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–+ servings

Chicken Shawarma Taco Recipe

This is definitely inspired by growing up in Mexico with a Syrian dad. He always mixed both cultures in food, adding in some of his French heritage too but that is a story for another day!
Servings: 4 servings
By: Nadia Aidi
Chicken Shawarma Tacos in a homemade tortilla with labneh tahini sauce.
Prep 20 minutes
Cook 40 minutes
Marinate 12 hours
Total 13 hours

Equipment

  • meat mallet
  • skewers, I am using 5 inch
  • baking sheet
  • wire rack
  • jar with tight lid, for Syrian pickles if making

Ingredients 

Shawarma Chicken

  • 2 lb boneless chicken thighs
  • ⅓ cup sour cream
  • ¼ cup olive oil, + 1 tbsp
  • 1 lemon, zest and juice of ¼ + a little more
  • 1 large garlic clove, grated
  • 2 ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp chipotle powder
  • 1 ½ tbsp shawarma seasoning
  • 2 tsp oregano
  • 1 ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp allspice

Tomato salsa

  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 2 scallions, chopped
  • 1 serrano, chopped
  • ¼ bunch cilantro, chopped
  • Tiny squeeze of lemon
  • ¼ tsp dry mint
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Tahini sauce

  • ½ cup labneh
  • 2 tbsp tahini
  • ½ small garlic clove, grated
  • Tiny squeeze of lemon
  • Water, to taste
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Toppings and Wraps

  • Tortillas , tortilla recipe or pita
  • Sumac, to taste
  • Syrian pickles, to taste, see notes for recipe

Instructions

  • Pound your chicken thin with a meat mallet in between two pieces of parchment paper for easier clean up. Cut it into 1 inch squares.
  • In a bowl add sour cream, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, paprika, chipotle, shawarma spices, oregano, salt and allspice and mix well. Add the chicken and mix again. Cover tightly and marinate in the fridge for 12-24 hours.
  • When done marinating, skewer the chicken tightly. I used 5 inch skewers and it yielded 8. Place on a wire rack over a baking sheet.
  • Preheat your oven to broil on high for 10 minutes. Broil for 5-6 minutes on a couple sides. Let it continue baking at 450°F for 7-8 minutes. The internal temperature should be 165℉ (75℃).
  • Air-fry option: You can also air-fry them at 400°F until golden.
  • Mix everything to the tomato salsa.
  • Mix everything for the labneh tahini sauce. Add water until you reach your desired consistency.
  • To assemble add a layer of your labneh tahini sauce over your tortilla, top with sumac, Syrian pickles, the chicken, your tomato salsa and that is it!

Notes

  1. Pickling Solution:
    • Mix 2½ parts hot water, 1 part vinegar, 1 tsp kosher salt per cup water until dissolved.
  2. Prepare:
    • Peel 1 beet (this is just for color) and turnips ½ wide and 2 inches long. Pack into a jar all the way to the top.
  3. Pickle:
    • Fill the jar with your pickling solution until about ¼ inch from the top, seal with a tight fitting lid and let sit on your counter for 2 days. They will be ready to eat after the 2 days. Store them in your fridge 1-2 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 988kcal, Carbohydrates: 47g, Protein: 49g, Fat: 68g, Saturated Fat: 17g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g, Monounsaturated Fat: 32g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 235mg, Sodium: 1566mg, Potassium: 1075mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 1890IU, Vitamin C: 50mg, Calcium: 226mg, Iron: 6mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info