This is my new favorite recipe. And that says a lot, because I've been cooking non-stop for the past six weeks and we've had lots of good meals, but this is truly the best thing I've made during quarantine. Even the kids agree. If you're in the mood for something light, flavorful and satisfying, look no further than sheet pan chicken shawarma with homemade tzatziki sauce. It's a whole meal you can hold in your hands.
Avert your eyes from my terrible nails and sandpaper hands...focus on the delicious pita
I honestly can't remember the first time I tried shawarma (a Middle Eastern staple, it's thinly sliced highly spiced meat piled on a pita with veggies and sauce) , but I do remember being completely seduced by the combination of succulent chicken seasoned with earthy spices, nestled gently into warm flat bread, topped with fresh veggies and creamy, garlicky sauce. This simple sandwich hits all the flavor and texture notes that make a perfect bite. I've been making a Greek lemon/garlic/oregano marinade for chicken souvlaki (grilled chicken on a skewer) for years, but had never tried a traditional Middle Eastern spice rub until now. I also never tried cooking the meat on a sheet pan in the oven, but it is so much quicker and easier than making kebabs. This will be my new go-to way of making these pitas for sure.
Just like it came off a cart in New York City, in the very best way
The cucumber yogurt tzatziki sauce is simple to make and really adds so much zing and freshness to the dish. I also used some store bough hummus (Sabra is the best) to add an extra layer of flavor and creaminess to the sandwich. If you don't have pita bread, the chicken shawarma and the tzatziki sauce would be equally as tasty over basmati rice or couscous. The key to making it taste like the chicken shawarma we all know and love is to use chicken thighs, sliced thinly, quickly marinated and cooked in a really hot oven.
Sheet Pan Chicken Shawarma Pitas with Tzatziki Sauce
Ingredients:
For the Shawarma:
1 lb chicken thighs, thinly sliced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground coriander
dash of cayenne pepper (more if you like it spicy)
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
juice of 1/2 a lemon
For the Tzatziki Sauce:
1 cup Greek yogurt
3 cloves garlic, grated over a microplane (or mashed into a paste if you don't have a microplane)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 English (seedless) cucumber (skin on) shredded and squeezed dry (use a dish towel or a few paper towels to absorb all the liquid)
Zest and juice from 1/2 lemon (use the other half of the lemon you used to make the shawarma)
1/2 tsp dried dill weed (or 1 tbsp fresh dill if you have it)
1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Make the chicken: Combine all the spices, oil and lemon juice with a whisk. Add chicken and onions into the spice mixture and stir to coat completely. Prepare your sheet pan with cooking spray or a thin brush of olive oil. Roast on a sheet pan for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice during cooking with a spatula to ensure even browning.
Make the sauce: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Taste to see if you need extra salt or pepper.
To build your pita: Heat pita bread until just warm directly on the rack of the oven (I put mine in with the chicken for the last 2 minutes of cooking and they were perfect). Spread warm pita with hummus. Top with chicken shawarma, leafy greens (I used arugula), thinly sliced tomato and kalamata olives. Spoon tzatziki sauce over the top. Enjoy!
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