Rating: 5.00
(67)

Easy Chicken Shawarma Wrap with Creamy Garlic Sauce

This Easy Chicken Shawarma Wrap with Creamy Garlic Sauce is gonna be your new love. Tender, well-marinated, succulent chicken mixed with creamy garlic sauce wrapped in soft pita bread to bring it all together just for YOU. This is such a wondrous exotic Middle Eastern dish!

I really hope you enjoy this Easy Chicken Shawarma Wrap with Creamy Garlic Sauce recipe. If you do, please let me know in the comments below. I LOVE reading your comments ❤

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE

I was a child when I had chicken shawarma for the first time ever. I’m an adult today and I’m still not over it.

Chicken shawarma is just something THAT special, you guys. It’s such a satisfying dish with the most beautiful flavors. That luscious, flavorful chicken intermingling with creamy garlicky garlic sauce and fresh French fries (such a wonderful idea!) wrapped in warm, soft pita bread… Ah 😊.

And the best part? It’s so easy to make at home too! Homemade chicken shawarma is just the best and you NEED to try it right away.

If you’ve ever had chicken shawarma, you probably don’t even need to know why you’ll love this recipe. You’ll know what the hype is about already and why it’s such a popular dish.

But if you’ve never had chicken shawarma before, this recipe is your sign to make it right away, and here’s why you’ll adore it so much!

  • The ingredients are exotic, but not difficult to find at all. They also work together in such a gorgeous way, you’ll be left surprised that ingredients can even do such a thing! You may also discover so many new flavors in the process if you’re new to Middle Eastern food!
  • This easy chicken shawarma wrap with creamy garlic sauce recipe is a satisfying dish that is quick, stress-free to cook up and so forgiving too. Don’t worry about getting it wrong because that probably can’t even happen in the first place! Once you get past the waiting time suggested for the chicken and creamy garlic sauce to absorb all those flavors (you can cook without waiting for too long too!), cooking the chicken and putting everything else in place is just a breeze;
  • It’s so meaty… garlicky… rich AND can be served in so many different ways (check our serving suggestions out below for many more ideas). This shawarma chicken recipe is just so filling (and fulfilling 😊)!
  • The homemade creamy garlic sauce given in this recipe will be one of the most amazing sauces you’ll ever have. You’ll want to have it all the time!

Man, I love wraps so much. Would you like to explore more such recipes? Check out our collection of absolutely lip-smacking Burgers, Wraps & Sandwiches, Stovetop and Party/Special Day recipes.

A close up of chicken shawarma wrap with creamy garlic sauce and French fries

WHAT IS CHICKEN SHAWARMA WRAP?

Shawarma is a dish that originated in the Middle East. It’s a pretty famous street food.

Shawarma is loved so much not just because of its taste (which is 😍) but also because of how easy it is to eat when you’re in a hurry and on the go. It’s filling, conveniently wrapped and bursting with flavor!

The word shawarma means turning in Turkish. When shawarma is cooked traditionally, piles of meat are stacked on a vertical rotisserie in a conical shape. This stack of meat then cooks slowly as it turns in front of a flame present on one side of this equipment. And so, that’s how shawarma came to be named.

It’s incredible to watch this cooking process! It’s so interesting for this meat because it cooks slowly over a period of time and becomes crispy on the outside while cooking in its own juices and so, remaining juicy, flavorful and succulent on the inside.

The meat is then shaved (literally) off the meat stack in thin slices once it’s ready as the rest of the stack continues to turn and roast slowly.

If you’re lucky, the person slicing the meat will give you a delicious fresh piece of meat shaved right off the stack while making your shawarma wrap. It’s one of the tastiest things ever!

Shawarma also doesn’t need to be made using only chicken. It was traditionally made using lamb or mutton back in the day. Today, you’ll find shawarma made and served with so many different meats. This includes beef too.

It should be known here that chicken shawarma is also sometimes spelled as chicken shwarma, chicken shawarama, chicken schwarma, chicken shawerma, chicken sawarma, chicken swarma and chicken shorma. Whoa!!!

It’s difficult to replicate the traditional process of cooking shawarma at home, as you may imagine! In this recipe, I’ve tried keeping it as close to the authentic taste as possible while cooking the chicken in a pan 😉. It’s an easier way to try and get that shawarma taste at home. You can go ahead and grill or bake your chicken too!

Zee (my husband) and I have loved shawarma for as long as we can remember. When we were children, we lived in a city in the Middle East. That’s where we fell in love with chicken shawarma for the very first time at an incredibly young age. It has been so many years and chicken shawarma is still one of our most favorite dishes ever.

The shawarma I grew up having in that city was made with chicken, garlic sauce and French fries wrapped in pita bread with pickles on the side.

That was the only kind of shawarma I knew for the longest time, and it’s still my most favorite way to have it. As I traveled around more though, I learned how shawarma changes from country to country and even from city to city!

There is Turkish Shawarma, Lebanese Shawarma, Shawarma that is made in Saudi Arabia (which again differs from city to city)… And just so many more types of them out there. Each of them absolutely delicious in their own way.

