Spiced chicken shawarma with a cool garlic-herb yoghurt sauce, wrapped in flatbread with salad and fries — all the flavour of the takeaway, made at home.
Homemade chicken shawarma is a feast — chicken marinated in a warm, fragrant spice blend, seared until charred and juicy, then piled into flatbreads with a cool garlic-herb yoghurt sauce. Build-your-own and full of flavour, it beats any takeaway.
Prep 25 min
Cook 20 min
Total 60 min
Medium
- 1kg Chicken Breast
- 1 tblsp Ground Coriander
- 1 tblsp Ground Cumin
- 1 tblsp Ground Cardomom
- 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 2 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 2 tsp Salt
- 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 cup Greek Yogurt
- 1 clove peeled crushed Garlic
- 1 tsp Cumin
- Splash Lemon Juice
Tags:
KebabVideo
Preparation
- Cut the chicken into reasonably small slices and place in a ziplock bag.
- Add the garlic, coriander, cumin, cardamom, cayenne, paprika, salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil to the bag, seal, and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate for 10–12 hours (shorter is fine, but longer is better).
- When ready to cook, heat a frying pan to medium-high with a little olive oil and toast the flatbreads on one side, then remove. Cook the crinkle fries in an air fryer at 180°C for 15 minutes, shaking occasionally.
- Add enough oil to coat the pan and, once hot, cook the chicken in 2 batches to avoid overcrowding, getting a good sear, for 5–8 minutes or until cooked through.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce: combine the Greek yoghurt with garlic, finely chopped mint and parsley, a squeeze of lemon and cumin, and season with salt. For the fries seasoning, mix garlic powder, paprika, cumin, onion powder, oregano, dried parsley and a little cayenne in a small bowl.
- Season the fries with the spice mix and salt as soon as they're cooked.
- To serve, lay out a flatbread, spread with sauce, and layer on lettuce, onion, tomato, fries, chicken, feta and more sauce. Serve immediately.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Marinate the chicken well ahead — overnight gives the deepest, most authentic flavour.
- Cook in batches over high heat for proper char without steaming the chicken.
- Make the garlicky yoghurt sauce ahead so the flavours meld.
- Warm the flatbreads just before serving so they're soft and pliable for wrapping.
Frequently Asked Questions
Thigh stays juiciest, but breast works well if you don't overcook it — both take the marinade beautifully.
Absolutely — chargrilling adds wonderful smoky flavour; thread it onto skewers for easy turning.
Lettuce, tomato, onion, the yoghurt sauce, and extras like pickles, fries or feta — build it your way.
