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Chicken Shawarma Sandwich with Garlic Sauce

These warm Chicken Shawarma Sandwiches with Garlic Sauce were inspired by my favorite Lebanese restaurant, are easy to make, and have authentic flavor.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Additional Time
12 hrs
Total Time
12 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 6 sandwiches
Course: Lunch , Dinner
Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Ingredients

For the Chicken + Marinade
  • 1 pound chicken tenders I used Farmer Focus Organic (can sub thinly sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs)
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 6 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil + extra for cooking
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon oregano
For the Garlic Sauce
  • 1 head garlic peeled and crushed
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 lemon juiced
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup PLAIN yogurt
For Assembly
  • 6 whole-wheat pitas
  • butter or olive oil (for toasting the pitas)
  • thinly sliced pickles (or sandwich slices)

Instructions

For the chicken and marinade
    Cup of Yum
  1. Put the chicken in a zip-top bag and set aside. Using a mini food processor, hand immersion blender, or small blender jar (such as magic bullet) puree the lemon juice, garlic, oil, paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, and oregano. (This is not enough marinade to easily work in a large blender or food processor.) Pour over the chicken and massage to coat, seal, and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
  2. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add a teaspoon or two of the olive oil to the pan and, using tongs, remove the chicken from the marinade and add to the hot pan. Cook in batches until golden brown and cooked all the way through (no longer pink in the middle), about 4 to 5 minutes per side.
For the garlic sauce
  1. Using a mini food processor, hand immersion blender, or small blender jar (such as magic bullet), puree the garlic, oil, lemon, and salt until smooth. (This is not enough sauce to easily work in a large blender or food processor.) BRIEFLY pulse in the yogurt to help thicken the sauce. If you blend the yogurt too much it will just thin out again (see notes).
For assembly
  1. Heat a little butter or olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Toast the pitas until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side.
  2. Spoon a generous helping of garlic sauce down the middle of each pita, top with a pickle slice, and add chicken (our chicken tenders were on the smaller side and I put two in each pita). Pull up both sides and wrap parchment paper around, twisting the excess on the bottom, to keep the sandwich in place and serve warm.

Notes

  • If you accidentally end up with a thin sauce you can just pulse or even stir in extra yogurt to fix it. If you make the sauce in advance and it separates, simply follow this same fix to bring it back to life.
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  • We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
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  • Nutrition Facts Chicken Shawarma Sandwich with Garlic Sauce Amount Per Serving Calories 390 Calories from Fat 162 % Daily Value* Fat 18g28%Saturated Fat 3g19%Cholesterol 51mg17%Sodium 639mg28%Potassium 488mg14%Carbohydrates 37g12%Fiber 5g21%Sugar 2g2%Protein 23g46% Vitamin A 207IU4%Vitamin C 18mg22%Calcium 61mg6%Iron 3mg17% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
  • Calories 390
  • Calories from Fat 162
  • % Daily Value*
  • Fat 18g
  • 28%
  • Saturated Fat 3g
  • 19%
  • Cholesterol 51mg
  • 17%
  • Sodium 639mg
  • 28%
  • Potassium 488mg
  • 14%
  • Carbohydrates 37g
  • 12%
  • Fiber 5g
  • 21%
  • Sugar 2g
  • 2%
  • Protein 23g
  • 46%
  • Vitamin A 207IU
  • 4%
  • Vitamin C 18mg
  • 22%
  • Calcium 61mg
  • 6%
  • Iron 3mg
  • 17%