Pita Chicken Shawarma

cook time:

2 hr 0 min

total time:

2 hr 0 min

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I grew up on Pita Shawarma. My childhood friends and I had a special spot in our hometown where we used to eat shawarma every Friday after school for a decade. There is absolutely nothing like a well seasoned slow roasted chicken, and when combined with a good salad, tahini, and amba? Well, it’s just perfection. In this recipe, you will find Zikki’s version for a quick Amba sauce. Amba is a tangy & spiced mango condiment of Indian origin, typically made of pickled green mangoes. But considering a good one is practically impossible to find in New York, Zikki found a way to make it with ripe mangos. I absolutely LOVE it. Our spice mix for the Amba is made with equal parts cumin, turmeric, cayenne pepper, fenugreek, and salt.

Ingredients

For the pita:

  • 2 ½ tablespoons chicken shawarma
  • 1 tablespoons of amba
  • 2 ½ tablespoons salad
  • Pickled onions
  • Tahini

Ingredients

For the chicken shawarma:

  • 2 lb free range chicken thighs
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tsp cumin powder
  • 2 tsp baharat powder
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp salt

Ingredients

For the amba:

  • 1 mango
  • ½ teaspoon citric acid
  • 2 tablespoons Tirshi (equal parts cumin, turmeric, cayenne pepper, fenugreek and salt)

Ingredients

For the chopped salad:

  • 2 ½ cucumbers
  • 2 ½ tomatoes
  • ½ small red onion
  • ½ Juice from a lemon
  • ¼ bunch of parsley
  • 1 teaspoon of sumac
  • Salt
  • Extra virgin olive oil

Ingredients

For the pickled onions:

  • 2 red onions
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 1 cup vinegar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Ingredients

For the pita:

  • 2 ½ tablespoons chicken shawarma
  • 1 tablespoons of amba
  • 2 ½ tablespoons salad
  • Pickled onions
  • Tahini

Ingredients

For the chicken shawarma:

  • 2 lb free range chicken thighs
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tsp cumin powder
  • 2 tsp baharat powder
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp salt

Ingredients

For the amba:

  • 1 mango
  • ½ teaspoon citric acid
  • 2 tablespoons Tirshi (equal parts cumin, turmeric, cayenne pepper, fenugreek and salt)

Ingredients

For the chopped salad:

  • 2 ½ cucumbers
  • 2 ½ tomatoes
  • ½ small red onion
  • ½ Juice from a lemon
  • ¼ bunch of parsley
  • 1 teaspoon of sumac
  • Salt
  • Extra virgin olive oil

Ingredients

For the pickled onions:

  • 2 red onions
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 1 cup vinegar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Ingredients

For the pita:

  • 2 ½ tablespoons chicken shawarma
  • 1 tablespoons of amba
  • 2 ½ tablespoons salad
  • Pickled onions
  • Tahini

Ingredients

For the chicken shawarma:

  • 2 lb free range chicken thighs
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tsp cumin powder
  • 2 tsp baharat powder
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp salt

Ingredients

For the amba:

  • 1 mango
  • ½ teaspoon citric acid
  • 2 tablespoons Tirshi (equal parts cumin, turmeric, cayenne pepper, fenugreek and salt)

Ingredients

For the chopped salad:

  • 2 ½ cucumbers
  • 2 ½ tomatoes
  • ½ small red onion
  • ½ Juice from a lemon
  • ¼ bunch of parsley
  • 1 teaspoon of sumac
  • Salt
  • Extra virgin olive oil

Ingredients

For the pickled onions:

  • 2 red onions
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 1 cup vinegar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Lets Start Cooking!

step 1

Prepare the pickled onions: Slice the red onions as thin as possible.

step 2

Combine honey, vinegar, water, and salt.

step 3

In a jar, combine the liquid mix with the onions and let it sit in room temperature for at least 2 hours.

step 4

Prepare the amba: Peel the mango.

step 5

In a food processor, blend the mango with the citric acid and the spices until smooth.

step 6

Prepare the salad: Chop cucumbers, tomatoes, and red onion into small cubes. Chop the parsley.

step 7

Season with sumac, salt, and lemon juice (drain the liquids from the salad, if the salad is wet, it may tear the pita!).

step 8

Prepare the tahini: In a bowl, pour water and mix with salt and lemon juice. The amount of water you use should be about half of the amount of the tahini you want to get at the end.

step 9

While constantly stirring, pour tahini and mix well until you reach your favorite texture. The texture I like is a bit thinner than hummus.

step 10

Prepare the chicken shawarma: In a bowl, mix the chicken thighs with olive oil and spices. Massage the chicken well and let it sit in the fridge for at least one hour (max overnight). Take the chicken out from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking.

step 11

Cook the chicken on a pan on a medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side.

step 12

Slice as thin as possible, mix with the juices coming out from the slicing and from the pan.

step 13

Build the pita: Open the pita with a knife. Spread a nice amount of tahini and amba in the pita. Add the chicken. Add salad. Add the pickled onions. Close the pita with more tahini and a teaspoon of Amba.

step 14

YASSS!

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