Chicken Shawarma - The Recipe Critic (2024)

FAQs

Why does chicken shawarma taste so good? ›

Flavorful Seasonings: Shawarma is typically made with a combination of aromatic spices, including cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, and garlic, which create a rich and complex flavor profile. The seasonings are what give shawarma its distinct and delicious taste.

Shawarma was traditionally made with lamb, mutton and chicken though these days you see it with beef too. It's commonly served in the form of a wrap, though in some countries you see it served on plates with sides such as seasoned rice or fries, and salads. In this recipe, I'm giving you both options!

Shawarma might be an easy snack or dinner to grab on the go, but it is far from a healthy one. The marinated strips that are shaved off from the rotating cone of meat already have fat running through them, and more likely than not, they will have been doused with yet more during the cooking process.

At the heart of shawarma lies a delectable blend of ingredients. The dish typically consists of thinly sliced, marinated meat—often lamb's neck, chicken, beef, or a combination of these—stacked on a vertical spit and slowly roasted.

This largely depends on how the shawarma is prepared and sodium control measures involved, your age, your lifestyle and your recommended calorie intake. Because of its sodium content, street food or restaurant shawarma is not really going to be good for anyone, especially not on a daily basis.

Tahini sauce: Undoubtedly the most popular option to top your shawarma is tahini sauce.

Traditional Tahini Sauce or Tarator

Authentic beef shawarma however is always served with a tahini sauce, and not toum. This tahini sauce is often referred to as "tarator" in Lebanon and other Levant countries. Its simply made by whisking together tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper.

Full-Flavour Shawarma Wrap

Thinly-sliced chicken and fries wrapped in a warm pita that is lightly brushed with the savory essence that drips from the meat as it cooks, then toasted to perfection on our specialty grill (Chicken, Fries, Pickles, and Signature Garlic Sauce)

The fatty meats used in shawarma are often high in saturated fats, which can lead to heart problems if consumed in excess. For these reasons, it is important to enjoy shawarma in moderation.” “Shawarma is very high in sodium, which may make it bad for heart health.

What is healthier shawarma or burger? ›

Considering the fact that the meat used is not fried (unlike burger patty) and the stuffing has a lot of veggies and thick curd (not mayonnaise), shwarma should be healthy.

The best side dishes to serve with chicken shawarma are french fries, pita bread, tzatziki, hummus, yellow rice, garden salad, guacamole, pickled vegetables, onion rings, baba ganoush, couscous salad, roasted red peppers, fattoush, garlic bread, falafel, and grilled halloumi cheese.

When people in America hear the term shawarma, they think of gyro, and while gyro is prepared the same way as shawarma, it is not created using the same kind of meats. Gyro is made with ground meat, lamb, beef, or goat. It is also served with tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, and tzatziki.

Shawarma (/ʃəˈwɑːrmə/; Arabic: شاورما) is a Middle Eastern dish that originated in the Levant region of the Arab world during the Ottoman Empire, consisting of meat that is cut into thin slices, stacked in an inverted cone, and roasted on a slow-turning vertical spit.

Originating from the Ottoman Empire (roughly modern-day Turkey) in the 18th or 19th century, shawarma, also spelled shawurma or shawerma, meaning “turning” in Arabic, is a Levantine meat preparation, where thin cuts of lamb, chicken, beef, or mixed meats are stacked in a cone-like shape on a vertical rotisserie (it has ...

Shawarma can feature a variety of meats

As stated in the Spruce Eats, Shawarma is typically made from chicken, lamb, beef, goat, or turkey and includes fat in between each meat layer to offer the tender, juicy aspect that makes shawarma so delicious.

Shawarma is traditionally seasoned with spices like cardamom, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, and paprika to create a sweet-spiced, warm, and earthy flavor profile in the roasted meat.

Kebabs have fewer calories than shawarmas, so it's considered healthier. While these dishes are highly fatty and calorie-dense, they're still a better alternative than other street food, which are usually deep-fried. We recommend choosing chicken over beef if you want a low-calorie meat option.

Originating from the Ottoman Empire (roughly modern-day Turkey) in the 18th or 19th century, shawarma, also spelled shawurma or shawerma, meaning “turning” in Arabic, is a Levantine meat preparation, where thin cuts of lamb, chicken, beef, or mixed meats are stacked in a cone-like shape on a vertical rotisserie (it has ...