I’ve seen shawarma served with a range of veggies in the wrap, with hummus or tahini or even both, in different breads… The combinations have been endless! That just shows how versatile this dish is, really.

The chicken shawarma wraps I used to have from my favorite places as a child sometimes had creamy garlic mayo in them and sometimes toum.

Toum is a traditional garlic sauce that is made using garlic, salt, oil and lemon (and sometimes egg whites too). It is a little complex to get right and has a small learning curve.

To keep this recipe quick, easy and simple, I’m sticking to a good old mix of garlic, mayonnaise, yogurt and lemon for our creamy garlic sauce. Yum 😍!

When I moved out of that Middle-Eastern country, I missed chicken shawarma so much for such a long time… I just had to learn to make it on my own so I could have it wherever I moved to in the world, and so, this recipe was created!

INGREDIENTS & SUBSTITUTIONS FOR EASY CHICKEN SHAWARMA WRAP WITH CREAMY GARLIC SAUCE

For exact ingredient measurements, please scroll down to the Recipe Card.

Raw chicken breasts in a white bowl with chicken shawarma spices, lemon juice, garlic and yogurt on a tray

For the marinade:

  • Chicken- I’ve used boneless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized strips in this recipe. You can also use chicken thighs. The fat in the thighs works really well with this marinade too.
  • Garlic cloves- Smashed and minced garlic merges just so wonderfully with all the other spices in this dish. Chicken shawarma is supposed to be nice and garlicky so you can increase the garlic if you’re into it (I am!) and if you’re not into garlic much, you can reduce it too.
  • Garlic powder- Just a little garlic powder changes the flavor of this dish ever so slightly in such a nice way. You can skip this if you prefer a less garlicky taste.
  • Onion powder- Onion powder also does a little something here! It adds a pop of oniony flavor that blends in really well with the marinade.
  • Ground cumin- Cumin is warm and adds such a hearty touch to the chicken. It’s also one of the most commonly used ingredients in Middle Eastern food.
  • Ground coriander- Coriander lends an earthy taste to this dish. It works beautifully with ground cumin to bring this marinade together.
  • Ground cardamom- Cardamom is essential to this dish. Try not to skip out on it! It adds a wonderful slight floral, sweet-ish flavor. You can use whole cardamoms in the marinade if you don’t have ground cardamom available and if you are marinating your meat for more than 6 hours. If you want to make a powder out of whole cardamoms, take about 8 to 10 whole green cardamoms, dry roast them on a pan on low heat for about 3 to 4 minutes or till your cardamoms develop light golden brown patches. Wait for your cardamoms to cool and then grind them in a mixer to a fine powder. You can sift your cardamom powder to a finer powder if it’s coarse.
  • Ground cinnamon- Cinnamon adds richness to the meat. You can also use a 2-inch cinnamon stick if you are marinating your chicken for more than 6 hours.
  • Dried oregano- A tiny bit of oregano works so well with the rest of the ingredients. It lends this herbiness to the chicken that tastes just right!
  • Paprika- Paprika adds some color, a deep, ever so slight sweetness and extra flavor to the chicken. It wraps it all up together!
  • Plain yogurt- Plain yogurt makes your chicken tender and so flavorful. It also adds a very slight creamy taste and texture to your chicken. You can substitute this with Greek yogurt too, but try and make the Greek yogurt thinner… like the consistency of plain yogurt. You can do this by adding a little water to the Greek yogurt and stir it until it reaches the consistency of plain yogurt.
  • Lemon juice- Lemon juice also makes the chicken tender, juicy and succulent. It gives the chicken the slightest tanginess too. You can substitute with lime juice here.
  • Salt and black pepper- Absolute essentials! You may adjust these two according to your taste and preference.
Chopped garlic, yogurt, mayonnaise and lemon juice in seperate bowls

For the sauce:

  • Garlic- Garlic’s the king of this sauce. Literally. Garlic builds the sauce and brings it all together. You can go ahead and put in as much garlic as you want here. The garlic should be smashed, minced and made into a paste!
  • Salt- A pinch of salt after smashing your garlic the first time softens the garlic’s flavor.
  • Greek yogurt- Thick and creamy Greek yogurt acts as the perfect base for this sauce. You can substitute it with plain yogurt here. Still tastes wonderful!
  • Mayonnaise- Mayonnaise works really well with Greek yogurt to add a dense richness and depth to this garlic sauce. If you want a healthier alternative, you can skip out on this and use only Greek yogurt. Try not to skip out on it though!
  • Lemon juice- Lemon juice adds just the right amount of tang to this sauce. It works pretty well with the garlic and gives such a fresh flavor. You can substitute this with lime juice too.

