Sunday, May 16, 2010

Chicken Shwarma

My husband and I met in High School, spent a year in a long distance relationship and then I joined him at college. The campus at University of Michigan is a mecca of diversity in the form of both people and food. One of my first introductions to Mediterranean and Greek cuisine was at a small cafe on S. University called Oasis. The chicken shwarma was so good I can still taste it all these years later!

Since then we have lived in a few different cities across the U.S. but I had yet to find a chicken shwarma as good as I had remembered at Oasis, until now!

San Diego has quite a few Greek restaurants and while most of them are a bit too commercial for my taste there is a small cafe called Nikkos my husband and I love. The chicken shwarma is exactly as I remember at Oasis. Warm, soft flat bread, flavorful chicken, and the most delicious garlic sauce I have ever had.

I attempted to make it at home and the results were quite good.


Chicken Shwarma
serves 4-6

4 Flat Bread
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts butterflied
Marinade:
1/2 c. white wine
1 c. Greek yogurt
4 cloves garlic crushed
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cardamon
2 whole cloves
salt and pepper


Sauce:

1 c. plain yogurt
3 cloves garlic
1/2 c. tahini
1/4 c. lemon juice


Combine all marinade ingredients in medium sized bowl. Place chicken in marinade and place in fridge overnight.
Place chicken on preheated 375 degree grill. Grill on each side for six minutes a side. Grilling the chicken a total of 12 minutes. Remove to plate and set aside.
Sauce:
Crush garlic, add yogurt, tahini and lemon juice. Mix to combine.
Assembly:
Warm flat bread in microwave for 25 seconds. Place 2 strips of chicken in center of flat bread next to a dill pickle spear, spoon on sauce. Fold up sides and serve warm.

13 comments:

Chris said...

Chicken Shwarma looks amazing as does your photography. I like your styling of the second shwarma using a deli paper and ribbon, cute.

Saved to try later.

Sarah said...

Thanks Chris, it's actually a parchment piping bag that I wrapped around MANY times :) Sometimes you got be creative and (gag) cute!

C.G. the Foodie said...

Oh that looks great! I may have to make these soon :o) Thanks!

Kathleen said...

I love chicken shwarma! This recipe looks wonderful!!

Angie's Recipes said...

A flavourful and healthy wrap! I like the garlic sauce a lot.

Chef E said...

They just opened up a Syrian place here, which is well over due, no Greek or Mediterranean at all before, and I adore this dish.

Yours looks wonderful, and also makes me want a gyros!

Lori said...

This sounds delicious! My husband an I met in high school too and I later joined him at Purdue after about 2.5 years. College towns have such great food. We just went back in Feb and enjoyed some of it again.

Sippity Sup said...

Well, I am so sorry I missed you at the market last time you were here. We have a world class chicken Shwarma place in Hollywood. It certainly ranks as a hole in the wall but I'd love to know what you thought of it. GREG

Fresh Local and Best said...

I've never had shwarma, but I am familiar with all of the great spices in this recipe. This looks like a tasty dish.
I always wanted to have your story of marrying my high school sweetheart, it's so romantic.

Laura in Paris said...

I love lamb shwarma and have to try your chicken version!

blessedmama said...

Hi, Sarah, come on over to my blog to pick up a prize for you! The post dated May 25th.

Deana Sidney said...

I just love shwarma... and you do so beautifully by it with those shots... in shops they usually look pretty dismal and are a big mess... but oh do they taste amazing... thanks for the recipe!

OysterCulture said...

Love the looks of this recipe and the story behind it. Thanks for sharing