Chicken Shawarma Plate

Ingredients

• 400 grams chicken breast or boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp curry
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp pepper

• 200 grams tomatoes
• 150 grams cucumber
• 80 grams red onion
• 1 tbsp parsley
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper

• 200 grams yogurt
• 12 leaves fresh mint
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper

Steps

1. Marinate the chicken: Start by preparing the chicken marinade, since it needs resting time. Cut the chicken into small pieces if using breast, or leave boneless thighs whole. In a bowl, mix 1 tbsp olive oil with 1 tbsp lemon juice. Remove the skin from 3 garlic cloves, press them into the bowl, and add 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika powder, ¼ tsp turmeric, ¼ tsp curry powder, ⅛ tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp salt, and ⅛ tsp black pepper. Stir well, then add the chicken and mix until every piece is coated. Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
2. Prep the salad: While the chicken marinates, move on to the salad and dip. Cut the tomatoes, cucumber, and onion into small pieces. Pluck the parsley leaves, chop them finely, and set everything aside. In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper, but don’t combine the salad yet; that comes right before serving.
3. Make the yogurt dip: Next, prepare the yogurt dip. Peel 1 garlic clove and chop or press it. Stack a few mint leaves, roll them up, slice into fine rings, and chop finely. In another small bowl, add the yogurt, garlic, mint, ¼ tsp salt, and ⅛ tsp black pepper. Stir until creamy, then refrigerate the dip while finishing the chicken.
4. Fry the chicken: When the chicken has marinated long enough, heat a large frying pan over medium heat. There’s no need to add extra oil — the marinade already has enough. (Optional: Thread the chicken onto soaked wooden or metal skewers.) Place the chicken in the hot pan and let it cook without moving it, until it turns white around the edges and golden underneath. Then flip and cook for the same amount of time on the other side, until golden brown and cooked through.
5. Toss & serve: While the chicken cooks, quickly finish the salad. Add the chopped tomato, cucumber, onion, and parsley to the olive oil–lemon dressing and toss everything together. Once the chicken is ready, arrange it on plates, add the salad on the side, and either spoon the mint garlic yogurt dip over the top or serve it separately.