Other ingredients you’ll need:

  • Cooking oil- To use while cooking the chicken once it’s marinated. A neutral cooking oil is ideal.
  • Fresh Cilantro- To garnish over the chicken once it’s cooked. It tastes so good and works really well with the spices in the chicken.
  • French fries- I suggest you don’t skip out on this. Fresh, crispy French fries are just sooo good in a shawarma wrap. But for a lighter version of this recipe, you can skip out on this.
  • Bread– I use medium-sized Pita bread in this recipe. Pita is soft and easy to make a wrap out of. You can use any other type of soft flatbread if you don’t have pita available.

Once again, for exact ingredient measurements, please scroll down to the Recipe Card.

Man, I love wraps so much. Would you like to explore more such recipes? Check out our collection of absolutely lip-smacking Burgers, Wraps & Sandwiches, Chicken & Meat and Summer recipes.

Two chicken shawarma wraps with creamy garlic sauce and French fries served on a white plate

RECIPE & DIET VARIATIONS YOU CAN TRY

Shawarma is a dish you can create in so many ways without reducing its deliciousness in any way at all. Here are a few variations of this recipe you may want to try:

  • You can make a chicken shawarma bowl or chicken shawarma wrap and add in some fresh veggies to it. You can add some chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and fresh lettuce or any other veggies of your choice.
  • You can try and use a different meat! You can make beef shawarma, lamb shawarma and even prawn shawarma and fish shawarma using the ingredients given in this recipe! Please make sure you adjust your cooking according to the meat you use.
  • Change your method of cooking! You can grill your chicken or bake it in the oven. You can also use any other method you prefer. Please adjust the cooking time according to the method you use.
  • You can go ahead and create the creamy garlic sauce using only Greek yogurt to make this meal lighter and healthier. This will give you a light, garlicky yogurt sauce. You can also skip out on the French fries and the pita to make the recipe even lighter.

Note- If you think you have an ingredient that you feel is suitable as a substitute for a certain ingredient in this recipe, according to your dietary preference, you can use it and let us know how it works as a substitute in the comments below. I’ll then add it in as an adaptation suggestion here. This will help so many others with the same diet preference as yours.

Vegetarian Adaptation:

To make vegetarian shawarma wrap…

You can skip the chicken and try cottage cheese instead. Slice the cottage cheese into squares or long strips as you prefer, and use the same marinade as mentioned in the recipe.

Also make sure to use plain yogurt that does not contain gelatin in the marinade and the creamy garlic sauce.

Marinate the cottage cheese for at least 4 hours.

Be very careful while cooking your cottage cheese and keep a constant check on it. You’ll then be in for a soft, cheesy, flavorful vegetarian shawarma treat.

Or make this recipe with mushrooms and onions or even potatoes instead. You can use the same marinade given in this recipe. Make sure you marinate your veggies for at least 30 minutes and then cook them accordingly.

Please make sure to read through the ingredient list of all the other ingredients in the recipe to make sure they are vegetarian.

Dairy-Free Adaptation:

To make dairy-free chicken shawarma wrap…

  • You can go ahead and skip the yogurt in the chicken marinade. You can try using just a little mayonnaise in the marinade instead. If you choose not to use mayonnaise, the dry marinade for the chicken on its own without yogurt or mayo tastes wonderful.
  • You can skip the Greek yogurt in the creamy garlic sauce too and just make it using mayonnaise. You can also have the chicken shawarma wrap with garlic tahini, garlic hummus or toum.
  • If you are using packaged French fries, please make sure they are dairy-free too. Sometimes, dairy may be present in frozen French fries.
  • If you are buying pita bread or any flatbread, please make sure it’s dairy-free.

As always, please read through the ingredient list of all the other ingredients in the recipe to make sure they are dairy-free because hidden dairy may be present in some ingredients.

Gluten-Free Adaptation:

To make gluten-free chicken shawarma…

  • Many dairy products in their natural form are gluten-free BUT some Greek yogurts and plain yogurts may have additives that contain gluten. Please go through the ingredient list on the food label of the Greek yogurt and plain yogurt you buy to make sure no additional ingredients that may contain gluten are added to them.
  • Ground spices may contain gluten either because of being contaminated in the factory during production or because of addition of flour to them. Please make sure the spices you use are 100% gluten-free.
  • You can use gluten-free flatbread to make a wrap. You can also skip out on it if you prefer.
  • If you are using packaged French fries, please make sure they are gluten-free too.
  • Please make sure your oil does not contain any additives that contain gluten.

Please keep in mind to read through the ingredient list of all the other given ingredients in the recipe to make sure they are gluten-free. Hidden gluten may be present in some ingredients.

Nut-Free Adaptation:

This shawarma wrap recipe is nut-free, but while researching just to be sure, I found out some facts I’ve mentioned below.

To make nut-free chicken shawarma wrap…

  • Some spice powders may use nuts as a filler. This majorly includes cumin and paprika. You can skip out on these if you’re not able to find nut-free versions of them.

Other spices may contain nuts as a filler too though, so please make sure you find spices that do not contain nuts.

