Juicy, Charred Chicken Shawarma Wraps

Chicken shawarma wrap on a grey marble background with a small bowl of tahini sauce on the side.

5 from 1 vote

Juicy, Charred Chicken Shawarma Wraps

These chicken shawarma wraps are super quick, super easy and PACKED with gorgeous Middle Eastern flavors. Juicy, charred chicken thighs are piled onto soft flatbreads with lots of crunchy veggies and delicious sauces for a wonderful weeknight winner.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: better than takeout

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Keyword: chicken flatbreads, chicken wraps

Servings: flatbreads

Calories: 752kcal

Author: Kate Phillips

Ingredients

For the chicken shawarma -

1 lb (500g) chicken thighs (boneless, skinless and free-range)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves crushed

For the tahini sauce -

½ cup tahini
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves crushed

For the flatbreads -

1 gem lettuce sliced
1 cucumber diced
2 scallions spring onions, finely chopped
½ cup pomegranate seeds
4 flatbreads I love these two-ingredient dough garlic flatbreads
½ cup hummus try this creamy super smooth hummus or creamy white bean hummus
½ cup aioli try easy egg-free garlic aioli or spicy gochujang aioli

Instructions

Marinate the chicken.
Add 1 teaspoon each of ground cumin, coriander, turmeric and cinnamon to a mixing bowl or container along with 1 teaspoon of salt, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the 3 crushed garlic cloves.
Mix well to combine, then add the chicken thighs. Mix again to coat the chicken really well in the marinade, then set aside in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

PRO TIP: You can marinate the chicken up to 24 hours in advance if you'd like to get ahead.

Make the tahini sauce.
Add ½ cup tahini, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 2 crushed garlic cloves to a small bowl. Use a fork to combine well into a thick paste. Add about ¼ cup of water and mix again - it'll seem like the sauce won't come together but just trust the process - keep mixing until the sauce thickens up again and reaches the consistency of double cream. Add a little more water if you like it thinner. Set aside.
Cook the chicken.
Place a large frying pan or skillet over high heat, then add the chicken thighs. Let them cook without touching them, for 7 minutes. This is to let a lovely charred crust develop - if you move them around, this won't happen. After 7 minutes, flip the chicken over and cook for 7 minutes on the other side. Remove the chicken from the heat and set aside to rest for about 5 minutes.
Assemble the wraps.
Lay a flatbread on a plate, then spoon on a little hummus. Smooth it all over the flatbread, then top it with some sliced lettuce, cucumber and scallions. Slice the chicken thighs, then pile them on top of the salad. Drizzle over tahini sauce, aioli and finally the pomegranate seeds. Repeat with the rest of the flatbreads.

Notes

INGREDIENT NOTES: You can use chicken breasts here, but I recommend flattening them out with a rolling pin to ensure quick and even cooking. Use any flatbreads or wraps you like, though I love using my super easy two-ingredient dough flatbread recipe.

SUBSTITUTIONS: Use any crunchy veggie toppings you like here - add diced tomatoes, spinach, red peppers, red onion or pickled onion. I also love swapping the tahini sauce for green tahini sauce or tahini yogurt sauce. Spice things up with 2-minute gochujang aioli rather than regular aioli.

STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS: The chicken will keep for 5 days once cooked, stored in an airtight container in the fridge so this is a great recipe for meal prepping. You can also marinate the chicken up to 24 hours in advance, then cook it when you're ready so it's great for prepping ahead of time.

Nutrition