About this Dish
Marinated lamb, chicken or beef stacked on a vertical rotating spit and shaved to order into flatbread with garlic sauce, pickled vegetables and fresh herbs. The Lebanese version uses a toum — a powerfully garlicky white sauce — that distinguishes it from all other shawarma traditions.
IngredientsServes 2
🍗Boneless chicken thighs, 1kg
🧄Garlic cloves, 10 large (6 for toum, 4 for marinade)
🍋Lemons, 3 (juice of all, zest of 1)
🫙Neutral oil such as sunflower, 240ml (for toum)
🧂Seven-spice (baharat) blend, 2 tsp
🌿Ground cumin, 1 tsp, and ground turmeric, half tsp
🥛Plain full-fat yoghurt, 3 tbsp (for marinade)
🥒Pickled cucumbers and turnips, 100g sliced (store-bought or homemade)
🫓Lebanese flatbreads or pita, 4 large
🌱Fresh flat-leaf parsley, large handful roughly chopped
Method
1
Make the toum first: blend 6 garlic cloves with half a teaspoon of salt and a tablespoon of lemon juice in a small food processor until a paste forms. With the motor running, drizzle in 240ml of oil incredibly slowly, alternating with the remaining lemon juice a teaspoon at a time, until you have a thick, fluffy, mayo-like white sauce. Refrigerate until needed.2
Combine the remaining 4 crushed garlic cloves, yoghurt, seven-spice, cumin, turmeric, a good pinch of salt, and the lemon zest in a large bowl to make the marinade. Add the chicken thighs, mix well to coat every piece, cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight for best results.3
Heat a large heavy griddle pan or cast-iron skillet over high heat until very hot. Cook the chicken thighs in batches for 5–6 minutes per side until deeply charred at the edges and cooked through, avoiding overcrowding the pan.4
Rest the chicken for 5 minutes then slice it thinly across the grain with a sharp knife, shaving it as you would from a spit — thin strips with some crispy charred edges mixed through.5
Warm your flatbreads directly over a gas flame or in a dry pan for 30 seconds each side until soft, pliable and lightly blistered.6
Spread a very generous amount of toum across each flatbread — don't be shy, this is the soul of Lebanese shawarma. Layer on the sliced chicken, pickled vegetables, and a handful of fresh parsley.7
Roll tightly, wrapping the bottom in foil or parchment to hold it together, and serve immediately while the chicken is still warm and the bread is soft.User Reviews
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