Shawarma-Spiced Chicken Thighs

by Susan Hanna

These spiced chicken thighs from Real Simple are simply delicious. Rub the chicken with spices and toss the tomatoes with oregano, oil and vinegar. Combine mayonnaise, yogurt, garlic and vinegar. Cook the chicken, set aside and cook the onion. Shred the chicken and serve with onion, tomatoes, sauce, naan and garnish with extra oregano.

Serves 4.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Check your spices to make sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents. I used Astro Original Balkan-style yogurt and Hellman’s mayonnaise. Instead of white vinegar, I used Eden Organic red wine vinegar and Suraj original naan.

Ingredients:

• ½ teaspoon (5 ml) ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon (5 ml) ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon (5 ml) ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon (2.5 ml) smoked paprika
• ¼ teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground turmeric
• 3 teaspoons (15 ml) kosher salt, divided
• 2 pounds (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8 thighs)
• ½ cup (125 ml) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) mayonnaise
• 1 large clove garlic, grated
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) white wine vinegar, divided
• 1½ pounds (680 kg) tomatoes, quartered
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh oregano leaves, plus more for serving
• ¼ teaspoon (2.5 ml) freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil, divided
• 1 red onion, cut into ½-inch (1.25-cm) slices
• Naan, for serving

Preparation:

1. Combine cinnamon, coriander, cumin, paprika, cloves, turmeric, and 2 teaspoons (10 ml) salt in a small bowl. Rub mixture evenly over chicken; set chicken aside.
2. Stir yogurt, mayonnaise, garlic, and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vinegar in a small bowl. Toss tomatoes with oregano, pepper, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) oil, and remaining 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vinegar in a medium bowl. Set bowls aside.
3. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Working in 2 batches, add chicken to hot oil; cook, flipping once, until browned and a thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 165°F (74°C), about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board.
4. Add onion to skillet; cook over medium-high, stirring often and scraping up browned bits from bottom of skillet, until onion is browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
5. Shred chicken into bite-size pieces. Transfer to a serving platter with any accumulated juices. Add onion and any remaining juices in skillet to platter. Top with oregano. Serve with yogurt mixture, tomato salad, and naan.

From Real Simple