  • Black pepper may also cause issues for people who are allergic to tree nuts. You can skip out on this as well.
  • Please make sure your cooking oil does not contain nuts or is not derived from any nuts.
  • Please make sure that the pita bread or any other flatbread you use does not contain nuts. Also, make sure you buy your flatbread from a factory that does not contain nuts.

As always, please make sure you thoroughly read through the ingredient list of all the spice blends and other ingredients that have been mentioned in this recipe before cooking. Hidden nuts may be present in some ingredients.

Vegan Adaptation:

To make vegan shawarma wrap, you can make the following changes…

  • Skip out on chicken and make this recipe with mushrooms and onions or potatoes. You can use the same marinade given in this recipe but skip out on plain yogurt. Also, make sure you use lemons that haven’t been waxed. Waxed lemons are not vegan because the wax on these lemons contains shellac, which is derived from the female lac bug. Make sure you marinate your veggies for at least 30 minutes and then cook them accordingly.
  • For the creamy garlic sauce, skip out on the Greek yogurt and mayonnaise and use garlic hummus or garlic tahini instead!
  • If you are buying your pita bread, make sure the ingredients in it are vegan.

And as always, please read through the ingredient list of all the given ingredients in the recipe to make sure everything is vegan.

Disclaimer– I’ve done research to make things easier for you guys, but please make sure you do your own research too if you are allergic to something or have a specific diet preference. The suggestions given above for dietary preferences are only suggestions and NOT medical advice. These are suggestions given just after a little research on the said dietary preferences. We are NOT trained medical professionals or nutritionists. You are responsible for yourself, so please ask your physician if you have any questions and make sure you always completely read through the ingredient list of any ingredients you use.

Chicken shawarma wraps with creamy garlic sauce and French fries on a white plate with pita breads on the side

HOW TO MAKE EASY CHICKEN SHAWARMA WRAP WITH CREAMY GARLIC SAUCE [Step-by-Step Instructions With Photos]

For exact ingredient measurements and instructions without photos, please scroll down to the Recipe Card.

Please keep in mind that I go into lots of detail in all my recipes so you get to know all the super important tips and tricks when it comes to making a particular recipe. I want you to make the BEST of whatever you’re cooking ❤.

STEP 1: MARINATE THE CHICKEN

Raw chicken coated with shawarma marinade in a white bowl

Cut your chicken into small bite-sized strips. Place the chicken in a bowl.

Add all the ingredients needed for marination to your chicken. Give it all a good mix.

Try mixing all the ingredients together by hand, it makes a massive difference, trust me.

Then wrap the bowl with cling wrap, or place the chicken in an air-tight container or zip-lock bag and refrigerate it for at least 6 hours. 12 hours is ideal and 24 hours is best.

You can cook your chicken after 1 hour as well but waiting for longer will make the chicken more flavorful.

STEP 2: MAKE YOUR CREAMY GARLIC SAUCE

Creamy garlic sauce in a bowl with a spoon

Make sure you smash your garlic cloves with the side of your knife first. Add just a bit of salt to it and then mince your garlic into even smaller bits, gather, smash and push it again with the side of your knife. Repeat until the garlic is made into a smooth-ish paste. Please make sure there are no big-ish bits of garlic!

Now mix in all the ingredients needed to make the creamy garlic sauce.

Cover and refrigerate it for at least 4 to 6 hours for the flavors to set in. 12 hours would be better and 24 hours would be best.

You can taste the creamy garlic sauce after 4 hours or more and adjust the taste according to your liking. The flavors will have set in by this point.

You can have this sauce immediately as well. If you will be having it immediately, you can taste the garlic sauce while making it and adjust it accordingly. Please keep in mind though that it takes a couple of hours for the flavors to really set in, and any changes you make now will get stronger with time because the sauce hasn’t been given much time to set in.

After a few hours of allowing the chicken to marinate and the creamy garlic sauce to develop…

STEP 3:

Go ahead and fry your French fries according to the directions on the package. Keep it on the side once done.

STEP 4:

Remove your creamy garlic sauce from the fridge. This is so it can come close to room temperature while your chicken cooks.

STEP 5:

Heat some oil in a pan on medium-low heat.

Remove your chicken from the fridge.

STEP 6:

Marinated raw chicken shawarma in a pan

Add your marinated chicken to the pan once the oil is slightly heated. The oil shouldn’t be really hot because the spices in the chicken may burn.

Do NOT add all of the marinade with the chicken.

Cook over medium-low to medium heat.

There may be extra liquid in the pan because of the yogurt in the marinade.

Continue to cook on one side for 6 to 7 minutes until the liquid evaporates.

The cooking time may vary depending on how much chicken you have in your pan, the pan you’re using and your stove.

If your pan is small, cook your chicken in batches. Try not to overcrowd the pan.

STEP 7:

Chicken shawarma piece with brown crust held by tongs

Once the liquid has dried up, continue cooking your chicken on the same side until you get this nice brown crust seen in the picture above.

STEP 8:

Cooked chicken shawarma chunks in a pan

Then, flip the chicken over and cook on the other side until the chicken gets the same browning. This will take lesser time, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Again, the cooking time may vary depending on how much chicken you have in your pan, the pan you’re using and your stove.

