Chicken Doner Shawarma Recipes

CHICKEN SHAWARMA (MIDDLE EASTERN)

Steps:

• Marinade chicken - Combine the marinade ingredients in a large ziplock bag. Add the chicken, seal, the massage from the outside with your hands to make sure each piece is coated. Marinate 24 hours (minimum 3 hours).
• Yogurt Sauce - Combine the Yogurt Sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix. Cover and put in the fridge until required (it will last for 3 days in the fridge).
• Preheat stove or BBQ - Heat a large non-stick skillet with 1 tablespoon over medium high heat, or lightly brush a BBQ hotplate/grills with oil and heat to medium high. (See notes for baking)
• Cook chicken - Place chicken in the skillet or on the grill and cook the first side for 4 to 5 minutes until nicely charred. Turn and cook the other side for 3 to 4 minutes (the 2nd side takes less time).
• Rest - Remove chicken from the grill and cover loosely with foil. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes.

DONER KEBAB RECIPE

Steps:

• Mix Marinade in a large bowl. Add chicken and mix to coat well.
• Cover and marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours, 24 hours is ideal. If only 3 hours, add an extra 1/2 tsp salt.
• Preheat oven to 220C / 430F (standard) or 200C / 390F (fan / convection).
• Choose a pan of a size such that the skewers will stay propped up on the pan walls (see photos in post or video) and the chicken will be elevated off the base. Line with foil.
• Remove chicken from fridge. Divide the chicken into 2 piles.
• Take one piece of chicken, fold in half then thread onto two skewers (see video). Repeat and push the chicken snugly up against each other. Repeat with other skewer.
• Prop the 2 skewers on the edges of the baking pan. Drizzle surface with oil.
• Bake for 35 minutes or until the surface is golden with some charred bits (char is good!).
• Spoon the pan juices over the chicken. Then turn, drizzle with oil and bake for 20 minutes (or 25 - 30 minutes if you had large thighs). If you need / want more colour, switch to grill/broil for a few minutes on high - I don't do this.
• Baste again with pan juices and stand for 5 minutes.
• Carving: Stand the skewers upright or on an angle, and slice meat fairly thinly. Use to make Doner Kebabs or Kebab Plates.

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.