How to make Shawarma (10 Easy steps)

Nigerians love Shawarma, Shawarma is a famous snack made with beef or chicken filling. Shawarma became very famous in Nigeria that Nigerians craved for it so badly that could go any length to have a bite of it.

Shawarma is a very tasty snack and is requested by Nigerians wherever they find themselves, there was a time when people rejected rice just to have sharwama, people go to events just to eat this delicacy. 

You will be wondering how this delicious delicacy is made and you want to try yours at home, with basic spices readily available in most Nigerian kitchens; including the Shawarma bread. All you have to do is to follow the instructions accurately, and you will get your tasty meal.

Imagine knowing how to make your favorite dish, you won’t have to wait for anyone to provide for you, or occasions to attend. You can freely just make your meal as you want. I t is okay to make mistakes at the first trial, keep trying you will get it right.

After some trials and errors, I finally got the perfect mix. Now I present to you, the most delicious, tasty, mouth-watery, palate-tingling Nigerian snack you can ever get.

NOTES FOR CHICKEN SHAWARMA RECIPE

You have to take note of all these before making your delicacy. Most people neglect this and they may likely make mistake why preparing Shawarma.

1. You can replace Chicken with either Turkey, Beef, Veal, Lamb, Goat, or a mixture of two or more of these meats.
2. You can also skip Hot dog if you prefer. Some also like to add French fries to theirs.
3. I used Tortilla wraps and Pita bread for this recipe, but other flatbreads such as Chapati or Roti will work well.
4. Make sure to pat dry the chicken before adding the spices because excess water in the Chicken will water down the spices.
5. I used boneless and skinless chicken thighs because it yields a nice taste and texture after cooking (my own opinion).
6. You can skip the seasoning powder if you want to just replace it with about 1/4Tsp of salt or simply add salt to taste.

Ingredients for making shawarma

FOR THE SHAWARMA MARINADE

• 2 lb Chicken Thigh boneless
• 1 Onion large Red 
• 2 Tablespoons Lemon juice
• 4 cloves garlic – minced
• 1 Tsp Ginger Minced
• 2 Teaspoon Black pepper
• 2 Tsp Paprika
• 1/2 Tsp Nutmeg
• 1 Tsp Turmeric or curry powder
• 1/2 Tsp Thyme
• 1/2 Tsp bouillon cube optional
• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper Minced
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil or any cooking oil of your choice

For Shawarma Sauce

For that creamy Sauce that makes every bite memorable, you will need:

• Mayonnaise
• Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce OR any Sweet Chilli Sauce
• Ketchup
• Salad Cream
• Parsley

For filling

• 1 Tomato ripe and hard
• 1 Onion small red & sliced into strips
• 1/4 lb Cucumber sliced into strips
• 4 to 6 Lettuce leaves
• 4 to 6 Tortilla Wraps large

How to make Shawarma

1. Marinate the Chicken – Wash and pat dry the chicken.
2. Add all the Spices to the Chicken and mix very well.
3. Cover with a plastic wrap or a tight lid and leave in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
4. Grill The Shawarma – Lay the Chicken pieces on a parchment lined baking pan, transfer to a 425°F and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
5. Check to make sure it’s cooked through and char it for about 1 to 2 minutes just to make it darker (if you choose)
6. Prepare the Shawarma Sauce- Mix the Ketchup, Mayonnaise, and Cayenne pepper together and set aside.
7. Serve the Shawarma – Wash and slice all the Vegetables
8. Spread a thin layer of the Mayonnaise and Ketchup mixture on the Tortilla wrap
9. Layer the vegetables and Shawarma Chicken on the wrap, drizzle a little more sauce on it and roll it up.
10. Optional – Place the rolled wrap on a heavy bottom skillet or a grill and brown the wrap enjoy!