You can adjust the heat once the chicken is cooked through to get some more browning if you prefer.

STEP 9:

Chicken shawarma pieces cooked in a pan

Once you’re done cooking your chicken, remove it from the pan and keep it on the side.

The wonderful aroma of those chicken shawarma spices filled with Middle Eastern flavors is the absolute best ❤.

Garnish the chicken with some fresh cilantro, if you prefer.

STEP 10:

Pita bread being toasted in a pan

Keep just a bit of oil in your pan and drain the excess oil if any.

Then take your pita bread and rub it on the pan to absorb in all the chicken-y goodness and toast it till it gets a little browning on it! This will take about a minute or two.

Do the same on the other side of the pita bread too.

Do this for all the other pita bread you’ll be using to make the chicken shawarma wraps.

You may skip this step if you prefer, but it adds a really nice touch to the dish.

STEP 11:

Chicken shawarma pieces being arranged in a line on pita bread

Place some chunks of chicken on the pita bread in a line.

STEP 12:

French fries on top of chicken shawarma and pita bread

Next, place your French fries on top of the chicken chunks.

STEP 13:

Garlic sauced being spread on chicken shawarma French fries and pita bread

Now, drizzle the creamy garlic sauce on top of the chicken and French fries.

STEP 14:

Chicken shawarma wrapped with French fries and garlic sauce in a pita bread

Go ahead and wrap the chicken shawarma!

You can wrap it up in aluminium foil, parchment paper or wax paper to keep it in place.

Serve your chicken shawarma wrap with some more creamy garlic sauce and French fries on the side 😍.

Hey you, I really hope you love this easy chicken shawarma wrap with creamy garlic sauce recipe as much as I do!

If you do, I would appreciate a star rating SO much (you can rate this recipe right below or from the Recipe Card 💖).

5 from 67 votes (Click on the stars to vote!)

Also, if you have any questions about this recipe, make sure to check out our FAQs section below to maybe find your answer there, or leave a comment and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible, I promise 😊.

Close up of chicken shawarma wrap with creamy garlic sauce and French fries having creamy garlic sauce poured over the wrap

Tips For Making Easy Chicken Shawarma Wrap in Creamy Garlic Sauce

Here are a few handy-dandy tips you can follow to make sure your chicken shawarma wrap comes out perfectly!

  • This recipe calls for loads of garlic. An easy way to deal with the garlic here is to smash it with your knife first, which is necessary to make it nice and pasty for the marinade as well as the garlic sauce. After smashing it, peeling it becomes easier! Then mince whatever is left.
  • You can also mince your garlic in a food processor. I prefer doing this on my own because I feel the whole process of smashing and mincing the garlic adds sooo much more garlic flavor. But that’s a personal preference, and you can do what you feel is right and whatever makes things easier for you! 😊
  • Plan this recipe at least 6 to 8 hours or a day before. This is a super simple recipe to cook and put together BUT more time allows the flavors in the chicken and creamy garlic sauce to work so much better!
  • To make things faster, make sure you marinate your chicken and create your creamy garlic sauce at the same time. You can then keep them in the fridge for a few hours. This will make sure the chicken and garlic sauce work on their flavors at the same time and are ready when the time comes for you to cook this dish.
  • I prefer to cut my chicken into bite-sized strips before marinating. The pieces get flavorful much better this way. You can do the same, or you can marinate whole pieces of chicken and then slice them after cooking.
  • Please try and marinate the chicken for at least 6 hours or overnight. This marinade is wonderful and the flavors are absorbed by the chicken almost instantly but to enjoy the actual deep, rich flavors of all the spices you’ve added to the chicken, you should let it marinate for a long time. You can wait just an hour though if you’re in a hurry (or really in the mood for shawarma) and it’ll still taste amazing but the flavors really reallyyy set in after a couple of hours.
  • Make sure you leave your creamy garlic sauce to work for at least 4 to 6 hours or overnight. The sauce won’t be bland if you wait just an hour BUT leaving it for 4 to 6 hours or overnight will lead to a strong, rich, creamy, garlicky taste.
  • When you’re marinating the chicken, go in with your hands if you can. I know I know, it is a bit of a task but your meat will reward you once you cook it!
  • While cooking the chicken, please keep a constant check on it. Cook it on medium-low to medium heat and make sure you get just the right amount of browning without burning it.
  • Please try and go for fresh, soft flatbread. I prefer using pita, but if it’s not available, please try getting a flatbread that can be folded easily to make a wrap. The softer the bread, the easier it will be to make a wrap with it.
  • After wrapping the shawarma, you can wrap some aluminium foil, parchment paper or wax paper around it to keep it in shape. This makes it easier to handle and eat too! It also has a very pleasant surprise once you’re done- of creamy garlic sauce and chicken-y goodness at the bottom. ❤
Two chicken shawarma wraps with creamy garlic sauce and French fries in a black bowl with pita breads on the side

Serving Suggestions for Easy Chicken Shawarma Wrap with Creamy Garlic Sauce

Ah serving suggestions, my favorite part!

