GrillMiddle Eastern
Chicken shawarma thighs
Yogurt, cumin, turmeric, a hot grate. The weeknight pin that tastes like a spit without owning one.
Made it?
40 min · 25 min hands-on · pull 175°F · rest 5 min
Ingredients
3 lb on the fire · ~2.1 lb to the table · 4 plates at 8 oz
- boneless, skinless chicken thighs3 lb
- plain yogurt1/2 cup
- olive oil2 tbsp
- garlic cloves, grated3
- cumin1 tsp
- paprika1 tsp
- turmeric1/2 tsp
- cinnamon1/2 tsp
- kosher salt1 tsp
- lemon, juiced1
Method
- 1
Mix the marinade. Coat the thighs 1–8 hours.
- 2
Grill over medium-high or sear in iron, 5–6 minutes a side, to 175°F. Dark meat wants that number.
- 3
Rest 5. Slice thin across. Pile into warm pitas with onion, cucumber, and a yogurt-garlic sauce.
If you don’t have it
- Thighs → A mix of thigh and breast. Pull the breast first at 155. Thighs can wait.
- Yogurt marinade → Oil and the same spices. Less tender, still the right flavor. Do not skip the salt.
Same cook, different day
Sheet-pan
No grill. 450°F, 20 minutes, broil 2 to char the edges.
Shawarma-spiced whole bird
A Sunday. Same rub under the skin, roast 425°F.
Leftover bowls
Next day. Crisp the slices in iron. Rice, pickles, yogurt.
On the plate
With this, try
- With this dish, try making petite roasted potatoes.
Same pan as a roast or chicken. Or a sheet next to chops. Halve, oil, salt, rosemary. 425°F cut-side down until the faces brown. Toss in the meat drippings at the end.
40 min
- With this dish, try making grilled asparagus.
When the meat comes off to rest. Thick spears, oil, salt. Hot grate 2–3 minutes, roll, another minute. Lemon. Pencil spears go in a hot skillet, not on the bars.
10 min
- With this dish, try making vinegar slaw.
Anytime. Better after an hour in the fridge. Cabbage, carrot, cider vinegar, a pinch of sugar, salt, pepper. No mayo if the meat is already rich.
20 min