Emilie Meyer
Shawarma is a popular Middle Eastern street food that traditionally involves cooking thin slices of spiced meat stacked on a vertical rotisserie. While the traditional method involves cooking over a live fire, you can easily make delicious shawarma at home in your oven or on a stovetop. This paragraph will explore the different ways you can cook shawarma in a pan at home, achieving the same incredible flavours and tenderness as the traditional dish.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Meat | Chicken, lamb, mutton, beef |
| Chicken part | Thighs, breast, tenderloin |
| Marinade | Greek yogurt, coriander, cumin, cardamon, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt, black pepper, lemon juice, olive oil |
| Pan | Sheet pan, skillet, loaf pan |
| Cooking method | Bake, roast, sear, fry |
| Temperature | 425 degrees Fahrenheit, 400 degrees Fahrenheit, 165 degrees Fahrenheit |
| Time | 30 minutes, 40 minutes, 45 minutes, 24 hours, 3 hours, overnight |
| Accompaniments | Pita, tahini, tzatziki, arugula, Mediterranean salad, pickles, olives, parsley, tomatoes, cucumbers, white sauce, hot sauce, fried eggplant, feta, rice, hummus, harissa, rice pilaf |
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What You'll Learn
Marinating the chicken
Shawarma is a popular Middle Eastern street food that traditionally involves cooking thin slices of spiced meat stacked on a vertical rotisserie. However, you can easily make it at home by marinating and cooking the chicken in a pan.
The first step to making delicious chicken shawarma is to prepare a marinade. You can use a variety of spices such as coriander, cumin, cardamom, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt, and black pepper. These spices will infuse your chicken with exotic Middle Eastern flavours. You can also add Greek yogurt to the marinade, as it will keep the chicken moist as it cooks. Additionally, lemon juice and olive oil are great additions to the marinade. The lemon juice adds a fresh flavour, while the olive oil dilutes the lemon juice so it doesn't "cook" the chicken.
After preparing your marinade, simply toss the ingredients together with the chicken in a bowl. You can use chicken thighs or breasts, but boneless and skinless thighs are recommended for a juicier dish. Make sure the chicken is well-coated, then cover the bowl or transfer the mixture to a freezer bag. Place it in the fridge for at least an hour, but preferably for 2 to 3 hours or even overnight. The longer it marinates, the more flavourful it will be.
Once your chicken has absorbed all the delicious flavours of the marinade, you can move on to the cooking process. Take the chicken out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature while you preheat your oven and prepare your pan. You can also marinate onion slices with the chicken and cook them together for added flavour.
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Cooking the chicken
Shawarma is a popular Middle Eastern street food that traditionally involves cooking thin slices of spiced meat stacked on a vertical rotisserie. However, you can easily make chicken shawarma at home in a pan. While some recipes call for a sheet pan or a loaf pan in the oven, a skillet on the stovetop can also be used.
Preparing the Chicken
You can use chicken thighs or chicken breasts for your shawarma. If you want to use chicken breasts, consider pounding them thin. Boneless, skinless thighs are a good option as they are juicier than breasts. You can also use tenderloin.
Marinating the Chicken
To prepare the marinade, simply toss together your desired marinade ingredients in a bowl. You can use a variety of seasonings such as coriander, cumin, cardamom, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Add Greek yogurt to the marinade to keep the chicken moist as it cooks. You can also add lemon juice and olive oil to the marinade, ensuring the lemon juice is diluted so it doesn't "cook" the chicken. Once you have prepared the marinade, add the chicken to the bowl, coat it evenly, cover the bowl, and let it rest in the fridge. The longer it marinates, the more flavourful it will be—ideally, leave it for at least two hours or even overnight.
When you are ready to cook the chicken, heat a skillet on the stovetop. You can also use a sheet pan or a loaf pan in the oven, preheated to 400°F or 425°F. Place the chicken in a single layer in the pan and cook undisturbed until browned. Then, flip the chicken pieces and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and browned or crisp at the edges. This should take around 30 to 40 minutes in the oven. If using a skillet, you can add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan before adding the chicken and sauté until the chicken curls tight in the heat.
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Preparing the toppings
Shawarma is a popular Middle Eastern street food that is traditionally made with spiced meats stacked on a vertical rotisserie. It can be made with chicken, lamb, mutton, beef, or a combination of these meats. While it is traditionally cooked on a rotisserie, it can also be cooked in a pan or on a BBQ at home.
