This dish needs no introduction at all. Everyone loves a good shawarma and this recipe hits the spot. The chicken is marinated in a lovely spice mix bursting with flavour and cooked until juicy in the air fryer. This is simple and the shawarma is so versatile, it can be used for so many things. You could make a batch and use throughout the week as meal prep too.
Ingredients:
● 1kg chicken thigh cut into thin strips
● 1 tbsp each of garlic powder, cumin powder, coriander powder
● 1 tsp each of salt, 1 tsp cinnamon powder, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp white pepper, 1 tsp all spice/pimento powder
● 3/4 tsp clove powder
● 1.5 tbsp smoked paprika
● 1/4 tsp ginger powder
● 1/4 cup Olive oil
● Lemon juice of 1/2 lemon
● Ghee for basting
Method:
● In a large bowl, mix together the marinade ingredients (apart from the ghee) until you have a paste.
● Add the chicken thigh strips to this and mix well. Leave to marinate overnight for best results or at least one hour.
● Take two previously soaked small wooden skewers. With one of the skewers, peirce through one of the chicken strips on one side, an inch or so away from the edge of the strip. Take the second skewer and do the same on the other side of the chicken strip. Lightly stack the rest of the chicken strips onto the same two skewers in the same manner.
● Preheat the air fryer on 180. Put the chicken shawarma in the air fryer basket and cook on 180 for 40 minutes.
● After 40 minutes, take the basket out, turn the shawarma over and baste well with the juices at the bottom and some ghee.
● Air fry again for another 20 minutes or until golden on the outside and fully cooked through in the centre.
● Once cool enough to handle, slice the shawarma alongside the direction of the skewers, against the stack direction. ENJOY!
Tips:
● If you don’t have an air fryer, you can do this in the oven, adjusting cooking times if needed.
● Chicken thigh pieces are best for this recipe. They should be cut into flat strips that are large enough to skewer through and be able to hold together in a stack.
● You can make this easily in a pan in a shorter amount of time. Cut the chicken thighs into fajita style strips, marinate and cook in a pan with ghee until golden and cooked through.
● You can serve the shawarma in a wrap, in a rice bowl, inside pastry, on top of salad, in a sandwich and many other options.