Amazing Chicken Shawarma

Fourth of July weekend. The daycare was closed Friday and I had four days, which felt enormous and slightly disorienting. I spent the first day cleaning my apartment with more thoroughness than it has seen in months, organized my spice cabinet alphabetically and then by cuisine and then gave up and organized it by frequency of use, which is the system that actually makes sense.

We had a Fourth of July dinner at Gloria's on Sunday. I made a full spread: grilled chicken that I had marinated overnight in a buttermilk brine with smoked paprika and garlic, corn on the cob rolled in herb butter, a watermelon and feta salad with mint and a balsamic drizzle that I was a little nervous about serving to James because he is suspicious of fancy things on his watermelon and I thought the feta might be a step too far. He tried it, looked at it with mild skepticism, ate all of it, and said hm, which I am taking as acceptance.

The fireworks started before dinner was fully over and James and I stood on the back porch to watch while Gloria listened from inside with the door open. Prattville does its own fireworks show and from Gloria's back yard you can see them over the rooftop of the Piggly Wiggly, which is perhaps the most Alabama setting I can imagine for a fireworks display, and I love it.

It has been a year and a half of pandemic and this is the first Fourth of July that felt like a holiday rather than a thing we were getting through. I noticed that consciously and tried to hold it. Some summers you are surviving. This one I think I am actually living.

The chicken was always going to be the anchor of that Sunday spread — something worth the overnight wait, something that rewarded the patience of a long holiday weekend. This Amazing Chicken Shawarma is the recipe I reach for when I want that same effect: a marinade that works while you sleep and delivers something layered and confident off the grill, the kind of dish that makes a back porch dinner feel like it actually meant something. It’s what I’ll be making next Fourth of July, and probably the one after that.

Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus overnight marinating) | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 8 hours 35 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/3 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
Fresh parsley, for serving
Warm flatbread or pita, for serving

Instructions

Make the marinade. In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, turmeric, coriander, cinnamon, cayenne, salt, pepper, and lemon juice until fully combined.
Marinate the chicken. Add the chicken thighs to the marinade and turn to coat thoroughly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 8 hours. The longer it sits, the deeper the flavor.
Prep the grill. When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let it come toward room temperature for about 20 minutes. Preheat your grill or grill pan to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates.
Grill the chicken. Place the chicken thighs on the grill and cook for 6–7 minutes per side, until cooked through and nicely charred in spots. Internal temperature should reach 165°F.
Rest and slice. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.
Serve. Arrange sliced chicken on a platter over warm flatbread. Scatter fresh parsley over the top and serve with your choice of accompaniments — yogurt sauce, pickled onions, or a crisp green salad alongside.

Nutrition (per serving)

Amazing Chicken Shawarma — The Marinade That Made James Say “Hm”