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Homemade Chicken Shawarma in Lavash
Instructions
Lay out the products on the work surface. Choose good-quality ingredients – that is the key to a tasty homemade shawarma. The lavash must be THIN ARMENIAN lavash (large square sheets, about 30x40 cm), not the "thick Georgian" kind or a "Turkish flatbread". The chicken fillet should be fresh, with no fat or membranes.
Make the Korean-style carrots. If you have ready-made shop-bought ones, or homemade carrots from the day before, use them straight away. If not, see our separate recipe "Korean-style carrots at home". Briefly: grate 200 g of carrot on a Korean-style julienne grater.
Add salt, sugar, vinegar, spices (coriander, paprika, chilli) and minced garlic to the grated carrots. Mix thoroughly.
Pour 100 ml of boiling vegetable oil over the carrots, mix well and leave to marinate for about 30 minutes. While the carrots marinate, prepare the remaining ingredients.
Cut the chicken fillet (1 pc, 400 g) in half lengthwise into two pieces – it fries faster that way without drying out. Instead of chicken you can use pork or beef; it does not change the recipe in any meaningful way.
Season the meat with salt and pepper to taste on both sides and let it "marinate" at room temperature for 5 minutes – the salt draws excess moisture out of the meat and the pepper penetrates the flesh. If you like, add a chicken spice mix or Italian herbs for extra aroma.
Heat a pan with vegetable oil (1 tbsp) over medium heat. Fry the chicken fillet on both sides for 4–5 minutes until golden. IMPORTANT: make sure the meat does NOT dry out – it should stay juicy inside. Set the cooked meat aside on a plate to cool.
Meanwhile prepare the vegetables for the salad filling. Shred the Chinese (or young white) cabbage into thin strips, 3–5 mm. Use specifically Chinese or young cabbage – tough ordinary winter cabbage will not do.
Cut the peeled onion (1 medium) in half and slice it into thin half-rings, about 2 mm. If you wish to reduce the sharpness, scald the half-rings with boiling water for 30 seconds and rinse in cold water.
Cut the ripe juicy tomatoes (3 pcs) into thin half-rings or wedges, 4–5 mm thick. Remove the excess juice – blot them with a paper towel so they do not soak the lavash in the finished shawarma.
Cut the pickled or lightly salted cucumbers (2 pcs) into 2–3 mm slices, then cut them at an angle into thin strips, about 5 mm – the "characteristic" cut for shawarma. Lightly salted cucumbers (mildly salty) are better than "standard pickled" ones – they will not over-salt the shawarma.
Cut the cooled chicken fillet into thin strips, 5–7 mm – the same size as the cucumbers, for a neat finished shawarma. All the ingredients are now ready for assembly.
Make the classic garlic sauce for the shawarma. In a deep bowl, combine sour cream 20% (4 tbsp) and mayonnaise 67% (4 tbsp) in a 1:1 ratio – the "golden middle" for taste and richness. If you like, add 1 tsp of ketchup for a reddish tint.
Peel the garlic (3 cloves) and press it through a garlic press or mince it finely with a knife, then add it to the sour cream and mayonnaise mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste and mix thoroughly until smooth – the sauce should be thick, smooth and garlicky.
Wash the parsley (1 bunch) under cold running water and pat it dry with a paper towel. Chop it finely with a sharp knife – it adds a fresh green note and a pretty touch of colour. All the products are now ready, so let's start assembling the homemade chicken shawarma in lavash.
Lay one Armenian lavash sheet flat on a clean work surface, horizontally. Leave about 5–7 cm clear at the TOP edge (you will use this part to "cover" the filling) and about 5 cm at the BOTTOM edge. Spread a strip of garlic sauce (2 tbsp) down the centre of the lavash, along about ¾ of its length.
Lay the prepared products onto the strip of sauce in layers, one after another. The order matters to keep the lavash from going soggy: layer 1 – the meat (it shields the lavash from juices), layer 2 – the finely shredded cabbage (it forms a "barrier"). Begin with the cooked meat.
On top of the meat, add the finely shredded cabbage in an even layer – this is the protective barrier between the lavash and the juicy vegetables.
On top of the cabbage, place the Korean-style carrots (they give the characteristic aroma). By now the carrots have absorbed the marinade and become tasty and aromatic thanks to the spices. On top of the carrots, place the sliced onion.
The next layer is the strips of pickled cucumber.
Then add the slices of fresh ripe tomato on top.
On top of the tomatoes, spread a little extra sauce (1 tbsp).
