Shawarma with kefir sauce

4 servings

60 minutes

Shawarma with kefir sauce is an embodiment of Eastern gastronomy with a light sour milk note. This recipe has roots in Turkish cuisine but is adapted to modern tastes. Tender chicken marinated in soy sauce with spices adds richness to the dish. Vegetables add freshness and juiciness, while soft Armenian lavash makes the shawarma perfect for a convenient snack. The main feature is the original kefir sauce enriched with spices, which adds softness and brightness to the flavor. The dish is ideal for a quick dinner or friendly gatherings. Grilled to a golden crust, the shawarma acquires an appetizing aroma that is hard to forget.

Energy value per serving

• Calories: 772.5
• Proteins: 33.9g
• Fats: 46.6g
• Carbohydrates: 55.1g

Ingredients

• Chicken thighs: 500 g
• Armenian lavash: 4 pc
• Mayonnaise: 100 g
• Kefir: 100 ml
• Sour cream: 100 g
• Khmeli-suneli: 1 tsp
• Curry: 1 tsp
• Paprika: 1.5 tsp
• Garlic: 6 clove
• Soy sauce: 3 tbsp
• Salt: to taste
• Ground black pepper: to taste
• TABASCO®: to taste
• Sugar: 0.7 tbsp
• Lemon: 1 pc
• Dijon mustard: 1 tbsp
• Tomatoes: 2 pc
• Cucumbers: 1 pc
• Onion: 0.5 pc
• Butter: 50 g

Cooking steps

1. Remove bones from the thigh fillets. Cut into strips of 3x2 cm. Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes. Add: 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2/3 tbsp sugar, 3 crushed garlic cloves, pepper, a little Tabasco.

   Required ingredients:

   • Chicken thighs: 500 g
   • Soy sauce: 3 tablespoons
   • Sugar: 0.7 tablespoon
   • Garlic: 6 cloves
   • Ground black pepper:  to taste
   • TABASCO®:  to taste

2. Preparing the sauce: pour in 100 ml of kefir (can use ryazhenka), 100 ml of sour cream, 100 ml of mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, a few drops of lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt, a couple of pinches of sugar, khmeli-suneli, paprika, curry, and 3 large garlic cloves from a garlic press. Mix everything together. Let it sit for about 40 minutes or better make it a day ahead and refrigerate overnight.

   Required ingredients:

   • Kefir: 100 ml
   • Sour cream: 100 g
   • Mayonnaise: 100 g
   • Dijon mustard: 1 tablespoon
   • Lemon: 1 piece
   • Salt:  to taste
   • Sugar: 0.7 tablespoon
   • Khmeli-suneli: 1 teaspoon
   • Paprika: 1.5 teaspoon
   • Curry: 1 teaspoon
   • Garlic: 6 cloves

3. Finely chop the onion (if large, use half). Soak the onion in boiling water for 1.5 minutes. Dice the tomatoes and cucumber. Mix all the vegetables.

   Required ingredients:

   • Onion: 0.5 piece
   • Tomatoes: 2 pieces
   • Cucumbers: 1 piece

4. Heat the pan strongly. You can add a little sunflower oil and fry the chicken until golden.

   Required ingredients:

   • Chicken thighs: 500 g

5. Remove from heat and dry on paper towels. Finely chop the chicken.

6. We spread the lavash. Pour sauce where the filling will be, add chicken and vegetables, then drizzle with sauce on top. Fold it by tucking the bottom of the lavash over the filling, folding the sides towards the filling and rolling it forward.

7. In a grill pan, melt the butter and place the shawarma. Fry for 1 minute on each side over high heat.

   Required ingredients:

   • Butter: 50 g