it hits the pan — moisture prevents a proper sear.
Warm pita briefly so it’s bendy. Spread a generous layer of toum on the flatbread, pile on sliced chicken, add tomato, cucumber, lettuce, pickles, and parsley. Drizzle extra garlic sauce over everything and fold or roll.
Want a bowl instead? Serve the chicken over rice or grains and spoon toum on top for a loaded Chicken Shawarma Bowl vibe.
Notes
- Quick troubleshooting & notes
- If toum thins, chill briefly — cold helps the emulsion firm up.
- If the garlic sauce tastes too sharp, stir in a little plain yogurt for a milder, creamier version.
- Avoid crowding the pan when cooking; overcrowding steams the meat instead of caramelizing it.
- Bold tip: Toast whole spices lightly and grind them yourself for a brighter, fresher flavor.
- Storage
- Keep cooked chicken and toum separate in airtight containers. Refrigerate chicken for up to 4 days and toum for up to 2 weeks (when refrigerated). Reheat chicken gently in a skillet to revive some char.
- Serving ideas
- Pita wraps, rice bowls, or salad toppers — versatility = yes.
- Pair with pickles, fries, or a simple fattoush for a full spread.
- Want lighter eats? Mix toum with yogurt for a lower-intensity sauce that still delivers creaminess.