How to prepare Chicken Shawarma Deluxe

 Oven-Roasted Chicken Shawarma

Here is a formula for a oven-baked roasted rendition of the classic road side flavor bomb normally cooked on a rotisserie. It is ideal for an evening with loved ones. Present with pita and tahini, cleaved cucumbers and tomatoes, a few olives, hacked parsley, some feta, seared eggplant, hummus twirled with harissa, rice or rice pilaf. You can make the white sauce that customarily joins it by cutting plain yogurt with mayonnaise and lemon squeeze, and flecking it with garlic. For a red to counterbalance it, stew ketchup with red pepper pieces and a hit of red-wine vinegar until it goes sweet and thick, or simply utilize your number one hot sauce all things being equal.

INGREDIENTS 

2 lemons, juiced

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil

6 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and minced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons paprika

½ teaspoon turmeric

 A pinch ground cinnamon

 Red pepper flakes, to taste

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 large red onion, peeled and quartered

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

PREPARATIONS 

Prepare a marinade for the chicken. Combine the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon and red pepper flakes in a large bowl, then whisk to combine. Add the chicken and toss well to coat. Cover and store in refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.

When ready to cook, heat oven to 425 degrees. Use the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to grease a rimmed sheet pan. Add the quartered onion to the chicken and marinade, and toss once to combine. Remove the chicken and onion from the marinade, and place on the pan, spreading everything evenly across it.

Put the chicken in the oven and roast until it is browned, crisp at the edges and cooked through, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to rest 2 minutes, then slice into bits. (To make the chicken even more crisp, set a large pan over high heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, then the sliced chicken, and sauté until everything curls tight in the heat.) Scatter the parsley over the top and serve with tomatoes, cucumbers, pita, white sauce, hot sauce, olives, fried eggplant, feta, rice — really anything you desire.