Chicken Shawarma: A Keto Delight Or Disaster?

Chicken shawarma is a popular street food that originated in the Middle East and is now enjoyed worldwide. It is traditionally made with lamb or mutton cooked on a vertical rotisserie and served in a pita with tahini, yoghurt sauce, and vegetables. But is it keto-friendly?

The short answer is yes – with some adjustments. The classic spices used in chicken shawarma include cumin, turmeric, paprika, garlic, and lemon juice, which are all keto-friendly. The problem is the pita bread, which is typically made with wheat and therefore not keto-friendly. However, you can easily make this dish keto by serving the chicken and toppings in a low-carb wrap or over cauliflower rice.

Chicken shawarma marinade ingredients

Chicken shawarma is a popular dish from the Middle East. It is traditionally made with lamb, mutton, or chicken, though these days it is also made with beef. It is commonly served in the form of a wrap or on a plate with sides such as seasoned rice, fries, or salads.

The key to making delicious chicken shawarma is in the marinade. Here are the ingredients you will need to make a mouth-watering marinade for your chicken shawarma:

• Olive oil
• Lemon juice
• Spices (cumin, paprika, coriander, cardamom, cayenne pepper, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, salt)
• Honey (optional)
• Garlic

Preparing the Chicken Shawarma Marinade:

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl or a ziplock bag. Add the chicken, ensuring it is well coated in the marinade. For the best results, marinate the chicken overnight, but if you are short on time, a minimum of 2-3 hours will still give you delicious results.

Once the chicken is marinated, it can be cooked on a grill, in a pan, or in the oven. The high heat from a grill or pan will give the chicken a delicious crust and an intoxicating smell. If you opt for the oven, baking at around 425°F/220°C for 20-25 minutes will do the trick.

Serving Chicken Shawarma:

There are two main ways to serve chicken shawarma: as wraps or on a plate.

For wraps, spread some yoghurt sauce or tahini sauce on a flatbread, add lettuce, tomato, onion, and the chicken shawarma. You can also add cheese, hot sauce, or hummus for extra flavour.

For a plate, serve the chicken shawarma with rice and salads on the side. You can also add pita bread or another type of flatbread, with a generous dollop of hummus or yoghurt sauce.

So, there you have it! With these marinade ingredients and simple preparation steps, you'll be well on your way to creating a delicious chicken shawarma feast.

Keto-friendly toppings

Chicken shawarma is a keto-friendly dish, especially when the flatbread is replaced with keto-friendly toppings and served with salads or cauliflower rice.

Some keto-friendly toppings for chicken shawarma include:

• Tahini sauce: A creamy, keto-friendly sauce made from tahini paste, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt.
• Garlic sauce: A blend of garlic, oil, and other spices that can be made at home or purchased at a Middle Eastern restaurant.
• Low-carb tortillas: For a more traditional presentation, low-carb tortillas with only 3g of net carbs are available as a substitute for flatbread.
• Lettuce wraps: For a refreshing and low-carb option, the chicken shawarma can be wrapped in lettuce leaves.
• Salads: Chicken shawarma pairs well with a variety of salads, such as Israeli salad (cucumber and tomato), Moroccan carrot salad, and a cucumber, red onion, and kalamata olive salad.
• Cauliflower rice: A keto-friendly alternative to rice, it can be served as a side dish or used as a base for the chicken shawarma.
• Sour cream sauce: A creamy topping to add a tangy twist to the dish.

These toppings and sides allow individuals on a keto diet to enjoy the flavors of chicken shawarma while adhering to their dietary needs.

Cooking methods

Chicken shawarma is a Middle Eastern dish that is typically made with lamb or mutton. The meat is pushed onto a skewer and cooked over hot coals or on a spit. It is then served as a wrap inside flatbread.

