When you have a little extra time (a great weekend project!), bake these from-scratch pita breads for the best shawarma ever! You’ll mix, rest, and roll out dough while marinating chicken in yogurt, garlic, and spices. Sauté the chicken with onion, and serve it with a tangy, juicy feta, cucumber, and tomato salad plus warm homemade pitas.
Produced in a facility that processes eggs, milk, fish, peanuts, sesame, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and wheat.
2 cup
Flour
(Contains Wheat)
1 unit
Instant Yeast
1 unit
Mini Cucumber
1 unit
Tomato
1 unit
Red Onion
1 unit
Lemon
½ cup
Feta Cheese
(Contains Milk)
1 tablespoon
Shawarma Spice Blend
1 teaspoon
Garlic Powder
6 tablespoon
Yogurt
(Contains Milk)
10 ounce
Diced Skinless Dark Meat Chicken
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil
Cooking Oil
Sugar
• Place flour in a large bowl; reserve 1⁄4 cup (1⁄2 cup for 4 servings) in a small bowl (you’ll use it in Steps 4 and 5). To large bowl with flour, add 1 tsp yeast, 1 1⁄2 tsp salt, and 1⁄2 tsp sugar (2 tsp yeast, 1 TBSP salt, and 1 tsp sugar for 4); whisk to combine. • Add 3⁄4 cup warm water (TIP: For the perfect yeast-activating temperature, microwave 1⁄4 cup water until steaming, 60-90 seconds, then add 1⁄2 cup room temperature water) and 1 TBSP olive oil (11/3 cups water and 2 TBSP olive oil for 4). Stir until water is absorbed and dough is sticky, about 30 seconds.
• Add a drizzle of olive oil to bowl with dough; turn to coat. Cover bowl with a kitchen towel and let dough rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 1⁄2 hours TIP: Place covered bowl on the stovetop and preheat oven to 200 degrees to create the perfect environment for dough to rise.
• While dough rests, wash and dry produce. Trim and quarter cucumber lengthwise; slice into 1⁄4-inch-thick quarter-moons. Dice tomato into 1⁄4-inch pieces. Halve, peel, and thinly slice onion; mince a few slices until you have 1 TBSP (2 TBSP for 4 servings). Quarter lemon. • In a second small bowl, combine cucumber, tomato, minced onion, feta, juice from two lemon wedges (four wedges for 4), salt, and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve. • In a medium bowl, combine Shawarma Spice Blend, garlic powder, juice from remaining lemon, 1 packet yogurt, a drizzle of olive oil, and 1⁄2 tsp salt. • Open package of chicken and drain off any excess liquid. Add chicken to bowl with marinade and stir to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• Once dough has doubled in size, adjust oven rack to middle position and place a baking sheet on rack. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. • Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. Hold dough with one hand and firmly press down and away with the other, then fold dough over itself. Repeat until dough forms a ball, about 20 seconds. • Divide dough into six equal portions (twelve portions for 4 servings); shape each into a ball. Cover dough balls with a kitchen towel and let rest for 20 minutes. • Cut parchment paper into six 6-by-6-inch squares (twelve squares for 4).
• Once dough balls have rested, gently flatten one at a time using the palm of your hand. Using a rolling pin and remaining reserved flour as needed, roll each into a 4 to 5-inch round about 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 inch thick (TIP: Roll gently to prevent air pockets from being forced out.) Transfer each dough round to a parchment square. • Carefully remove baking sheet from oven and transfer three dough rounds (on parchment squares) to sheet. Return sheet to middle rack and bake until pitas are puffed and golden brown, 5-8 minutes. Carefully remove pitas and repeat with remaining dough rounds. TIP: Cover pitas with a kitchen towel to keep warm until ready to serve.
• Once pitas are baked, heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add sliced onion and chicken and marinade in a single layer; cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is browned and cooked through, 6-8 minutes.
• Serve pitas, salad, chicken, and remaining yogurt family style. TIP: Halve pitas and fill with salad, chicken, and remaining yogurt to make chicken shawarma pitas!
Chicken is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 165°.