To prepare the toppings for your shawarma, you can use a variety of fresh ingredients. Here are some options:
- Chopped cucumbers
- Chopped tomatoes
- Arugula or lettuce
- Chopped parsley
- Fried eggplant
- Olives, such as Kalamata olives
- Feta cheese
- Mediterranean salad
- Pickles
- Hummus, hummus swirled with harissa, or tzatziki sauce
- Tahini sauce or tzatziki sauce
- White sauce
- Hot sauce
- Rice or rice pilaf
You can also get creative and add your own favourite toppings to your shawarma.
Once you have prepared your toppings, you can assemble your shawarma by spreading your sauce of choice onto a pita, flatbread, or Lebanese bread. Then, add your chicken shawarma and toppings of choice. Roll up the bread and enjoy!
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Cooking with a rotisserie
Shawarma is a popular street food that is traditionally made in the form of spiced meats stacked on a vertical rotisserie. However, it can also be cooked in a pan or on a BBQ. For a chicken shawarma, you can use boneless, skinless thighs, chicken breast, or tenderloin. The chicken can be marinated in the fridge for 3 hours or overnight. After marinating, the chicken can be baked in the oven for 30 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Rotisserie cooking is a fantastic way to add versatility to your grill, and most grills have a rotisserie option. This cooking method helps meats remain moist because the turning action bastes the meats in their juices. The slow and steady rotation ensures even cooking, keeping every bite juicy and packed with flavor and mouthwatering aromas. Rotisserie cooking works best at low to medium heat, giving the meat time to cook through without burning the exterior.
- Truss your meat: Use kitchen twine to keep whole chickens, turkeys, or other meats compact and ensure even cooking.
- For a Greek marinated leg of lamb, cover the meat with a zesty marinade of lemon juice, spices, and herbs for 6 hours. Once on the rotisserie spit, the leg cooks for approximately 2 hours, providing juicy inner meat and a crusty outer layer. Make a herby dressing with oregano, lemon juice, thyme, olive oil, salt, and pepper to serve on the side.
- For a Bourbon rotisserie pork roast, apply a dry rub made from sugar, peppercorns, mustard, paprika, garlic, and onion powder the night before. Then, baste the meat with a mixture of bourbon, sugar, ketchup, mustard, and corn syrup every 20 minutes. Roast on the grill for 3.5 to 4 hours for tender, perfectly cooked meat.
- For a rotisserie prime rib roast, rub the meat with a combination of spices, herbs, olive oil, vinegar, and seasonings. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 120 °F for rare and 140 °F for medium.
- For a Peruvian roasted chicken, try a marinade with a jalapeno lime Pilsner rub and juicy sweet pineapple.
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Storing leftovers
Shawarma can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days. To ensure maximum freshness, it is important to let the dish cool down to room temperature before storing it in an airtight container. This will prevent contamination and retain moisture. It is also good practice to label the container with the date it was stored to keep track of its freshness.
If you wish to keep your shawarma for longer, it can be stored in the freezer for up to two to three months. To avoid freezer burn, it is recommended to use freezer-safe, airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. Before sealing, remove as much air from the bag as possible. When you are ready to enjoy your frozen shawarma, thaw it in the refrigerator and reheat it using a method that maintains its texture, such as an oven, stovetop, or microwave.
To reheat your shawarma sandwich, wrap it in foil and place it in the oven at 350°F (176°C) until the meat is warm. The amount of time to reheat your shawarma will vary depending on your oven, so be sure to check on it every five minutes or so. If you are reheating chicken shawarma, ensure the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) to ensure safety.
By following these simple steps, you can enjoy your delicious shawarma again and again while maintaining its flavour and texture.
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Frequently asked questions
To cook chicken shawarma in a pan, start by marinating the chicken in a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and spices. You can also add onions to the marinade. Leave the chicken to marinate for at least an hour, but preferably a few hours or overnight for maximum flavour. Then, heat a cast-iron skillet on high heat and cook the chicken for around 8 minutes on each side without stirring to get a nice char.
Chicken shawarma should be cooked on medium-high heat to get a nice char on the chicken. Make sure the pan is hot before adding the chicken, and don't stir it at first to allow it to cook undisturbed and get those signature crispy edges.
To make chicken shawarma in a loaf pan, marinate chicken thighs and breasts in a Lebanese shawarma marinade. Then, tightly pack the chicken into the loaf pan to mimic how it would be pressed into a vertical rotisserie. Roast the chicken in the oven, and then flip the loaf pan onto a cutting board and slice the chicken into thin shawarma pieces.
