Traditional Lebanese Chicken Shawarma

Created for the BBQ community cookbook, this chicken shawarma is marinated, cooked over the coals and served with toum and pink pickled cucumbers.

By Dan / BBQBoss_uk

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 75 min
Rest: 5 min

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Chicken shawarma served on flatbread with fries and pink pickles on a blue plate.

OVER THE FIRE / THE RECIPE

Traditional Lebanese Chicken Shawarma

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 75 min
Rest / prove: 5 min
Makes / serves: Serves 4-6
Difficulty: A little practice
Method: Dual zone or rotisserie
Temperature: 200°C

Marinate for 24 hours if possible, or for at least 12 hours.

Ingredients

For the chicken

1.5 kg boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed

For the marinade

60 ml fresh lemon juice
60 ml olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 head garlic, minced or grated to a paste
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp smoked or sweet paprika
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground sumac
0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
0.5 tsp ground turmeric
1.5 tsp sea salt
1 tsp coarse black pepper

For the toum

120 g fresh garlic cloves (approximately 2 whole heads), peeled and halved, with the green shoots removed
1 tsp fine sea salt
60 ml fresh lemon juice, not bottled
500 ml neutral oil, such as grapeseed, sunflower or a vegetable oil blend; avoid olive oil

For the pink pickled cucumbers

400 ml water
400 ml white wine vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp pickling or canning salt
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 dried bay leaf
4–6 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
2 small beetroots, peeled and cut into chunks
500 g mini cucumbers

To serve

Lebanese flatbread

Method

Marinate the chicken

Whisk the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the chicken and coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.

Cook the chicken

Set up the kamado for dual-zone cooking, with direct and indirect areas, or prepare the rotisserie. Aim for a steady ambient temperature of 200°C (400°F). If using smoking wood, add a small chunk of a mild wood, such as apple or cherry.
For a rotisserie or vertical skewer, stack the thighs tightly, rotating each piece by 90 degrees to form an even, compact stack. For standard grates, thread 3–4 thighs flat across double-pronged skewers.
Cook away from the direct flame until the internal temperature reaches 70°C (160°F). Move the chicken over the hot coals for the final few minutes to crisp the outside. Remove it when the internal temperature reaches 74–77°C (165–170°F).
Rest for 5 minutes. Stand the skewer upright, or hold the spit securely, and use a sharp knife to shave thin slices onto a serving board.

Make the toum

Put the prepared garlic and salt in a food processor or a narrow hand-blender beaker. Pulse and scrape down the sides until the garlic forms a smooth paste.
With the motor running at low to medium speed, drizzle in a little oil in a slow, steady stream, followed by a little lemon juice. The mixture should become pale and creamy.
Continue alternating the oil and lemon juice. Add the oil in a very thin stream and allow it to combine before adding a teaspoon of lemon juice. Take your time to keep the emulsion stable.
Once all the oil and lemon juice have been incorporated, the toum should be thick, white and glossy. Taste for salt, then blend on high for a final 30 seconds.

Make the pickled cucumbers

On the hob or in the microwave, bring the water, vinegar and pickling salt to the boil, stirring until the salt dissolves. Set aside.
Put the coriander seeds, mustard seeds, peppercorns, bay leaf, garlic and beetroot in the jar or jars. Slice the cucumbers to your preferred thickness and add them.
Pour the brine into the jars using a measuring jug. Allow the jars to cool to room temperature, then put the lids on.
The beetroot will begin colouring the pickles immediately. The colour will deepen over a day or two.

THE SETUP