Chicken Shawarma Wrap

High-heat roasted spiced chicken thighs sliced into warm flatbread with garlic sauce, pickles and tomato.

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Home shawarma gets its best texture from chicken thighs roasted on a very hot tray, rested, sliced thinly and returned briefly to the pan for crisp edges.

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg Boneless skinless chicken thighs (trimmed)
• 120 g Plain yoghurt
• 60 ml Lemon juice
• 3 tbsp Olive oil
• 5 Garlic cloves (finely grated)
• 2 tsp Ground cumin
• 2 tsp Ground coriander
• 2 tsp Sweet paprika
• 0.5 tsp Ground turmeric
• 0.5 tsp Ground allspice
• 0.25 tsp Ground cinnamon
• 1.75 tsp Fine salt
• 0.75 tsp Black pepper
• 6 large Arabic flatbreads
• 180 g Garlic sauce or tahini sauce
• 180 g Pickled cucumbers (sliced)
• 2 medium Tomatoes (sliced and blotted dry)
• 20 g Fresh parsley (chopped)

Step-by-step method

1. Whisk yoghurt, lemon, oil, garlic, spices, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add chicken and coat thoroughly, cover and refrigerate for 4 to 12 hours.
2. Take chicken from the fridge while the oven and a heavy rimmed tray heat to 230°C conventional or 210°C fan. A hot tray starts browning immediately.
3. Arrange chicken in one uncrowded layer and roast for 18 to 22 minutes, turning once, until browned and the thickest thigh reaches 75°C.
4. Transfer to a clean board and rest 5 minutes, then slice thinly across the grain. Keep all raw-chicken utensils away from the cooked meat.
5. For crisp edges, heat a wide pan over high and cook sliced chicken with its juices for 2 to 3 minutes, turning only once.
6. Warm flatbreads until flexible. Spread with sauce, then add chicken, pickles, tomato and parsley in a narrow line, leaving the edges clear.
7. Fold the sides inward and roll firmly. Toast seam-side down in a dry pan for 1 to 2 minutes, cut diagonally and serve immediately.