Chicken Shawarma Nachos {Middle Eastern Fusion Recipe!} (2024)

Chicken Shawarma Nachos {Middle Eastern Fusion Recipe!} (1)

Inspired by the flavours of Kuwait, this recipe is a fusion twist on a Shawarma classic! I asked my amazing food bloggerfriend Amina @hungrypaprikas to share with me a fast, family favourite recipe and she definitely delivered with her favourite Chicken Shawarma Nachos recipe.This recipe is SO quick and easy, but tastes EXACTLY like a delicious, indulgent shawarma plate! The best part is the creamy garlic tahini sauce on top – you’ll never believe it’s secretly healthy!

Salam friends! This is Amina from@hungrypaprikas– excited to share a new secretly healthy ethnic recipe with you! I got this idea from a restaurant in Kuwait, and I loved it! So I thought I would recreate it with my own take on it to make it lighter – but still heavy on flavour! With layers of crunchy nachos, bold flavours in the chicken and a lovely creamy garlic tahini dressing on top, my Shawarma plate tastes like the best Shawarma plate, without any of the guilt!

Best of all, it comes together really quickly in the kitchen so it’s the perfect weeknight meal to delight your whole family or impress your guests. You have got to make this – it’s sure to become one of your go-to favourites!

Chicken Shawarma Nachos {Middle Eastern Fusion Recipe!} (2)

For the chicken:
400g boneless chicken thighs
2 garlic cloves, minced (or garlic powder)
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
Juice from 1 lemon
2 tbsp olive oil

For the Tahini sauce:
2 tbsp Greek yoghurt
3 tsp tahini
1/2 tsp salt
Juice of half a lemon
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp water(or more to your liking)

For the Nachos:
3 large tortilla wraps
2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
2 tbsp olive oil

For the garnish:
3 Tomatoes, chopped
1 Cucumber, diced
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 red onion, thinly sliced

For the Tortilla Chips:

  1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F
  2. Cut the tortilla into small triangles
  3. Lay the tortilla pieces in one layer on a baking sheet. Brush them lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with oregano and paprika.
  4. Bake for approx. 5 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Be careful not to burn the tortillas – they should be hard, crispy and golden, but not dark brown or burnt. Stay close by and watch them after 5 minutes to get the timing right!
  5. Set the tortilla chips aside.

For the Chicken:

  1. Slice your chicken into long, thin strips.
  2. Place all the chicken spices in a plate. Mix all the spices together along with lemon juice and olive oil into a thick paste.
  3. Cover the chicken with the pasta and mix well to cover. You can either cook immediately or let marinate in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight for even deeper flavours!
  4. When you are ready to cook, heat a skillet to medium heat. Drizzle with a teaspoon of olive oil.
  5. Cook the chicken until well-cooked through for about 10 minutes. The outside of the chicken should develop a rich colour due to the paste, and it should smell amazing!
  6. Once all the chicken has finished cooking, set aside.

For the sauce:

  1. Mix all the ingredients together and thin with water little by little to your desired consistency. For this recipe, you want a creamy liquidy dressing to pour on top of your nachos. Once the sauce is done, you’re ready to assemble!

Assembly:

  1. Arrange the tortilla chips on the bottom of a large tray
  2. Spoon all the chicken on top
  3. Garnish with chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and red onion
  4. Drizzle heavily with the garlic tahini sauce
  5. Serve as a big share plate for everyone to enjoy! Dig right in with your fingers to get the nachos and scoop up all the delicious chicken and veg toppings!

Serves 5

Tip: If you want a less messy version of this dish, divide the chicken and veggies into 4 individual bowls. Crumble the tortilla nachos on top and drizzle heavily with the sauce so you can eat it with a fork mess-free!

Nutritional breakdown for 1/5th of the recipe (1 serving):

Chicken Shawarma Nachos {Middle Eastern Fusion Recipe!} (3)

We hope you enjoy this recipe!
Follow Amina
@amanahfitness on Instagramand Amina@hungrypaprikasif you like it and want to see more!!

Chicken Shawarma Nachos {Middle Eastern Fusion Recipe!} (4)

About the Author | Amina @hungrypaprikas

Amina is an engineer and a full time working mom. She has a passion for creating easy and healthy recipes for busy mothers, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle for her family! Her recipes are often full of veggies and colours and she also loves experimenting with food photography. She shares her recipes and photos on Instagram@hungrypaprikas. Through her account, she hopes to help young women and mothers to maintain a healthy life for their families and also make time to achieve their dreams!

Amanah Fitness2018-10-23T08:01:31-04:00October 23rd, 2018|0 Comments

Chicken Shawarma Nachos {Middle Eastern Fusion Recipe!} (2024)

FAQs

What is a chicken shawarma sandwich made of? ›

Middle Eastern chicken shawarma is a delicious pita sandwich recipe made with thinly sliced seasoned chicken, veggies, and sauce wrapped in a pita bread. Shawarma is the ultimate on-the-go meal. If you've never had shawarma, you are truly missing out on a delightful quick meal.

