Skillet Chicken Shawarma Wraps with Garlic Yogurt

Ingredients

• 650 g boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 100 g plain pasteurised yogurt for the marinade
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3 garlic cloves, finely grated, divided
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon fine salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 150 g plain pasteurised yogurt for serving
• 4 large flatbreads
• 100 g shredded lettuce
• 2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 100 g cucumber pickles, drained

Instructions

1. Marinate safely. Mix the 100 g yogurt with olive oil, lemon juice, two grated garlic cloves, cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Open the chicken thighs flat and coat in the mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or up to 12 hours. Wash hands and any surfaces that touched raw chicken.
2. Mix the serving sauce. In a clean bowl, mix the 150 g yogurt with the remaining garlic clove and up to 1/4 teaspoon salt to taste. Keep this sauce refrigerated and separate from the raw-chicken marinade. Prepare lettuce, tomato and drained pickles on a clean board.
3. Heat and arrange. Heat a large nonstick or well-seasoned skillet over medium-high heat. Lift chicken out of the marinade, allowing excess to drip off, and lay flat with space between pieces. Cook in two batches if needed. Discard the used raw marinade rather than adding it to the serving sauce.
4. Cook to temperature. Cook about 5–7 minutes per side, lowering the heat as needed so the yogurt coating browns without burning. Check the thickest parts reach 74°C/165°F. Thick or folded pieces take longer; open them flat and check several pieces, using temperature rather than colour alone.
5. Rest and slice. Transfer cooked chicken to a clean board and rest for 5 minutes. Slice into thin strips and toss with the resting juices. Warm the flatbreads briefly in a clean dry skillet or according to their packet, keeping them soft rather than crisp.
6. Wrap to serve. Spread each bread with garlic yogurt, then add lettuce, tomato, pickles and chicken. Fold the lower edge up and roll snugly without squeezing out the filling. Serve immediately. Let any very juicy tomato slices drain first if the wraps will sit for a few minutes.

Tips and troubleshooting

Too much marinade in the pan makes the chicken simmer instead of brown. Let excess drip off and leave gaps. If the spices blacken quickly, reduce the heat; the chicken still needs to reach a safe centre temperature. Do not reuse the raw marinade as a cold sauce.

Substitutions

Chicken breast works but is less forgiving; flatten to even thickness and begin checking earlier. For more heat add cayenne to the marinade. A little chopped cabbage can replace lettuce for extra crunch.

Allergen notes

Contains milk and usually wheat from flatbread. Pickles may contain mustard or other declared allergens. Check all labels and choose suitable bread if avoiding gluten.

Storage and reheating

Refrigerate cooked leftovers in shallow covered containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 32°C/90°F. Keep the refrigerator at 4°C/40°F or colder and use cooked leftovers within 3–4 days. Reheat cooked fillings thoroughly to 74°C/165°F. Store salad and cold sauces separately; reheat only the portion needed. Discard food left out beyond these limits. Assemble fresh bread or tortillas only after reheating the filling; stored assembled sandwiches and tacos become soggy.

Food safety references: USDA safe cooking temperatures and leftovers and food safety.