From the grill & main dishes · The home kitchen
Shawarma Chicken Bite
Chicken shawarma bites turn a warmly spiced chicken filling into small pieces of toasted markook. Pickles bring acidity and a quick garlic sauce adds creaminess. Cooking the chicken before wrapping keeps the bread delicate, while a short final toast helps the rolls hold together when sliced for sharing. This is a home-style interpretation of the menu idea, with measured ingredients and a method suited to an ordinary kitchen. It is not Beiruty’s proprietary restaurant formula. Read the complete method before starting, measure the ingredients first, and use the texture and temperature cues alongside the clock. The external guide offers another cook’s perspective; its seasoning and presentation may differ from this version.
A home-style recipe inspired by our menu. Restaurant preparation, portions and ingredients may differ.
Make it at home
Shawarma Chicken Bite recipe
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 18 min
- Rest / chill
- 120 min
- Total
- 168 min
Ingredients
- 600 g boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp fine salt
- 4 large markook breads
- 80 g mayonnaise
- 1 small garlic clove, grated for sauce
- 1 tbsp lemon juice for sauce
- 100 g pickled cucumber, cut into strips
Method
Mix oil, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 3 garlic cloves, spices and salt. Coat chicken, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Stir mayonnaise with the small garlic clove and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Refrigerate this quick garlic sauce until assembling.
Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in a single layer for about 7–9 minutes per side, reducing heat if spices scorch, until the thickest part reaches 165°F/74°C. Rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
Spread each markook with one quarter of the sauce. Add chicken and pickles in a narrow line. Fold the sides inward and roll firmly.
Place rolls seam-side down in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1–2 minutes per side to set the bread. Cut each into bite-size pieces and serve immediately.
Make it your own.
- The mayonnaise mixture is a convenient garlic sauce, not traditional emulsified toum.
- Do not overfill thin markook, which can tear.
- Use a clean board when slicing the cooked chicken.