Chicken Shawarma Street Tacos
A vibrant Middle Eastern and Mexican fusion featuring richly spiced, charred chicken thighs tucked into warm street taco tortillas, topped with crisp cucumber-tomato salad, pickled red onions, fresh herbs, and a velvety garlic-tahini yogurt crema.
Ingredients
- •1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized strips
- •3 tablespoon olive oil
- •3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- •5 garlic cloves, minced
- •1.5 teaspoon ground cumin
- •1 teaspoon ground coriander
- •1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- •0.5 teaspoon ground turmeric
- •0.5 teaspoon ground cardamom
- •0.25 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- •0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- •1.5 teaspoon kosher salt
- •0.5 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- •0.5 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
- •2 tablespoon tahini paste
- •2 tablespoon warm water
- •12 street taco-size corn or mini flour tortillas
- •1 cup Persian cucumbers, finely diced
- •1 cup Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
- •0.5 cup quick-pickled red onions
- •0.25 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- •2 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
- •4 lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- 1.
In a large bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 4 minced garlic cloves, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper.
- 2.
Add the sliced chicken thighs to the marinade and toss until thoroughly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours for maximum flavor penetration.
- 3.
Prepare the garlic-tahini crema: In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, tahini, remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, remaining 1 minced garlic clove, 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt, and warm water until smooth and drizzling consistency.
- 4.
In a medium bowl, combine the diced Persian cucumbers, diced tomatoes, chopped parsley, and chopped mint to create the fresh herb salad topper.
- 5.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, arrange the chicken in a single layer.
- 6.
Sear the chicken without moving for 3 to 4 minutes to develop a deep, caramelized crust. Flip and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Remove to a plate and keep warm.
- 7.
Warm the street taco tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for 30 seconds per side until pliable with light char spots.
- 8.
Assemble the tacos: Place warm tortillas on a platter, divide the charred chicken shawarma evenly among them, top with the fresh cucumber-tomato herb salad, pickled red onions, and a generous drizzle of the garlic-tahini crema. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
Tips
- 💡Using chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts is essential to prevent the meat from drying out during high-heat searing.
- 💡To get an authentic spit-roasted shawarma flavor, ensure your skillet is smoking hot so the chicken gets deeply charred edges while remaining juicy.
- 💡Char your tortillas directly over an open gas flame for 10-15 seconds per side for smoky, restaurant-quality street tacos.
Recipe from TheCookbook.ai
Created by Basil Roux