Name: Chicken Shawarma Pitas with Garlic Yogurt Sauce
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1½ lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs; ½ cup plain yogurt; 3 tbsp olive oil, divided; 2 lemons, juiced, divided; 5 cloves garlic, minced, divided; 2 tsp ground cumin; 2 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp ground coriander; ½ tsp ground turmeric; ½ tsp ground cinnamon; ¼ tsp cayenne; 1½ tsp kosher salt, divided; ½ cup plain yogurt, for the sauce; 4 pitas, warmed; 1 cucumber, thinly sliced; 1 tomato, thinly sliced; ½ red onion, thinly sliced; To finish chopped parsley

Chicken Shawarma Pitas with Garlic Yogurt Sauce

Thigh meat marinated in yogurt and warm spices, seared hard for char, then piled into pita with a garlic sauce that fights back.

Serves

Prep

20 min

Cook

15 min

Written

August 3, 2026

Ingredients

1½ lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs

½ cup plain yogurt

3 tbsp olive oil, divided

2 lemons, juiced, divided

5 cloves garlic, minced, divided

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground turmeric

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp cayenne

1½ tsp kosher salt, divided

½ cup plain yogurt, for the sauce

4 pitas, warmed

1 cucumber, thinly sliced

1 tomato, thinly sliced

½ red onion, thinly sliced

To finish chopped parsley

Method

Whisk ½ cup yogurt, 2 tablespoons olive oil, the juice of one lemon, three-quarters of the garlic, cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne, and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl, add the chicken, and turn to coat.

Marinate at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to overnight in the fridge.

Whisk the remaining garlic, remaining yogurt, remaining lemon juice, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt for the sauce and set aside.

Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high until shimmering, then lay in the chicken in a single layer, working in batches if needed.

Sear without moving until deeply charred in spots on the first side, about 5 minutes, then flip and cook until charred and the thickest piece registers 165°F, about 5 minutes more.

Rest the chicken 5 minutes, then slice thin against the grain.

Pile the sliced chicken into warm pitas with cucumber, tomato, red onion, and parsley, and finish with the garlic yogurt sauce.

Notes

The yogurt marinade is doing two jobs at once — its acid tenderizes the thighs while the fat carries the spices into the meat, so don’t cut the 30-minute minimum even if you’re rushing. A cast iron or stainless skillet run hot and left alone is the closest a stovetop gets to a shawarma spit’s char; a nonstick pan won’t get you the same crust.

Chicken breast works if that’s what’s around, though it dries out faster, so pull it at 165°F and not a minute past. Leftover chicken is just as good cold over rice the next day, sauce spooned on top.