Chicken Shawarma

Chicken Shawarma may sound like an exotic dish, but it’s actually quite easy to prepare, and it’s extremely delicious. The only thing you need to know up front is that the chicken should marinate in the fridge for about 24 hours before grilling.

Feel free to meal-prep by freezing uncooked chicken thighs in the marinade, then thaw for a day in the fridge before grilling. This recipe can easily be doubled to feed a crowd.

The marinade (recipe below) is very easy to make. Just combine fresh lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, smoked paprika, turmeric, cumin, and a touch of brown sugar.

After marinading for 24 hours, remove the chicken from the marinade and discard any remaining marinade. Ok, it’s time to grill the chicken. I can’t wait!!

Grill the chicken over hight heat for 5-7 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 160F, then remove the chicken, cover and rest until the internal temperature reaches 165F.

Slice the chicken into thin strips, being careful not to eat it all in the process.

Now it’s time to assemble our delicious chicken shawarma sandwiches. You can use a variety of pitas or flatbreads, either prepared or homemade. Today I made delicious, warm, flatbreads in less than an hour - you can check out the recipe with how-to pics here.

I like to start with a layer of crisp lettuce, then add thinly sliced cucumbers and bell peppers. Just about anything goes so use any fresh veggies you like.

Now add the thinly sliced chicken and drizzle liberally with tzatziki sauce. Yum!

Wrap it up and enjoy!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• My favorite razor-sharp knife https://amzn.to/2QHBsfO

• grilling tongs https://amzn.to/3Jnkj4G

• ground turmeric https://amzn.to/3gCixxK

• instant read thermometer https://amzn.to/2Z7laSr

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Chicken Shawarma

makes 3 pounds

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

Marinade:

• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon freshly minced garlic

• 1 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

Additional Ingredients:

• 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

• fresh vegetables (I used lettuce, cucumbers, red bell peppers)

• Tzatziki sauce

• pitas or flatbreads (my easy flatbread recipe)

Directions

1. Combine the ingredients for the marinade together and place in a gallon-size freezer bag.

2. Place the chicken thighs in the freezer bag and seal, removing as much air as possible from the bag; massage the bag to evenly distribute the marinade.

3. Place the sealed bag on a tray (to catch any drips) and refrigerate, turning the bag several times over the next 24 hours.

4. After 24 hours, remove chicken from bag and discard remaining marinade.

5. Grill chicken over high heat for 5-7 minutes per side, or until an internal temperature of 160F is reached.

6. Remove chicken from grill and rest until internal temperature reaches 165F; slice thinly before serving.

Notes

• Recipe doubles well to feed a crowd.

• You can meal-prep by freezing uncooked thighs in the marinade, then thaw in the fridge for 24 hours before grilling.

adapted from The Queen’s Cabinet

Polish Sausage and Zucchini Skillet

This simple one-pot-meal is the perfect thing to make during the summer when it’s too hot to turn on the oven. The balance of smokey polish sausage or kielbasa pairs so well with the sweet flavors of fresh summer zucchini and tomatoes. Compari tomatoes (2-3 inches in diameter) are my favorite when garden fresh tomatoes aren’t available. Grape or cherry tomatoes will also work.

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• my super sharp knife https://amzn.to/3frz7zO

• walnut cutting board https://amzn.to/33vDS97

• 14-inch skillet https://amzn.to/3kiLcuQ

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Polish Sausage and Zucchini Skillet

makes 4-6 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 pound fully cooked polish sausage or kielbasa, cut into coins

• 2 cups diced yellow onion

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 cups chopped zucchini (remove seeds if using very large zucchini)

• 3 cups chopped compari tomatoes, cut in quarters (about 5 or 6)

• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed in the palm of your.hand

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Directions

1. In a very large skillet over medium heat, brown sausage coins in oil until golden brown on both sides; remove from pan and reserve.

2. In the same pan, add diced onions with a pinch of salt and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.

3. Add minded garlic and stir constantly for 30-60 seconds; immediately add zucchini and continue stirring occasionally until tender (5-10 minutes).

4. Return sausage to the pan and add oregano, salt, and pepper; stir frequently for several minutes to reheat the sausage.

5. Add tomatoes and stir a few more minutes just until the tomatoes start to soften (but not lose their shape); taste and add salt and pepper if needed.

Note

• you can substitute halved grape or cherry tomatoes.