Sandwiches Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Chicken Shawarma
Middle Eastern spiced chicken wrapped in flatbread with garlic sauce.
No common allergens detected
Based on this recipe's ingredient list. Always verify with your own brands and labels.
Good to know
- Ready in under 30 minutes
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: 30-minute meals
Instructions
6 steps- 1
Heat a grill pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Brush lightly with oil.
- 2
Cook the marinated chicken thighs for 5-7 minutes per side until deeply charred on the outside and fully cooked through (internal temp 165°F).
- 3
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes. Using a sharp knife, slice the meat very thinly, crosswise, to mimic meat shaved from a vertical spit.
- 4
Lay the large flatbread on a clean surface. Spread the incredibly potent Toum (garlic sauce) evenly over the entire surface, taking it close to the edges.
- 5
Arrange the hot, thinly sliced chicken in a thick line down the center of the flatbread. Scatter the chopped pickles evenly over the meat to add acidity and crunch.
- 6
Fold the sides of the flatbread inwards, then roll it tightly into a cylinder. For an authentic touch, quickly toast the finished roll in the hot skillet for 1 minute per side to crisp the exterior before serving.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
73/100
Good fit for most families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving0
Calories
0 g
Protein
0 g
Carbs
0 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Shawarma is a Levantine and broader Middle Eastern street food in which spice-marinated meat is stacked on a vertical rotisserie and shaved thin as the outer layer cooks. This chicken version uses thighs marinated in cumin, coriander, turmeric, and paprika, then wrapped in flatbread with potent garlic sauce and tangy pickles.
Listahan note
This version chars the marinated thighs on a grill pan, rests them, then slices the meat very thin crosswise to mimic spit-shaved shawarma, and toasts the finished roll to crisp the exterior before serving.
Technique cues
- Resting the cooked thighs for five minutes before slicing lets the juices redistribute so the meat stays moist when cut thin.
- Slicing the chicken very thinly crosswise mimics the texture of meat shaved off a vertical spit and helps it pack evenly into the wrap.
- Toasting the rolled wrap in the hot skillet at the end crisps the flatbread exterior and warms the toum so the whole roll holds together.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Chop the pickles and ready the toum while the thighs char and then rest on the board.
- Make-ahead
- Marinate the chicken up to a day ahead so the spices penetrate before cooking.
- Leftover move
- Pile leftover sliced chicken over rice with toum and pickles for a quick shawarma bowl.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Cook the chicken and toast the finished roll in the same grill pan so one pan covers it all.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
boneless skinless chicken thighs marinated in shawarma spices
Main protein
Purpose: Thighs stay juicy under high heat and the cumin-coriander-turmeric-paprika marinade gives the signature warm, earthy char.
Handling: Marinate well, then cook to a deep char and rest before slicing thin crosswise.
Adaptation: Chicken breast works for a leaner wrap but dries faster, so reduce the cook time and rest it well.
Toum, Lebanese garlic sauce
Pungent sauce
Purpose: The intense whipped-garlic toum is the defining condiment, cutting the rich meat with sharp, creamy garlic.
Handling: Spread it thin and close to the edges so its potent flavor reaches every bite.
Adaptation: A garlic aioli is milder if toum is too intense; use a bit more to season the same area.
chopped Middle Eastern pink pickled turnips or dill pickles
Acid and crunch
Purpose: The bright, tangy pickles add the acidity and crunch that balance the heavy meat and garlic sauce.
Handling: Chop and scatter them evenly so the acidity hits throughout the roll.
Adaptation: Quick-pickled red onion or cornichons cover the same tangy-crunchy role if turnips are unavailable.
large thin Arabic flatbread
Structure
Purpose: A large, thin, flexible flatbread is what lets the shawarma roll into a tight cylinder and toast crisp.
Handling: Spread sauce close to the edges and roll firmly, then toast the seam-side down.
Adaptation: Lavash or a large flour tortilla rolls and toasts similarly if Arabic flatbread is hard to find.
Technique notes
- Take the thighs to a genuine char before flipping; the browned edges are where the shawarma flavor lives.
- Slice across the grain and thin so the meat is tender and packs evenly rather than in chunks.
- Toast the rolled wrap seam-side down first so it seals shut before you turn it to crisp the other side.
Ingredient swaps
- Gluten-free direction
- Serve the chicken, toum, and pickles over rice or in a gluten-free flatbread, since Arabic flatbread is wheat-based.
- Lower-sodium direction
- Make the toum and the marinade from scratch and rinse the pickles, since packaged versions carry most of the sodium.
- Weeknight shortcut
- Use pre-cut chicken strips and store-bought garlic sauce to get a wrap on the table in about fifteen minutes.
Serve alongside
- Hummus with warm pita
- Fattoush salad
- Garlic roasted potatoes
- Pickled turnips
- Mint lemonade
- Ayran
- Pomegranate juice
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Store the cooked sliced chicken and the toum separately in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat the chicken in a hot skillet to recover the char, then build a fresh wrap and toast it; microwaving makes the meat rubbery.
- Freeze the cooked chicken for up to 2 months and thaw in the fridge before reheating; keep the toum and pickles fresh.
Equipment
- Grill pan or cast-iron skillet
- Sharp knife for thin slicing
- Cutting board
- Tongs
Make this household-aware
Listahan Pro checks this recipe against your household's allergens, finds pantry-aware swaps, builds the shopping list, and helps you plan the week around it.
Plan it in Listahan
Add Chicken Shawarma to your week, check it against your household's allergens, and build the shopping list automatically.
More Sandwiches recipes
Sandwiches Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Falafel Wrap
A vegetarian favorite with crispy falafel balls and tahini sauce in a wrap.
Sandwiches Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Banh Mi
A Vietnamese classic with savory meat, pickled vegetables, and fresh herbs in a baguette.
Sandwiches Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Roast Pork Italian Sandwich
Philadelphia's beloved roll piled with garlicky slow-roasted pork, sharp provolone, and garlicky sauteed broccoli rabe.