Chicken shawarma can be served in so many ways, and every single way is wonderful. How can we even choose the best one?

  • You can have the shawarma chicken on its own. It tastes absolutely divine. Yum. You can also have it with French fries and creamy garlic sauce on the side. Chicken shawarma with French fries is the absolute best.
  • Serve it in a wrap, like it is traditionally done and how I did in this recipe too! Warm pita bread stuffed with shawarma chicken, creamy garlic sauce and crispy French fries makes for such a filling little meal!
  • Or make it a pita pocket! Just open up the pita bread from the center and stuff the chicken, creamy garlic sauce and French fries in it.
  • If you want to change it up a little, make a shawarma plate and serve this dish on its own with the chicken, creamy garlic sauce and some pita bread on the side. You can dunk pieces of the pita bread in the garlic sauce and have it with the chicken. Such a feast!
  • You can also make a shawarma chicken bowl. Just place the chicken in a bowl, add the creamy garlic sauce to it, and toss them together. You can add in some of your favorite veggies to it too to make it a chicken shawarma salad!
  • You can also try my scrumptious Chicken Shawarma with Garlic Sauce Rice Bowl recipe. Go ahead and serve your shawarma chicken with the delish, flavorful yellow rice in this recipe and serve it with fresh crunchy vegetables and some garlic dip on the side.
  • If you have a party coming up, or just want to make your shawarma wraps look cute, you can make some mini chicken shawarma rolls by using smaller pita bread or just cutting the pita bread in half (or even three parts if it’s a big pita bread)! These baby shawarma rolls can be served as appetizers at your party too! You can also make an adorable little shawarma roll as a treat for yourself!
  • Another great way I serve this dish at parties is by creating a shawarma platter! Take a nice big platter or flat board and place your cooked chicken on it, with garlic sauce in a bowl, some French fries on the side and a stack of pita bread and let people make their own shawarma wraps. For a smaller gathering, you can all share the platter too. It’s the absolute best!
  • If you do not have pita bread or any other flatbread available, you can go ahead and spread your chicken and creamy garlic sauce on a slice of bread. Then sandwich it with another slice of bread. You can serve it with some French fries on the side and there you have it, your very own chicken shawarma sandwich!

Phew, those are so many serving suggestions and I’m sure there are many more other methods out there too. If you happen to discover a new one, please let me know in the comments section below. And if you’ve taken an idea from some of the suggestions given above, I would love to know that too!

How do you like having your chicken shawarma? ✨

Close up of two stacked chicken shawarma wraps with creamy garlic sauce and French fries

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can chicken shawarma be made ahead of time or in advance?

Yes! You can cook the shawarma chicken in advance.

You can store the cooked chicken shawarma in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

To reheat it, you can heat it over a non-stick pan and let it sizzle until warm.

You can make the creamy garlic sauce 2 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days as well.

Make sure you don’t heat your creamy garlic sauce. Leave it outside and let it reach room temperature before having it with the chicken shawarma wrap.

It’s best if you use fresh pita bread and fry the French fries fresh on the day you’re planning on making your chicken shawarma wrap.

Can you store chicken shawarma wrap with creamy garlic sauce?

You can follow the instructions above if you want to create chicken shawarma wrap in advance, but once you’ve made the chicken shawarma wrap, it’s best not to freeze it or store it.

You can store the cooked chicken in the fridge for 2 days, and you can keep the creamy garlic sauce in the fridge for 2 days as well, as mentioned above, but I suggest you don’t refrigerate it once you make a wrap with it. That’s because when you reheat the chicken shawarma wrap, the creamy garlic sauce will become oily, unfortunately. Not just that, but the bread won’t be fresh anymore and will become hard and crackly 😱.

It’s best not to freeze this dish once it is made into wraps.

Can I make this easy chicken shawarma wrap with creamy garlic sauce recipe according to my diet preference?

Yes, you can!

Explore the Variations Section above to see our suggestions on how you can make vegetarian shawarma, dairy-free shawarma, gluten-free shawarma, nut-free shawarma or vegan shawarma.

Can I have shawarma with Hummus, Tahini or Toum?

If you don’t have the time to create the creamy garlic sauce or can’t have it because of your diet preference and have Hummus, Tahini or Toum available instead, then yes, you can use any of these in your shawarma wrap.

To make your Hummus or Tahini garlicky, you can add in some crushed garlic to it and keep it aside for a few hours to absorb the flavors.

All four of these sauces- creamy garlic sauce, Toum, Tahini and Hummus lend very different flavors to the shawarma.

Each of these sauces make the shawarma taste absolutely delicious in their own way.

A platter of chicken shawarma chunks in a white bowl on a tray with garlic sauce, pita bread and French fries

❤❤❤

Hey you, I really hope you love this easy chicken shawarma wrap with creamy garlic sauce recipe as much as I do!

