The Perfect Chicken Shawarma Food

THE PERFECT CHICKEN SHAWARMA

Steps:

• For the chicken: Put the chicken pieces in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt, yogurt, crushed garlic and soy sauce and toss to coat well. Add the lemon juice and toss again. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
• For the flatbread: Combine the flour and a pinch salt in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. With the machine on low, add 1/2 cup water and mix until just combined. Increase the speed to medium-low and continue kneading, adding more water as necessary, just until the dough comes together into a ball. Increase the speed to medium and knead for another 30 seconds.
• Flour a work surface and transfer the dough to it (the dough will be sticky). Sprinkle more flour over the dough and knead until smooth. Portion the dough into 6 pieces, roll into balls and flatten with a rolling pin. Brush off the excess flour with a clean, dry pastry brush.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Add one piece of dough and cook until the first side is lightly bubbled and golden, a few minutes, then flip and cook the other side. Remove from the heat and wrap in a clean kitchen towel to soften and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining dough.
• For the toumeyyaeh (garlic sauce): Mix 1 cup water with the cornstarch in a microwave-safe bowl until dissolved. Microwave for 2 minutes until the mixture is very thick like pudding.
• Put the garlic, cornstarch mixture, mayonnaise, olive oil and a few pinches of salt in a blender or mini chopper and process until smooth. Let cool to room temperature, cover and refrigerate.
• Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush the pan with olive oil and grill the chicken until marked both sides and cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes.
• Chop the chicken and add to a bowl with the pickles, onions, 3 tablespoons of the garlic sauce and sumac. Toss to combine.
• Place each flatbread on a piece of parchment or waxed paper and spread with some of the extra garlic sauce. Fill each with some of the chicken mixture and a few french fries and parsley, if using. Roll the flatbread in the paper, slice in half on a bias and serve.

CHICKEN SHAWARMA

Steps:

• Tip all the ingredients, except the chicken and lemon wedges, into a blender or a smoothie bullet with 1 tsp sea salt and whizz to a smooth paste. Pile the chicken into a bowl or large plastic container, pour over the paste and mix through so the chicken is completely coated. Cover and marinate for at least 4 hrs or up to 48 hrs - the longer, the better.
• Cooking on the barbecue: Light a lidded barbecue, and let the flames die down. Once the coals have turned ashen, pile them up on one side with a few coals scattered around the other. Starting and ending with half a baking potato, thread all the chicken onto two long metal skewers - so that both skewers go through each piece of meat - packing the thighs down between the potato halves so that they are really compact. Place the large chicken kebab to the side of the barbecue with only a few coals underneath. Pop the lid down and cook for 45-50 mins, turning every 15 mins, or until cooked through - prise the chicken pieces apart in the centre to check, or use a digital cooking thermometer; it should read 70C or more. Leave to rest for 5 mins.
• Cooking in the oven: Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 8. Sit the kebab across a roasting tin so it is suspended, or rest a wire rack over a roasting tin and place the chicken on top. Cook for 45-55 mins or until cooked through.
• Warm the naan on the barbecue or in the oven. Bring the kebab to the table to carve, wrap with warm naans, and serve with the other salads and lemon wedges for squeezing over.

CHICKEN SHAWARMA

Steps:

• To make the marinade: In a medium bowl, whisk together the garlic, lemon juice, and oil. Add curry powder, salt, pepper, and food coloring and whisk to combine. Add chicken and coat with marinade. Marinate chicken overnight in the refrigerator.
• Preheat a grill to medium heat. Remove chicken from marinade. Grill chicken for about 10 minutes on each side or until fully cooked through. Serve chicken on pita and top with tomatoes and Shawarma Sauce.
• Add garlic to the bowl of a food processor and process until chopped. Add tahini and pulse to combine. With the machine running, slowly add cold water until frothy. Add lemon juice and mix until creamy. Season with salt, to taste.