Chicken Shawarma

My husband and I could not stop praising this dish when we were eating it. As soon as the chicken hit the grill, the aroma was absolutely intoxicating. You could easily make this dish on a grill pan or in a regular skillet. Don’t let the cold weather stop you from making it!
I was skeptical of adding cinnamon and cloves to the marinade for the chicken but in the interest of trying to stick to the recipe and to the ethnic heritage of the food, I did. Holy cow. I am so glad I did! The sweet/savory/tangy/crunchy combination of this dish is to die for! I got so excited about blogging this recipe that as soon I finished dinner I ran to my laptop to start writing. Good recipes must be shared with the world!
I followed the marinade recipe to a T but tweaked the garnish of cucumber and tomato and turned it into a cucumber, tomato and red onion salad to top the shawarma. So perfect! It’s tasty and fit in our 500 calorie or less dinner plan, coming in at 200 calories per sandwich.
Oh and a neat little tid-bit for you. This shawarma only costs about $2.00 a serving, I can guarantee that you wouldn’t pay that at any Indian Restaurant in my neighborhood.

Chicken Shawarma with Cucumber, Tomato and Onion Salad
Slightly modified from: Budget Bytes
Makes 6 Sandwiches

1.25 lbs chicken breasts
1/2 cup plain yogurt (I used Fat Free Greek Yogurt)
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves

YOGURT SAUCE

7 oz. cup plain greek yogurt (I used fat free)
1/4 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp dried dill OR 1 tablespoon fresh chopped Dill
1/4 tsp salt

6 homemade naan, pita, or flatbread ( I used these pitas for 60 calories a pop and they were incredibly tasty!)
1/2 head romaine lettuce

1 medium cucumber, sliced thinly
2 medium tomatoes, cut into 1/8ths
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 Red Onion sliced thinly
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
Juice of 1 small lemon
Salt and Pepper to taste

STEP 1: In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the marinade (yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, cinnamon, oregano, salt, nutmeg, and clove). Add chicken to the marinade, coat well, cover and refrigerate for 4-24 hours. If desired, slice the chicken into strips before marinating to maximize the flavor.

STEP 2: Prepare the yogurt sauce for the sandwiches. Open a 7 oz. container of plain greek yogurt and stir in the garlic, dill, and salt. Refrigerate until ready to use.

STEP 3: After marinating the chicken, grill or pan-sear until cooked through.

STEP 4: Wash and tear lettuce for sandwich. Set aside. Combine cucumber, tomato, red onion, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside

STEP 5: Build the chicken shawarma sandwiches. Spread the yogurt sauce on your flat bread, top with the chicken, lettuce and cucumber, tomato, onion salad. Roll the sandwich closed. You can wrap the sandwich in foil to help it stay closed as you eat.

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