Shawarma or Doner Kebab is something you might have tried or seen multiple times in many restaurants. It is identified as a huge chunk of meat on a vertical spit roast, rotating and cooking slowly. Sit tight, cause we bring this recipe of the chicken shawarma in pita bread, that can be made easily at home using your regular tawas and pans. Brining you the authentic taste of a chicken shawarma with a tzatziki garlic dip, inside a soft and supple pita bread.
Shawarma is a meat or chicken preparation, derived from the Turkish Doner kebab. Chicken Shawarma is generally made by chicken thighs marinated in a hung curd and spice mix, layered on a skewer and roasted slowly while it rotates vertically on a spit roast. Chicken Shawarma can be eaten in several ways from being wrapped inside a pita bread, to eaten in a bowl with sides, or eaten as it is like a kebab.
Chicken shawarma is something that has been loved and lapped up by foodies with great gusto. However, chicken shawarma has assumed the status of something that is considered to only be available and eaten at restaurants due to the intricate style of cooking. We bring the delicious flavor of Chicken Shawarma to your kitchen. This recipe of Chicken Shawarma with pita opens up doors to various possibilities of flavors that you can add to your home cooked shawarma. This wrap is also accompanied by an amazing garlic Tzatziki dip that gives the whole thing the perfect balance of sour and spicy flavors.
1) The first step of the recipe is to start preparing the pita bread dough by adding lukewarm water in a bowl to which you'll add your yeast and let it activate for 5-7 minutes.
2) In another bowl add refined flour and salt and mix them together, add your yeast mixture to the flour with some olive oil and start to knead the dough. Knead it till a smooth dough forms and springs back when you press it.
3) Shape the dough into a ball by tucking in the edges. Spread olive oil on the surface of the dough, put it in an oiled bowl, cover it with a damp towel and let it proof in a warm environment for about 2 hrs or till it doubles in size.
4) While the dough is proofing, prepare the chicken marinade in a large bowl by adding the hung curd and all the dried spices and salt, followed by the finely grated onion and crushed or grated garlic cloves. Mix all of them together to create a thick marinade.
5) To the marinade add the cleaned and dried chicken thighs. Rub and massage the chicken in the marinade to tenderize it and coat it completely with the marinade. Cover and store it in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes to overnight (for better results).
6) In a separate bowl, prepare the Tzatziki dip by adding the hung curd, finely diced cucumber, finely minced or crushed garlic cloves, then squeeze half a lemon's juice and add salt and pepper to taste. Mix them all together, drizzle some olive oil and incorporate and keep this covered in the fridge.
7) Take out the proofed dough on a floured surface and divide it into 6 equal pieces, make them into round balls by tucking in the sides. Keep them on a tray and cover with the damp towel for 15 minutes to relax the gluten.
8) Heat a Meyer Cast Iron Tawaon high flame, roll out the pita bread into a thick disk about 15 cm in diameter. Once the tawa is extremely hot, put the pita on it, cook for 30-40 seconds on one side and flip. there should be some browning on the bread.
9) Let it cook on the tawa until it completely puffs up. Take the puffed bread off the tawa and keep it warm inside a kitchen towel till the chicken is cooked.
10) For cooking the chicken, take a stainless steel or a non-stick pan and heat it on medium low heat. Drizzle some olive oil on the pan.
11) Add in two chicken thighs at a time, skin side down. Let this cook on low heat for 5-6 minutes per side. Take it off the pan once it is cooked and a decent browning is achieved. Slice all the chicken thighs with a sharp knife.
12) Take a piece of pita bread, slice it in half and open up the pocket. Put in a heaped tablespoon of Tzatziki on the sides of the pocket, and stuff it with your sliced/shredded chicken shawarma.
13) Make sure that the wrap is hot and garnish it with some coriander leaves. Serve with lemon wedges.
Expert Tips
1) Make sure to use chicken thighs in the recipe, because of their fat content, which is absolutely integral in this recipe.
2) If the pita bread doesn't puff up, it can also be rolled with the chicken filling.
3) Ensure to brown the chicken enough to derive the most shawarma flavor out of it.
Shawarma or Doner Kebab is something you might have tried or seen multiple times in many restaurants. It is identified as a huge chunk of meat on a vertical spit roast, rotating and cooking slowly. Sit tight, cause we bring this recipe of the chicken shawarma in pita bread, that can be made easily at home using your regular tawas and pans. Brining you the authentic taste of a chicken shawarma with a tzatziki garlic dip, inside a soft and supple pita bread.
Leave a comment