If you do, I would appreciate a star rating SO much (you can rate this recipe right below or from the Recipe Card 💖).

5 from 67 votes (Click on the stars to vote!)

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EASY Chicken Shawarma Wrap with Creamy Garlic Sauce

5 from 67 votes (Click on the stars to vote!)
This Easy Chicken Shawarma Wrap with Creamy Garlic Sauce is gonna be your new love. Tender, well-marinated, succulent chicken mixed with creamy garlic sauce wrapped in soft pita bread to bring it all together just for YOU. This is such a wondrous exotic Middle Eastern dish!
Prep time for this recipe15 minutes
Cook time for this recipe25 minutes
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Yield for this recipe4 wraps

Ingredients
  

For the marinade:

  • 1 lb or 450 gms chicken breast skinless and boneless, cut into bite-sized strips (can substitute with boneless chicken thigh as well)
  • 5 to 7 medium-sized cloves of garlic peeled, crushed and minced
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground cardamom (can substitute with 5 whole green cardamoms if marinating for more than 6 hours)
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon (can substitute with 1 two-inch cinnamon stick if marinating for more than 6 hours)
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tbsp paprika
  • ½ cup or 125 gms plain yogurt (can substitute with Greek yogurt. Add a bit of water or lemon juice to it till it reaches the consistency of plain yogurt)
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice (can substitute with lime juice)
  • ½ tsp salt or according to taste
  • ¼ tsp black pepper or according to taste

For the sauce:

  • 4 to 6 medium-sized cloves of garlic peeled and crushed to a fine paste
  • a pinch of salt (add when you crush your garlic cloves the first time)
  • ⅔ cup or 160 gms Greek yogurt (can substitute with plain yogurt)
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1 tsp lemon juice (can substitute with lime juice)

Other ingredients you'll need:

  • 2 tbsp neutral cooking oil to cook the marinated chicken
  • fresh cilantro for garnishing
  • 7.5 oz or 200 gms French fries (I've used frozen store-bought)
  • 4 medium-sized pita bread (I've used store-bought. You can substitute with any other soft flatbread too, but pita bread works best)
⇧ Click here to scroll up to view instruction photos along with the steps involved ⇧

( Note- Please keep in mind that I go into lots of detail in all my recipes so you get to know all the super important tips and tricks when it comes to making a particular recipe. I want you to make the BEST of whatever you’re cooking ❤ )

Instructions

  • PREPARE AND MARINATE YOUR CHICKEN
    Cut 1 lb or 450 gms chicken breast into small bite-sized strips and place them in a bowl.
    Now, in a bowl with your chicken, add all the ingredients needed for the marinade: 5 to 7 medium-sized cloves of garlic, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp ground cardamom, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tbsp paprika, 1/2 cup or 125 gms plain yogurt, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper.
    Mix the ingredients together (by hand if possible, it makes such a big difference, trust me).
    Once you’re done, wrap some cling wrap over the bowl, or place it in an air-tight container or zip-lock bag and refrigerate it for at least 6 hours. 12 hours is ideal and 24 hours is even better!
    You can wait for 1 hour as well but waiting for a longer time will make your chicken more flavorful.
  • MAKE YOUR CREAMY GARLIC SAUCE
    On a cutting board, smash 4 to 6 medium-sized cloves of garlic with the side of your knife. Add a pinch of salt to the smashed garlic and then mince it, gather it, smash and push it with the side of your knife. Repeat this until you get a smooth garlic paste with no big-ish garlic bits.
    Now, mix in the rest of the ingredients needed to make the creamy garlic sauce that is: 2/3 cup or 160 gms Greek yogurt, 2 tbsp mayonnaise and 1 tsp lemon juice.
    Cover and refrigerate it for at least 4 to 6 hours for the flavors to set in. 12 hours would be ideal and 24 hours would be best, if you have the time.
    You can taste the creamy garlic sauce after 4 to 6 hours or more and adjust the taste according to your liking.
    You can skip out on waiting and have the creamy garlic sauce immediately if you're in a hurry. Waiting is better though because it helps the sauce develop a rich, garlicky flavor.
    If you're having your creamy garlic sauce immediately, taste it while making it and adjust accordingly. Please remember that it takes a couple of hours for the flavors to set in. Any changes you make now will get stronger with time.
  • Wait a few hours for your chicken to marinate and your creamy garlic sauce to develop (or skip to the next step if you are making this dish immediately).
  • Fry 7.5 oz or 200 gms French fries (I've used frozen store-bought ones) according to the instructions on the package. Set aside once done.
  • Remove the creamy garlic sauce from the fridge so it can reach room temperature while your chicken cooks.
  • COOK THE CHICKEN
    Take a pan and heat 2 tbsp neutral cooking oil in it on medium-low heat.
    Then, add your marinated chicken to the pan once the oil is heated. Make sure the oil is not reallyyy hot because the spices in the chicken may burn otherwise.
    Please also do NOT add all of the marinade to the pan with the chicken.
    Continue to cook the chicken over medium-low to medium heat.
    There may be more liquid in the pan because of the yogurt marinade. Cook the chicken on one side for 6 to 7 minutes until the liquid evaporates.
    The cooking time may vary depending on how much chicken you have in your pan, the pan you’re using and your stove.
    If your pan is small, cook your chicken in batches. Don’t overcrowd your pan.
  • Once the liquid has dried up, continue cooking your chicken on one side until you get a nice brown crust. This may take an extra minute or two.
    Then, flip the chicken and cook on the other side until the chicken gets the same delish brown crust. This will take lesser time, about 4 to 5 minutes.
    Again, the cooking time may vary depending on how much chicken you have in your pan, the pan you’re using and your stove.
    You can adjust the heat once the chicken is cooked through to get some more browning if you prefer.
  • Once your chicken is done, remove it and keep it on the side.
    Garnish with some fresh cilantro, if you prefer.
  • Keep just a little oil in your pan and drain the excess oil, if any.
    Now, take 4 medium-sized pita bread and warm it in the pan to absorb the chicken-y goodness and toast it until it gets just a little browning. This will take about a minute or two.
    Do the same on the other side of the pita bread as well. Repeat for all the other pita bread you’ll be using.
    You can skip this step but it adds a really nice touch to the dish.
  • Now, place the pita bread on a board.
    Put some chunks of chicken on the pita bread in a line in the middle.
    Then, place some French fries on top of the chicken chunks.
    Next, drizzle the creamy garlic sauce on top of the chicken and French fries.
  • Go ahead and wrap the chicken shawarma! You can use some aluminium foil, parchment paper or wax paper to keep everything in place.
    Serve it with some more creamy garlic sauce and French fries on the side 💖!
5 from 67 votes (Click on the stars to vote!)

