Chicken Shawarma in Pita Pocket

In Arab countries, Israel, Mexico, Pakistan, South Africa and the United Kingdom, Shawarma is widely popular and the meats, fillings and sauce vary depending on the country. Traditionally, Shawarma is made with chicken, lamb, beef, or goat that has been marinated overnight and is wrapped and cooked on a vertical rotisserie.


When an order is placed, meat is shaved off and served as a wrapped in pita bread or flatbread with fresh vegetables (cucumbers, tomato, lettuce, onions), pickles and a sauce or two (garlic mayonnaise and tahini).
Thinly sliced meat, wrapped in a pita bread with veggies and sauce is a delicious quick meal.

Though shawarma is made in different different ways so I thought I would try out a simple homemade version. I do not have a vertical rotisserie or a kebab grill at home. I opted to cook our chicken shawarma on a griddle pan. First marinate the chicken in a blend of yoghurt and spices, then cook the chicken and assemble the shawarma in pita bread.
Another great way to make your own Shawarma is by using leftover chicken from a BBQ. Slice it up and follow the steps below to get a mouth watering shawarma roll.

Ingredients:

For chicken Marination:
700gms of thinly cut skinless boneless chicken breast
½ cup of lemon juice
1 cup of plain (Greek) yogurt
1/4 cup of white vinegar
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tbsp of olive oil
Salt  to taste
½ tsp of ground oregano (or thyme)
1 tsp of paprika
½ tsp of ginger powder (optional)
1 tsp ground allspice (or substitution : 1/3 tsp ground cinnamon + 1/3 tsp ground cloves +1/3 tsp nutmeg powder)

For Sauce:
Tahini (i did not put it, i am not fond of it)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons yogurt

For Spread:
Mayonnaise 

For Pita Pocket:  (Makes 8 Rounds)
1 cup warm water 
2 teaspoons active dry or instant yeast
2 1/2 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1-2 teaspoons olive oil (optional)

For PITA Fillings:
8 loaves of pita bread 
thinly slice cucumbers
thinly sliced onions
thinly sliced tomatoes
1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
pickle slices (optional)

Method for Pita Pocket:

1. Mix the water and yeast together, and let sit for about five minutes until the yeast is dissolved. Add flour, salt and olive oil.
2. Knead the Dough for about 5 minutes till the dough is smooth and elastic.Add more flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking to your hands or the work surface.
3. Set the dough in bowl and coat it with oil. Cover with a cloth and Let the Dough Rise till it is doubled in volume.
4. Once the dough rises, divide the Pitas into 8 equal pieces and gently flatten each piece into a thick disk. Sprinkle the pieces with a little more flour and then cover them with a kitchen towel, wrap until you're ready to bake them.
5. Roll one of the pieces into a circle 8-9 inches wide and about a quarter inch thick. Lift and turn the dough frequently to make sure the dough isn't sticking to work surface. Sprinkle with a little extra flour if it sticks. Repeat with the other pieces of dough. 
6. While shaping the pitas, heat the oven to 450°C. Place a large baking sheet on the middle rack to heat.
7. Place the rolled-out pitas directly on baking sheets (as many as will fit), and bake for about 3 minutes. The pita will start to puff up after a minute or two and is done when it has fully ballooned. 
8. Keep cooked pitas covered with a clean dishtowel while cooking any remaining pitas.
9. Pitas are best when eaten immediately after cooking. Leftover pitas will keep in an airtight bag for several days and can be eaten as they are or warmed in a toaster oven. 

Method for Chicken Shawarma in Pita Pocket:

1. Rinse the boneless chicken breasts with fresh cold water then cut horizontally into thinner cuts of about ½ inch (each breast could possibly be split into 2 slices depending on thickness).
2. Combine all ingredients except for chicken and Mix in a blender, add to a bowl and mix well with the chicken, cover and let marinate in the fridge overnight.
3. When ready, grill the marinated chicken using a George Foreman grill for about 15 minutes on medium heat. (Optional : You can also cook the chicken on a BBQ grill)
4. Combine sauce ingredients and mix well. Set aside.
5. Take the onions, tomatoes, cucumbers and add other filling ingredients in a large bowl and combine well.
6. When the chicken is done, you can shred it, slice it or leave into large pieces. 
7. Spread a quarter of the sauce down the center of each pita.
8. Stuff the pita pocket with the shredded chicken mixture and then top it up fillings.