Mixed Chicken Shawarma & Gyro Wraps with Garlic Sauce

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

One warm, all-purpose spice blend does double duty here: it marinates chicken thighs into juicy shawarma and seasons a lamb-and-beef patty that gets seared hard, then sliced into crisp-edged gyro strips. Pile both into warm flatbread with whipped garlic sauce, pickles and tomato for the mixed-meat wrap you'd order off a Mediterranean grill counter — no vertical rotisserie required.

Ingredients

• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 2 tbsp plain whole-milk yogurt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp spice blend (from above)
• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 1/2 lb ground lamb
• 1/2 lb ground beef (80/20)
• 1/4 cup grated yellow onion, squeezed dry
• 2 tsp spice blend (from above)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp plain breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp neutral oil, for searing

• 4 cloves garlic, grated on a microplane
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp cold water
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

• 1/2 cup dill pickle spears, sliced into thin planks
• 1/2 cup pickled turnips or pepperoncini, sliced
• 1/2 small red onion, shaved thin
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp dried sumac (optional)
• 1 cup shredded romaine or iceberg lettuce
• 1 large tomato, seeded and diced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 4 large lavash, saj, or 10-inch flour tortillas

• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• hot sauce or harissa

Instructions

1. Make the spice blend: stir the paprika, cumin, coriander, oregano, garlic powder, cinnamon, turmeric, allspice, black pepper, cardamom and cayenne together in a small bowl. You'll have about 3 1/2 tablespoons; you use 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons here and can keep the rest in a jar for up to 6 months.
2. Marinate the chicken: slice the thighs into 1/2-inch-thick strips against the grain. Toss in a bowl with the yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of the spice blend and 1 teaspoon salt until every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 20 minutes, or up to 24 hours for deeper flavor.
3. Mix the gyro meat: in a separate bowl, combine the ground lamb, ground beef, grated onion, breadcrumbs, 2 teaspoons of the spice blend and 1 teaspoon salt. Knead with your hands for a full 2 minutes until the mixture turns sticky and paste-like — this tight bind is what lets it slice into gyro-style strips instead of crumbling.
4. Press the gyro mixture into two flat oval patties about 1/2 inch thick on a plate or parchment. Chill in the freezer for 10 minutes while you make the sauce and pickles.
5. Whipped garlic sauce: whisk the grated garlic, mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, cold water and 1/4 teaspoon salt until smooth and pourable. Refrigerate until serving.
6. Pickle plate: toss the shaved red onion with the red wine vinegar and sumac and let sit 15 minutes to soften and turn pink. Arrange the dill pickles, pickled turnips, lettuce, tomato and parsley in bowls so assembly goes fast.
7. Sear the gyro patties: heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a large cast-iron or heavy stainless skillet over medium-high until it shimmers. Add the chilled patties and cook undisturbed for 4 minutes, until a dark brown crust forms. Flip and cook 3 to 4 minutes more, to an internal temperature of 160°F. Transfer to a cutting board and rest 5 minutes, then slice on a slight diagonal into 1/4-inch strips.
8. Return the skillet to medium-high heat (leave the rendered fat). Add half the chicken in a single uncrowded layer and cook 3 minutes without moving, until the edges char, then toss and cook 2 to 3 minutes more, to 165°F. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken, adding a teaspoon of oil if the pan looks dry.
9. Slide the sliced gyro strips back into the hot skillet with the chicken for the last 60 seconds, tossing to crisp the cut edges and marry the two meats. Squeeze over a little lemon and scrape up any browned bits from the pan into the meat.
10. Warm the flatbreads one at a time in the empty skillet, 20 to 30 seconds per side, until pliable and lightly blistered.
11. Assemble: spread 2 tablespoons garlic sauce down the center of each flatbread, leaving a 2-inch border. Layer on lettuce, tomato, a generous handful of the mixed chicken and gyro meat, then pickles, pickled turnips, pickled onion and parsley. Drizzle with more garlic sauce and hot sauce if you like.
12. Fold in the two short ends, roll the wrap up tight like a burrito, then set it seam-side down in the dry hot skillet for 60 to 90 seconds to seal and toast. Cut on the bias, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and serve immediately.
13. Cook's-note timing: if you want a shortcut, both meats can be cooked ahead and reheated in a dry skillet over medium-high for 2 minutes just before rolling.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

More from Sprig Originals

One-Skillet Blackened Cajun Chicken Pasta

One-Pot Chicken Creole

Dark Roux Seafood Gumbo with Quick Shrimp Stock

Are you this recipe's original author or publisher? Report a problem