Chicken shawarma

This street food flavour bomb owes its vibrancy to a mix of seven spices, many of which you will already have in your pantry.

Chicken shawarma Credit: One World Kitchen

• serves

  6

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

You can store the excess spice mix in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp 7-spice powder (see below)
• 2 tbsp (40 ml) olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp (40 ml) lemon juice
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts, sliced into long strips
• 2 skinless boneless chicken thighs, sliced into long strips
• Wooden skewers, soaked in water for a few hours
• 6 pitas
• Garlic sauce (see below)
• 1 cup  shredded lettuce
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• ½ onion, sliced
• ½ cup pink pickled turnips
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

7-Spice powder

• 1 tbsp ground allspice
• 1 tbsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tbsp ground clove
• ½ tbsp ground fenugreek
• ½ tbsp ground dry ginger
• ½ tbsp ground nutmeg

Garlic sauce

• ¼ cup minced garlic cloves
• 1 egg white
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 1 cup vegetable oil 

Marinating time: 1-2 hours

Instructions

1. To make the 7-spice mix, combine allspice, pepper, cinnamon, clove, fenugreek, ginger, and nutmeg in a bowl. You can store the excess spice mix in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
 
2. Combine 1 tablespoon of the spice mix with the olive oil, half of the minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, and salt. Add the chicken strips and stir to coat. Leave in the fridge to marinate for 1-2 hours.
 
3. To make the garlic sauce, in a food processor, puree garlic, egg white, salt, and lemon juice. Slowly stream vegetable oil into garlic mixture while food processor is running. Continue processing until completely combined. Set aside.
 
4. Remove chicken from fridge and thread onto wooden skewers. Grill on a barbecue or in a chargrill pan, turning to char on all sides. Remove chicken from heat, and drizzle with remaining lemon juice.
 
5. Remove chicken from skewers, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
 
6. Spread garlic mixture onto pita bread. Top with chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, onion, turnips, and a sprinkling of parsley. Roll pita bread over mixture to create a sandwich. Repeat until all pita bread has been made into wraps.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

You can store the excess spice mix in an airtight container for up to two weeks.