Shawarma-Spiced Grilled Chicken With Tahini-Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 0.5 tsp ground coriander
• 0.5 tsp ground ginger
• 0.5 tsp ground turmeric
• 0.25 tsp ground allspice
• 0.25 tsp ground cinnamon
• Salt and pepper (1 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper for marinade)
• 1.5 cup plain yogurt (for marinade)
• 0.25 cup yellow onion (minced)
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (plus more for the grill)
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 3 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (or a combination)
• 0.5 lemon (for serving)
• fresh parsley or mint leaves (optional, for serving)
• 1 cup plain yogurt (for sauce)
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 0.5 garlic clove (finely grated or minced)
• Salt (for sauce)

Steps

1. 1

   Make the marinade: In a large bowl, combine the paprika, cumin, coriander, ginger, turmeric, allspice and cinnamon with 1½ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.

2. 2

   Add the yogurt, onion, olive oil and garlic to the spice mixture; mix well, then set aside.

3. 3

   Pat the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel.

4. 4

   If using breasts, cut the breasts in half crosswise, so you have one thicker, rounded piece and one thinner, triangular piece.

5. 5

   Working in batches, place the chicken pieces on a large cutting board and cover them with a sheet of parchment paper. Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound the chicken until each piece is about the same thickness as the others, between ½-inch and ¾-inch-thick. (Be careful not to pound so hard that you tear the chicken.)

6. 6

   Add the chicken to the marinade and toss well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.

7. 7

   Meanwhile, make the tahini-yogurt sauce: In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, tahini, lemon juice and garlic; season to taste with salt.

8. 8

   Refrigerate the sauce for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days.

9. 9

   Before grilling, let the chicken come to room temperature for 30 minutes.

10. 10

    If using a charcoal or gas grill, clean the grates and brush them with oil. Set the grill to medium-high or heat a grill pan slicked with olive oil on the stovetop over medium-high.

11. 11

    Lift the chicken from the marinade (no need to brush off excess marinade) and grill until cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes on each side, covering the grill halfway through, if necessary, to retain the heat.

12. 12

    Transfer the chicken to a plate, sprinkle generously with salt and squeeze the lemon half over the pieces.

13. 13

    Allow the chicken to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

14. 14

    Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or mint (if using) and serve the tahini-yogurt sauce on the side.

Notes

If using chicken thighs, you can skip the pounding step. Leftover chicken is excellent in wraps with cucumber, tomato, and lettuce.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• grilled
• chicken
• shawarma
• summer
• high-protein