A simple-to-prepare shawarma that’s full of flavour and deliciously moist. It reheats perfectly and any leftovers work brilliantly as a ‘naked’ shawarma salad with a tasty tahini dressing.

Lamb fat really does take it up a notch in the flavour stakes but is entirely optional. 

Ingredients:

Serves: 6 (generously)

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 50 mins – 1 hour

Ingredients:
12-15 skinless and boneless thigh fillets

25-30g raw lamb fat - optional

2-3 tbsp shawarma spice

1-2 tbsp cornflour

To serve:

Pitta or laffah bread x 6

Hummus

Tahina

Chopped salad

Zhug or harissa
Lemon wedges
 

Method

• Mix the cornflour and shawarma spice in a large ziplock bag to combine. Add the chicken, zip up the bag and rub and massage the spice mix into the chicken. Allow the chicken to marinate in the spices for at least two hours or overnight.
   
• Next take a 2lb rigid loaf tin or two foil ones inside each other and line with a paper liner or greaseproof baking paper.
   
• Melt the lamb fat in a small saucepan and pour the melted fat into the bottom of the lined loaf tin.This step is optional but takes the flavour from good to great.
   
• Layer the chicken thighs into the tin and cover with foil, push the chicken thighs down with your hands to compress them and then put a couple of tins of beans etc on the top — y9u want their weight to press it down.
   
• Heat your oven to 180°C (fan) and place a baking sheet on the middle shelf. Once they are hot, place the uncovered tin on the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes until the chicken is cooked all the way through and a food probe registers 72°C for at least 30 seconds. If you like your shawarma charred with crispy edges, you can pop it under the grill for about 5-10 minutes at the end of cooking.
   
• Turn the tin out onto a board — you may want one with a lip as there will be some meat juices — and slice the shawarma into thin slices across the loaf like a cake. It may crumble a little but no one’s going to mind.
   
• Serve with warm pitta or laffah and topped with your chosen dips and salads and lemon wedges to squeeze.

 

Louismann