Does it get any better than mouth-watering Chicken Shawarma?

If I had to pick one cuisine to eat for the rest of my life, it would be Mediterranean food. I love all the uniques flavors, beautiful dishes, and healthy veggies. One of my all-time favorite dishes is chicken shawarma. This gluten-free Chicken Shawarma recipe is so easy to make, and it’s a great way to mix up your dinners or lunches if you’re growing tired of the same thing. Overall, it’s a must try!

The Pita

Chicken Shawarma was one of my favorite dishes before I went gluten-free, but the past few years, I’ve had a hard time finding a restaurant that served gluten-free pita bread. I finally had to take matters into my own hands to make this gluten-free Chicken Shawarma wrap!

I’ve tried out a few gluten-free pita breads (I have yet to make my own recipe), and there’s one that I’ve found that I think is best. MYBREAD Original Flatbread Pitas has been the best pita bread that I’ve had and is perfect for this recipe! It doesn’t fall apart, has a fantastic texture, and the perfect flavor.

My tip is to warm up the pita bread before using it. It helps the bread fold easier without breaking by softening it. You can warm it up in the microwave, or my suggestion would be to warm it in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. I also like to brush mine with a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, and paprika. It brings out the flavors and ultimately provides the perfect vessel for the Chicken Shawarma!

So, How Do We Make This Wrap?

There are specific recipes that I like to call “dump dinners”. All you need to do for these recipes is throw the main ingredient in a baking dish and season it with the rest of the ingredients! It’s the perfect easy recipe for a busy weeknight or to meal prep on Sunday. The best part is that with only 10 minutes of preparation, you can just let it cook for 45 minutes, and then it’s ready to go!

So, let’s get down to this recipe! Start by slicing the chicken breasts into long thick pieces. While you could cook the chicken breast whole and shred it later, I find this easier. It also produces a juicier chicken, which is the whole point of this mouth-watering dish! Once you have your chicken strips, add them to a greased baking sheet.

Now, it’s time to mix the ingredients together that will provide the seasoning! Start by dicing half a yellow onion and mincing three cloves of garlic. Add those to a medium bowl, then pour in the olive oil and lemon juice. You can add more lemon juice if you would like to this dish. I like to do three tablespoons and have olive oil be the primary liquid in the seasoning. I believe that the olive oil softens the dish, and adding more lemon juice may make the chicken have more of a bite to it. It really comes down to how much you like lemon!

Next, add in chicken broth with the seasonings! We’ll be using a mixture of cumin, salt, black pepper, paprika, basil, dill weed, turmeric, and cinnamon. Cumin and paprika and a deeper flavor to the dish and the dill weed and basil are essential in embedding that delicious Mediterranean flavor. Now, turmeric and cinnamon may seem a bit odd. Turmeric is typically a traditional Indian spice used in curries, but it doesn’t have any heat. It has more of an earthy flavor, but it’s a delicious deep flavor that I believe adds a richness to the chicken. The cinnamon helps balance out the bold flavors while adding a touch of sweetness to the dish. It’s such a small amount of cinnamon that you really can’t taste it, but it’s essential to add it in there.

Once you have all those ingredients mixed together, pour directly over the chicken. Really mix it up so that the chicken is covered in the mixture. After all that’s left to do is bake it in the oven for 45 minutes! During the last 10 minutes, throw the pita bread in there to warm. Then, allow the chicken to cool for about five minutes before assembling the dish.

The Toppings

What would Chicken Shawarma be without the delicious toppings? From the fresh cherry tomatoes to the kalamata olives, the toppings are one of my favorite parts of this dish! Here are a few that I recommend throwing on top of your dish:

Freshly diced tomatoes
Kalamata olives
Feta cheese
Shredded lettuce
Fresh parsley
Diced cucumbers
Hummus

How to Serve

Enjoy in a toasted gluten-free pita and add your favorite toppings! I like to add Tzatziki Sauce on the side for dipping! Check out my recipe below for this delicious yogurt sauce.

How to Store

The chicken itself will last up to five days, but the sauce will only last about three days. Also, make sure to store all the toppings in airtight containers to keep them fresh!