What makes a shawarma a shawarma? ›

shawarma, popular street food in the Middle East, which originated in Turkey and is made of spit-roasted layers of lamb, beef, or other meat that are sliced and often wrapped in or served with pita. Shawarma is similar to Greek gyros, though the former is seasoned with more spices and the latter with more herbs.

What is chicken sahan shawarma? ›

Chicken Platter a.k.a Shawarma Sahan. Sahan means plate in Turkish dialect. A shawarma. which comes in a plate, all items that go into making. shawarma placed individually for you to gorge on.

What country is chicken shawarma from? ›

Originating from the Ottoman Empire (roughly modern-day Turkey) in the 18th or 19th century, shawarma, also spelled shawurma or shawerma, meaning “turning” in Arabic, is a Levantine meat preparation, where thin cuts of lamb, chicken, beef, or mixed meats are stacked in a cone-like shape on a vertical rotisserie (it has ...

What meat is traditionally used in shawarma? ›

Shawarma is prepared from thin cuts of seasoned and marinated lamb, mutton, veal, beef, chicken, or turkey. The slices are stacked on a skewer about 60 cm (20 in) high. Pieces of fat may be added to the stack to provide extra juiciness and flavour.

What is shawarma seasoning made of? ›

A Middle Eastern staple, shawarma seasoning is made with a unique combination of spices including cumin, turmeric, and paprika. It's bold, bright, and unbelievably delicious. If you've never had it, you're in for a serious treat! All you have to do is combine the ingredients in a bowl, and they're good to go.

What is shawarma called in America? ›

When people in America hear the term shawarma, they think of gyro, and while gyro is prepared the same way as shawarma, it is not created using the same kind of meats. Gyro is made with ground meat, lamb, beef, or goat.

What is the secret of shawarma? ›

Shawarma is all about the delicious sauces that accompany the meat – typically garlic yoghurt or tahini and hommus – and the secret ingredient: pickles. Pickled vegetables are what take shawarma to a whole new plane: pickled cucumbers, turnips, and even carrots or mangoes are common.

What sauces are used in shawarma? ›

Traditional Tahini Sauce or Tarator

Authentic beef shawarma however is always served with a tahini sauce, and not toum. This tahini sauce is often referred to as "tarator" in Lebanon and other Levant countries. Its simply made by whisking together tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper.

What drink goes well with shawarma? ›

Known for its high acidity and citrus flavors, Aligoté can provide a crisp, refreshing contrast to the Shawarma's richness, while its subtle herbal notes can harmonize with the dish's spices. Gewürztraminer from Alsace, a white wine known for its bold, aromatic profile, could also pair well with Chicken Shawarma.

What's the difference between gyro and shawarma? ›

The main difference between shawarma and gyro is the type of meat used. Shawarma is typically made with chicken, turkey, beef, or lamb, while gyro is traditionally made with pork. Shawarma is also cooked on a vertical rotisserie, while gyro is cooked on a horizontal rotisserie.

What is the difference between Greek and Arabic shawarma? ›

Similar layered meats and spices are used in Greece, called Gyro, and the Middle East, known as Shawarma. Meats used in Greece tend to be pork and chicken. In the Middle East, lamb is preferred but mutton, beef, chicken, and turkey may also be used. Spices and sauces differ from country to country.

What is Greek shawarma? ›

Though it's traditionally made with lamb or mutton, today's shawarma can consist of anything from chicken to veal. Like gyros, shawarmas are typically served on pitas. Shawarma meat is exceptionally flavorful and juicy, as it is marinated at length in spices like turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and garlic.

Is chicken shawarma the same as chicken gyro? ›

Gyro is savory with a hint of sweetness and garlic, while Shawarma has a smoky flavor with a hint of sweetness from the marinade. To add flavor and texture, both dishes can be topped with various sauces, pickles, and vegetables. The main difference between shawarma and gyro is the type of meat used.

Is chicken shawarma just chicken? ›

Shawarma is the Middle Eastern dish of shaved pieces of spit roasted chicken, beef, or lamb. The thin slices of meat (and fat) are layered in a cone-like shape on a vertical spit. The thin strips of golden brown meat are served in lots of different ways: in warm pita pockets, as a bowl, or atop salad or rice pilaf.

What is the difference between chicken shawarma and kebab? ›

A shawarma is a dish with thin slices of meat stacked in a cone. A kebab is a meat dish with chopped or ground meat. Shawarma is derived from an Arabic translation of a Turkish term, which means 'turning. ' Kebab comes from the ancient Aramaic word 'kababa,' meaning 'char or burn.

Is chicken shawarma dark or white meat? ›

This dish really needs some dark meat in it to make it taste great. You can make it with all chicken thighs, if you prefer (I actually love it that way), but don't sub all chicken breast.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Otha Schamberger

Last Updated:

Views: 5895

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (55 voted)

Reviews: 94% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Otha Schamberger

Birthday: 1999-08-15

Address: Suite 490 606 Hammes Ferry, Carterhaven, IL 62290

Phone: +8557035444877

Job: Forward IT Agent

Hobby: Fishing, Flying, Jewelry making, Digital arts, Sand art, Parkour, tabletop games

Introduction: My name is Otha Schamberger, I am a vast, good, healthy, cheerful, energetic, gorgeous, magnificent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.