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Chicken Shawarma Pita with Tahini Garlic Sauce

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LIZ DELLA CROCE

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A quick and easy chicken shawarma marinade – lemon and yogurt tenderize the lean chicken breasts while fresh garlic, parsley, and spices add tons of flavor. You’ll love this chicken shawarma pita with tahini garlic sauce.

Chicken shawarma pita with tahini garlic sauce.

My maternal grandparents emigrated from Syria and settled in West Michigan, so although I grew up eating Middle Eastern food, there are only a handful of Lebanese restaurants on this side of the state. As such, I grew up learning from my mother and grandmother how to make and perfect Lebanese recipes. This Chicken Shawarma Pita with Tahini Garlic Sauce is a result of my family’s culture and my childhood. We decided to wrap it into a pita with our favorite tahini sauce, but it is great on its own served with rice pilaf and a green salad as well! Truth is, my family loves anything wrapped in pita bread such as eggs and labneh in a wrap!

Ingredients

  • For the Shawarma marinade: lemon juice, plain yogurt, parsley, garlic, salt, allspice, cinnamon, and cayenne.
  • For the sauce: tahini, lemon juice, garlic, warm water, salt, and pepper.
  • For the wrap: pita bread, chicken shawarma, tahini garlic sauce, with any combo of lettuce, tomato, bell pepper, and red onion.

How to Make Chicken Shawarma Pita with Tahini Garlic Sauce

Start your Chicken Shawarma Pita with Tahini Garlic Sauce by making the shawarma marinade.

Add the plain yogurt to a medium sized bowl with the cinnamon, allspice, and cayenne.

Followed by freshly grated garlic, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and a touch of salt.

Add some freshly minced parsley and stir until a creamy sauce is formed.

Add cubed chicken to the marinade and mix until evenly coated. Let marinade in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, but preferably overnight.

Then set the chicken out on a prepared baking sheet and broil in the oven for 4-5 minutes on high, or throw it on the grill (my preferred method).

While the chicken is marinating or cooking, make the tahini garlic sauce. Pour tahini into a small bowl.

Add lemon juice, grated garlic, and a touch of salt and black pepper.

Slowly stir in warm water until you’ve reached desired consistency.

Now you’re ready to assemble the Chicken Shawarma Pita with Tahini Garlic Sauce. Start by spreading the sauce onto some pita.

Follow with the chicken shawarma, and desired toppings of lettuce, tomato, onion, or bell pepper.

Liz grabbing chicken shawarma pita with tahini garlic sauce.

Wrap it all up, and enjoy this delicious lunch or dinner!

Easy Substitutions

  • Make it vegetarian. Instead of chicken, use chickpeas! Or tofu, or vegan “chicken.”
  • No dairy? No problem. Luckily this meal already has very little dairy, but you can replace the yogurt with coconut yogurt, or a bit less conventional, apple sauce.
  • Use different herbs. Instead of parsley, using fresh mint or oregano can also work in the marinade.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you tenderize lean chicken breasts?

Plain yogurt is a healthy way to tenderize lean chicken breasts while also adding an addictive tanginess. Plain yogurt is also packed with protein as well as magnesium and potassium.

What else can I use the Tahini Garlic sauce with?

It tastes great on white fish, or drizzled over roasted potatoes.

What’s the difference between tahini and tzatziki?

While they may both start with a “t” and end in an “i” that is where the similarities end! They look, taste, and smell completely different. Tzatziki is a Greek sauce made with cucumber and yogurt, but tahini is made from sesame seeds.
Chicken shawarma pita with tahini garlic sauce.

More Lebanese Delights

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Did you try this Lebanese dish and love it? The next time you make it, snap a picture and share it to your socials! Tag @thelemonbowl and #thelemonbowl so we can admire and share your meal.

Liz eating chicken shawarma pita with tahini garlic sauce.

This Chicken Shawarma Pita with Tahini Garlic Sauce is not only easy and delicious, but brings with it a sense of home and comfort (at least for me). I love it, my husband loves it, my kids love it, and I know you will, too.

No fork required.

