Toronto Chicken Shawarma

Fragrant, spicy grilled chicken, peppers, onions, and a quick yogurt tahini sauce fill pitas in a Toronto version of chicken shawarma.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 40 mins
• Calories: 737 Calories

Ingredients

• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon ground cardamom
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• ¼ cup tahini
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 4 pita bread rounds
• 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
• 4 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 lemon, juiced, divided
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 ½ cups Greek yogurt
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon grill seasoning (such as Montreal Steak Seasoning®)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat an indoor or outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil the grate.

Step 2

Whisk together the coriander, cumin, cardamom, chili powder, grill seasoning, paprika, and turmeric in a bowl; whisk in juice of 1/2 lemon, garlic, and 3 tablespoons olive oil to form a paste. Coat the chicken breasts with the spice paste.

Step 3

Grill chicken breasts on the preheated grill until juices run clear and chicken is no longer pink at the center, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate and cool for 1 to 2 minutes; slice thinly.

Step 4

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir onion, red pepper, and yellow pepper into the hot olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Step 5

Stir together Greek yogurt, tahini, juice of remaining 1/2 lemon, and remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil in a bowl until smooth; season with salt.

Step 6

Place pitas on the grill until heated through and lightly charred on the outside, about 1 minute per side. To assemble each sandwich, place some sliced chicken on each pita; top with some of the pepper mixture and a good dollop of yogurt tahini sauce.