Finish with a final layer of finely chopped parsley scattered evenly over the top.
Form the shawarma. Fold the lavash from the TOP and BOTTOM edges (the short sides) towards the centre, like an "envelope", to close the filling on the top and bottom. This keeps the filling from falling out as you eat.
Cover the filling with the long part of the lavash that you left clear on one side earlier.
Roll the lavash up tightly into a firm cylinder, rolling away from yourself. The shawarma is now assembled. Repeat the assembly with the remaining products. From 4 lavash sheets you get 4 wraps – 4 full portions. Cover them with a towel so the lavash does not dry out before frying.
The final "secret" step for a crispy shawarma: fry each wrap in a DRY non-stick pan (no oil) over medium heat for 1–2 minutes on each side, until golden and crisp. The frying "seals" the lavash and makes it crispy, just like at professional shawarma stalls.
The homemade chicken shawarma in lavash is ready! Four portions for a snack – "a cutlet with salad and bread" that is handy to take along to school, the office or a picnic. Serve it hot, straight from the pan.Having made such handy wraps, you can take them on a picnic and brown them right on the barbecue grill. The finished shawarma will be tasty, hearty and very convenient to eat.Be sure to make this simple wrap dish at home for the family. Bon appetit!
Tips
- 1
Cabbage under the tomatoes is the "secret" of a protective layer between the juicy vegetables and the lavash, so it does not go soggy.
- 2
Be sure to fry the finished shawarma in a dry pan – the "secret" of a crispy crust like the professionals get.
- 3
Use only thin ARMENIAN lavash – not thick Georgian lavash or a Turkish flatbread. I make burrito with beans on a similar principle.
- 4
A sauce of sour cream and mayonnaise in a 1:1 ratio is the "golden middle" for taste and richness – better than plain mayonnaise or plain sour cream.
Video
FAQ
What can replace the chicken in shawarma? +
Good options include: pork (fried or marinated as for kebabs – a "Russian-Turkish" version), beef or veal (a more "premium" option that takes longer to fry), lamb (the classic Turkish shawarma "doner kebab"), turkey (more diet-friendly), smoked chicken (ready to use, no frying needed – a quick option), boiled or smoked sausage (a budget option), tiger prawns (for a "gourmet" shawarma), button or oyster mushrooms (for a vegetarian shawarma) and chickpea falafel (for vegetarians and fasting). Chicken is the "classic" of Russian street shawarma because it is tender, affordable and quick to cook. In Turkey, the authentic choice is lamb with tail fat.
Can the mayonnaise in the sauce be replaced? +
Yes, here are options for a "healthier" sauce. Plain sour cream 20% + garlic – the classic "Russian" version without mayonnaise. Greek yoghurt 10% + garlic + dill – closer to Turkish "tzatziki". Philadelphia cream cheese + garlic + lemon juice – a "European" version. Chickpea hummus + lemon juice – a Middle Eastern classic. Tahini (sesame paste) + lemon juice + garlic – the "proper" Arabic dressing for shawarma. Ketchup + sour cream 50/50 – a "children's" version with a sweet note. The sour cream and mayonnaise sauce is the "golden middle" for taste, with a familiar Soviet note.
How long does ready shawarma keep? +
Fresh shawarma is best eaten straight from the pan – it is tastiest hot, with a crispy crust. In the fridge it keeps up to 24 hours in airtight packaging – before serving, reheat it in a dry pan or in the oven to bring back the crispy crust. Do not reheat it in the microwave – the lavash goes soft and the filling "runs". You can make the wraps (un-fried) ahead in the morning, wrap them in cling film and keep them in the fridge for up to 12 hours. Fry them just before serving. For a picnic, wrap the assembled rolls in foil and brown them over the fire for 5 minutes.
What to serve with shawarma? +
It is ideal on its own as a "street-food" dish and needs no side. Good with shawarma are: extra garlic sauce in a dish, tomato ketchup, hot chilli sauce (for those who like it spicy), hummus, guacamole and salsa. From salads – Greek salad with feta, a vegetable salad with herbs, or Korean-style carrots (you can never have too many!). From drinks – Turkish ayran (the classic), cola or fanta (a street-food classic), light beer, or homemade compote or fruit drink. For a picnic – with other "eat-with-your-hands" dishes such as kebabs, potatoes in foil and grilled vegetables. For a children's birthday – with fruit lemonade and pizza. It is ideal for teenagers and students as a "homemade fast food".
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