However, for those on a keto diet, the traditional way of serving chicken shawarma may need to be adjusted as flatbread is typically not keto-friendly. Here are some cooking methods and serving suggestions for keto-friendly chicken shawarma:

Grilling

One of the best ways to cook chicken shawarma is over a grill, which gives the chicken lovely grill marks and adds a smoky flavour. If you don't have access to an outdoor grill, you can use a cast-iron grill pan on your stovetop. Preheat your grill or grill pan to medium-high heat and cook the chicken for 4-8 minutes on each side, or until fully cooked.

Stovetop

If you don't have a grill or grill pan, you can cook chicken shawarma in a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet on your stovetop. Cook the chicken thighs for about 4-6 minutes per side, or until fully cooked. You can also use a regular skillet or frying pan and cook the chicken for a similar amount of time.

Oven

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper for easy cleanup and add the chicken thighs. Bake in the oven at 400°F for about 25-35 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked.

Air Fryer

You can also cook chicken shawarma in an air fryer. One reviewer mentioned that they cut the chicken into small pieces, marinated it, and then cooked it in the air fryer, and it turned out great.

Serving Suggestions:

• Instead of serving the chicken shawarma in a wrap, you can serve it on a bed of lettuce or other greens, such as arugula or spinach.
• You can also serve it with low-carb tortillas, keto flatbread, or cauliflower rice.
• For a side dish, try a salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onions, with a dressing of oil and vinegar.
• You can also make a mint garlic sauce or tzatziki sauce to go with your chicken shawarma.

Chicken shawarma nutrition

Chicken shawarma is a Mediterranean-style dish that can be adapted to fit a keto diet. It is typically made with chicken thigh fillets, but chicken breasts can also be used. The chicken is marinated in a spice blend that may include olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, paprika, coriander, cardamom, black pepper, and salt. This dish is often served with a tahini sauce, which is made from tahini paste, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt.

A single serving of chicken shawarma (approximately 4 ounces of chicken and 1 tablespoon of tahini sauce) has been calculated to contain zero net carbs. However, when served with additional toppings or sides, the carb count can increase. For example, if served in a pita or with tortilla chips, the dish would no longer be keto-friendly.

The nutritional profile of chicken shawarma can vary depending on the specific ingredients and quantities used. According to one source, a serving size of 170 grams (approximately 1 cup) of chicken shawarma contains 230 calories, with a macronutrient breakdown of 5% carbs, 39% fat, and 56% protein. This serving provides 57% of the daily recommended value of protein.

Another source provides nutrition facts for a larger serving size of chicken shawarma, weighing 257 grams. This serving size contains 380 calories, with 12.8 grams of fat, 26 grams of carbs, and 38.2 grams of protein.

Chicken shawarma can be a good source of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, as well as various fatty acids such as alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA).

Chicken shawarma history

The history of chicken shawarma goes back several centuries to the Ottoman Empire (modern-day Turkey) in the 18th or 19th century. The name "shawarma" comes from the Arabic word for "turning", referring to the rotisserie method of cooking. The technique of grilling a vertical stack of meat slices and shaving off pieces as it cooks was first used by a Turkish butcher named İskender, who is said to have originated the "rolled kebab" or "döner kebab" in the city of Bursa. This involved separating the meat from the bones and muscles, layering it on an upright spit, and slowly cooking it before carving off pieces to order.

From Turkey, the dish spread to neighbouring countries, becoming known as "shawarma" in Arabic-speaking parts of the Levant (Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan) and "gyro" in Greece. It was introduced to Mexico by Lebanese immigrants, who used the technique to cook pork, creating the dish "tacos al pastor" or "shepherd's tacos".

In the early 20th century, shawarma travelled to Europe and other parts of the world through immigration, particularly by Lebanese, Turkish, Iraqi, and Armenian populations. It was further popularised in the 1970s in the United States, becoming a common street food in cities like New York and Chicago. Today, it is enjoyed as a tasty, globalised dish with various regional variations.

Frequently asked questions