Chicken Shawarma Pita with Tahini Garlic Sauce

4.53 stars average
A quick and easy chicken shawarma marinade – lemon and yogurt tenderize the lean chicken breasts while fresh garlic, parsley, and spices add tons of flavor.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Serves4
CourseMain Dish
Calories246

Ingredients
 
 

Chicken Shawarma
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts – cut in 2 in cubes
  • 1 juice of lemon
  • ½ cup plain low fat yogurt
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley minced
  • 3 cloves garlic grated
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon allspice
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • teaspoon cayenne
Tahini Garlic Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons warm water
  • 1 clove garlic grated
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 pitas
  • slices lettuce tomato and red onion to serve

Instructions
 

  1. In a small bowl whisk together chicken marinade: lemon juice, yogurt, minced parsley, grated garlic, salt, allspice, cinnamon, and cayenne.
  2. Pour marinade over chicken breast cubes in a resealable plastic bag or glass dish. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to overnight.
  3. While chicken is marinating, whisk together tahini garlic sauce in a small bowl. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
  4. To cook chicken, pre-heat grill or broiler to high heat. Spray grill or foil-lined broiler pan with non-stick spray. Grill or broil for 4-5 minutes per set or until chicken is cooked through.
  5. To serve, spread a quarter of the tahini garlic sauce down the center of each pita. Top with cooked chicken pieces, lettuce, tomato, and red onion slices. Wrap tightly and slice in half before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 246kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 27.7gFat: 5.4gSaturated Fat: 0.6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4.8gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 1008mgFiber: 1.8gSugar: 3g

Liz’s Notes

Remove chicken from the refrigerator 10-15 minutes before you plan to grill or broil to help remove the chill.

Have you tried this?

Let us know how it was!

4.53 from 21 votes (14 ratings without comment)

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58 responses to “Chicken Shawarma Pita with Tahini Garlic Sauce”

  1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
    Liz DellaCroce

    I LOVE pickled turnips!! Honestly is there anything better?? I hope you enjoy this!

  2. Nikki @Seeded at the Table Avatar
    Nikki @Seeded at the Table

    And there’s that sauce I love so much!!!

  3. Susan Avatar
    Susan

    Hi Liz! I’m really excited to try this recipe. I think I got into liking middle eastern food because I had a Lebanese boyfriend who taught me how to make hummus, and introduced me to tahini, pitas and string cheese. I don’t have any tahini in the house right now, but I have everything else. And I’ve already warned my husband that it’s coming. I’m looking forward to hopefully seeing more recipes from this part of the world, because they really know how to cook!

  4. Kim |Just For Clicks Avatar
    Kim |Just For Clicks

    Love your background of cuisines…. Beautiful heritage! I will definitely try this (as a way to use chicken breasts in a new & non-boring way). Pinning it now…

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      Thank you so much Kim!! I’m definitely an American mut!! :) xo

  5. Norma | Allspice and Nutmeg Avatar
    Norma | Allspice and Nutmeg

    Been wanted to make shawarma at home. Thanks for the recipe! I, too, am of Middle Eastern background and love grape leaves, shawarma, all of it.

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      Isn’t it the best food in the world?? Enjoy!!

  6. Marie @ Not Enough Cinnamon.com Avatar
    Marie @ Not Enough Cinnamon.com

    I love me some good shawarma pita! When we were living in Paris we used to go at least once a week to this delicious Lebanese spot that had delicious pita sandwiches and now that we’ve moved, I totally miss Lebanese food! Your recipe sounds delicious, I’ll try it sometime soon!

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      Oh I had some of my best Lebanese food when I lived in London!! Europe knows how to do it!! I hope you enjoy this!!

  7. allie Avatar
    allie

    I just ran across your blog today for the first time and love it! I also love the looks of this recipe. We just moved to the country of Georgia, and I am not sure I would be able to find tahini…do you have another sauce to suggest that would also complement this recipe? Thanks!

    1. Allie Avatar
      Allie

      Thanks so much for responding! I will def try it out!

  8. Lizzie Avatar
    Lizzie

    I made this tonight and it is soo good. Best flavors didn’t know chicken could be so yum. Healthy too!! Thx

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      Oh I’m so glad you enjoyed it Lizzie!

  9. Gaby Avatar
    Gaby

    What a perfect dinner for busy nights!! I need to make this soon!

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      This would be fab with your fattoush!! Or you can get crazy and add the fattoush to the pita… :)

  10. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
    Liz DellaCroce

    It’s funny – so do I!!! I’ll trade you for a babka!!