Notes ✍🏼

If you would like to know more about vegetarian, dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free or vegan diet preferences for this recipe, check the Variations Section above.
And…
If you want to know more ideas about how to serve or what to serve with this recipe, check the Serving Suggestions section above.
TIPS:
  • This recipe calls for loads of garlic. You can try smashing your garlic cloves first, which is necessary to make them nice and pasty for the marinade as well as the garlic sauce. After smashing, peeling the cloves becomes easier! Then mince the remaining garlic flesh.
  • You can also mince your garlic in a food processor. I prefer doing this on my own because I feel the whole process of smashing and mincing the garlic adds sooo much more garlic flavor. But that’s a personal preference and you can do what you feel is right and whatever makes things easier for you! 😊
  • Plan this recipe at least 6 to 8 hours or a day before. It’s an incredibly easy recipe to cook and put together but more time lets all the flavors work so much better together.
  • Try and marinate your chicken and create your creamy garlic sauce at the same time. You can then keep them in the fridge for a few hours. This way, the chicken and garlic sauce will work on their flavors at the same time and will be ready when the time comes to cook this recipe and put everything together.
  • Make sure you go for fresh, soft flatbread. I prefer using pita but if it’s not available, please try getting a flatbread that can be folded easily to make a wrap.
VARIATIONS:
  • You can add in some chopped tomatoes, cucumber, onions and fresh lettuce or any other veggie of your choice to your chicken shawarma wrap or chicken shawarma bowl.
  • Try using a different meat! You can make beef shawarma, lamb shawarma and even prawn shawarma and fish shawarma using the ingredients given in this recipe!
  • You can also grill or bake your chicken if you prefer.
  • You can skip out on the French fries and mayonnaise (in the creamy garlic sauce) to make this meal lighter

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 586kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 44gFat: 26gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 388mgPotassium: 500mgFiber: 3.4gSugar: 3.9gVitamin A: 110IUVitamin C: 7.1mgCalcium: 137.37mgIron: 1.65mg

The nutritional information given here is only an estimate.

Please read our full Nutrition Information Disclaimer to learn more.
Author of this recipeMish- The Buttery Fairytale
Total time to make this recipe40 minutes
Course of this recipeAppetizer, Main Dish
Cuisine of this recipeMiddle Eastern/ Middle Eastern-Inspired
Diet type of this recipeChicken and Meat, Nut-Free, Sugar-Free
Keywords of this recipechicken, chicken breast, chicken shawarma, chicken shawarma recipe, chicken shawarma with garlic sauce rice bowl, chicken shawarma wrap, chicken thigh, creamy garlic sauce, crispy Indian chicken recipe, easy chicken shawarma wrap with creamy garlic sauce, easy recipe, garlic sauce, Middle Eastern cuisine, Middle Eastern dish, Middle Eastern Inspired cuisine, Middle Eastern Inspired dish, Middle Eastern Inspired recipe, Middle Eastern recipe, party, pita bread, recipe, shawarma, skillet, special day, Spring, stovetop meal, Summer, white garlic sauce
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  1. 5 stars
    This is the quickest and easiest chicken shawarma recipe I could find out there. Very delicious as well! I added some long slices of pickles in my shawarma too for a little crunch.

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